Capturing Learner Perspectives: Development and Validation of the Skills-Based Training Evaluation Tool

AIM: The aim of this study was to create a valid, reliable tool to explore learner perspectives on skills-based training (SBT) activities. BACKGROUND: Despite SBT being a core element of health care professional degree programs, no valid, reliable tool exists to collect learner feedback on SBT activities. Feedback is important for quality improvement and learner engagement. METHOD: Four expert nurse educators developed and validated the SBT Evaluation Tool to address learners' experiences with SBT activities. The tool was piloted at two universities with 231 pre- and post-licensure nursing and physician assistant students. RESULTS: Four factors that explained 68.7 percent of total variance emerged from principal components analysis: skill acquisition support, learning environment effectiveness, instructional clarity, and assessment conditions. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was acceptable at.791; Cronbach's alpha was.849. CONCLUSION: The SBT Evaluation Tool provides reliable feedback regarding how learners perceive the structure and effectiveness of SBT activities.