| The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness (level 3) of the Defense Contract Audit Institute (DCAI) training curriculum as perceived by auditors ranging from entry level to senior level who have taken training within the last two years. The study was designed to determine if DCAI's training curriculum is teaching participants how to perform their job task more efficiently and effectively; determine if participants are using course materials as a reference guide; and determine if there should be modifications for improvement to the training curriculum, and if so, what should those modifications be. This is the first study of the DCAI curriculum conducted at level 3.; An instrument in the form of a questionnaire was designed to provide data for the study. A random sample of DCAA participants from the Eastern, Mid-Atlantic, Central, Northeastern, and Western Regions of the United States were surveyed to provide demographic and curriculum related data to use in evaluating the effectiveness of the DCAI training curriculum. The sample was drawn from a universe of 2,237 DCAA employees. A randomly selected sample of 150 employees participated in the study. Selected participants were sent a questionnaire with a combination of 60 multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and short answer questions. The questions were compiled based on information needed to perform a level three evaluation. Data from the questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The data analysis included comparative studies that examined frequencies, means, and percentages.; The major findings of this study included: (1) Only a third of the participants are using course books as reference materials to assist them in doing their jobs, to perform written risk assessments, and to facilitate effective communication on the job. (2) A significant percentage of participants are not using the course materials to perform their daily job task because the course materials are not formatted for use as a reference guide to perform daily job task and the content is theoretical in nature and lacks appropriate examples and case studies. (3) Training is not consistently resulting in improved job performance. (4) The participants feel that the instructors' knowledge and communication style enhanced their learning. This created a positive learning experience for most participants and made learning easier. |
