Department of Justice
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Information Collection Requirement
Supporting Statement
1140-0088
Advanced Explosives Destruction Techniques (AEDT) Training Course Follow-up Evaluation Form
A. Justification
ATF is conducting training evaluation to determine the effectiveness
and value of its training programs. The Kirkpatrick 4-Level Model is used to evaluate ATF training programs. A descriptive survey has been designed that will include quantitative and qualitative components, and will measure at Level 3. This level determines whether the training program has changed the behavior of the participants; i.e., is what they have learned being applied on the job. This is also called transfer or learning. According to a GAO study (GAO-T-GGD-00-131) that was conducted on the design, implementation, and evaluation of training in several high-performing agencies, all of the agencies used the Kirkpatrick Model. Additionally, an Office of Personnel Management Report (OPM-OWR 35) states that there is a growing demand for “accountability of training costs within the Federal Government… and decision makers needing to be assured of the value of training.”
The information collected on the survey will provide ATF with data on how the training participants have transferred the knowledge and skills learned to their jobs. Telephone interviews will also be conducted on a sampling of the respondents to gather rich qualitative data to supplement the quantitative data. An interview guide has been developed to ensure consistency in the interviews. Collection of this data will help ATF determine whether the training program is consistently meeting objectives and impacting the performance of the individuals in their work place. These efforts also support the Human Capital element of the President’s Management Agenda.
The survey will be sent to participants via an electronic medium. An e-mail will be sent to each participant with the attached survey. Instructions will be provided for completing and returning the survey. The instrument was designed for ease in completing, but adequate to collect the desired data. It is comprised primarily of checking boxes with some brief narrative response. It will take the respondent no more than 12 minutes to complete. Completing the survey is voluntary. For the 42 individuals who are not accessible via email, the survey will be mailed to them with an accompanying, self-addressed, stamped envelope.
This information is not being collected anywhere else in ATF.
The collection of this information does not have any significant impact on small businesses or other entities.
There is no consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the information is not collected. The survey is voluntary.
There are no special circumstances regarding this information collection and it is in conformance within the guidelines of % CFR 1320.6. Respondents are sent the survey 6 to 18 months after completing the training. This gives them enough time to begin implementing the learned skills.
Staff from ATF’s Learning Systems Management Division consulted with C2 Technologies, Inc to develop this survey. No other outside sources were consulted. A 60-day and 30-day Federal Register Notice was published to solicit comments from the general public. No comments were received.
No payment or gift is associated with this collection.
Respondents are advised that the information being collected will remain confidential the confidentiality of the information collected via this survey is protected by 5 U.S.C. 552 except where noted. Responses are kept in a secured location.
No questions of a sensitive nature are asked.
Estimates of the annual burden hours are as follows:
Number of Respondents: 354
Frequency of Response: Once a year
Completion Time: 12 minutes each time
Annual Hour Burden: 71 hours
There is no annual cost burden to the respondent as a result of this collection of information.
Estimates of the annual cost to the Federal Government are as follows:
Printing: $ 000.00
Distribution: 50.00
Clerical Cost: 200.00
Other Salary (review,
analysis, supervisory, etc.) 1,000.00
TOTAL $1,200.00
There are no program changes or adjustments associated with this collection.
The results of this collection will not be published.
ATF does not request approval to not display the expiration date of OMB approval for this collection.
There are no exceptions to the certification statement.
B. Statistical Methods
The potential respondent universe is 354 bomb technicians from State and local police departments. The desired response rate is seventy percent of this population, but no lower than forty percent to ensure reliability of the information.
The survey will consist of the following:
Fill-in-the blank or forced choice questions to determine demographic characteristics.
Likert scales to assess perceptions. A Likert scale provides a way for respondents to quantify opinions about a given statement.
Open-ended questions to obtain general comments.
The survey was constructed for ease in analyzing, tabulating, and summarizing the data. The analysis of the data will be kept as simple as possible and limited to what is necessary to draw proper conclusions with the data.
Quantitative Analysis:
Use of descriptive statistics will enable ATF to summarize a large amount of information. Data analysis files will be built using a statistical software package. The statistical methods to be employed are those of central tendency: mean, median, and mode. The mean is the arithmetic average for a group of numbers. The median is the middle value. The mode of a set of numbers is the value which occurs with the greatest frequency; i.e., the most common value.
Another way ATF will use statistics is through a frequency
distribution and percentages. The represented data will reflect post-training measurements of performance for the group of respondents.
Qualitative Analysis:
A content analysis of the survey questions will be performed. The most common themes found in the answers to the qualitative questions will be presented. Telephone interviews to gather qualitative information will also supplement the quantitative data.
In order to maximize response rates, ATF will employ the use of
electronic medium. For the 42 individuals who are not accessible via email, the survey will be mailed to them with an accompanying, self-addressed, stamped envelope. The survey will be sent via an e-mail attachment to each respondent. To ensure consistency in completing the instrument, simple and straightforward instructions will be provided for completing and returning the survey. A point of contact for questions also will be established. The instrument was designed for ease in completing, which will facilitate response. It has the least number of questions necessary to cover the topics, and asks for short, objective answers, primarily using the “check boxes” method with some questions asking for a brief narrative response. The level of readability is appropriate to the respondents’ knowledge, ability, and background. Adequate time will also be allowed for respondents to complete the instrument. A friendly reminder will be sent to those respondents who have not met the deadline.
No tests of procedures or methods will be undertaken.
ATF has employed a contractor to develop the data collection instrument, and to collect and analyze the data:
C2 Technologies, Inc.
7700 Leesburg Pike, Suite 219
Falls Church, VA 22043-2614
Point of Contact: Tom Tatem: 703-748-2789 Ext: 3062
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | Information Collection Requirement |
| Author | ATF |
| Last Modified By | ATF |
| File Modified | 2007-04-03 |
| File Created | 2007-04-03 |