VALIDATION OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM EVALUATION RESEARCH INSTRUMENT: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELLING APPROACH

The paper reports the results of our research study identifying the statistically significant factors that influence the validation of Research Instrument used in Training Program Evaluation at Agricultural Research Institutes, Hyderabad. The data collected using a survey of 200 trainee participants including 60 women and 140 men, from eight training courses to assess the program participant satisfaction and performance. Ten factors were used in the study and using the factor analysis four variables were eliminated because of the poor factor loadings. The remaining six factorsLectures, Practical, Demos, Field Visit, Methodology, and Instructor ability used for this study to measure Performance.The Likert data was collected using a structured undisguised questionnaire. We have applied the descriptive analysis, correlationtechniques, inferential statistics, and Structural Equation Modellingto arrive conclusions. To measure the reliability of thescale used for this study, and internal consistencies of the survey questionnaire, the reliabilitystatics Cronbach’s alpha and Spearman-Brown split-half reliability were used. The overall Cronbach alpha is 0.95and the Cronbach alpha value ranged from 0.82 to 0.94 for all the 9 independent and one dependent variables.A series of models were evaluated on 60 items of the initial questionnaire allowing Structural Equation Model (SEM) to identify the best-fit factors that influence the Research Instrument Validation used in Training Program Evaluation. The study observed that model was statistically significant and consistent and the instrument was validated for routine use.