Leadership Development For
Local Government Officials
and Utilizing a Retrospective
Pretest Methodology
Joe Lucente
Ohio State University Extension/
Ohio Sea Grant College Program
Background of Leadership
Academy

The Mission
 The
purpose of the Academy is to
“encourage, support and
promote good government
through a curriculum geared
towards leadership and decision
making skills as it relates to
interaction in the public sector.”
Building A Working Partnership





Toledo Area Chamber of Commerce
(sponsor)
The Leadership Fund of Toledo
(sponsor)
The Ohio State University Extension
(sponsor)
The Ohio Sea Grant College Program
(sponsor)
Presenters (local and state)
Intended Outcome

To create a “Leadership Network” of
individuals in the Toledo Metro Area
to share ideas, meet and discuss
issues in a non-formal atmosphere,
learn from each other, and work to
foster regional collaboration in the
local government decision making
process.
Evaluation/Measuring Impact



Retrospective Pre/Post Tests were
used to measure:
Knowledge held before presented
subject
Knowledge gained after presented
subject
Composition of Retro Pre/Post Test


Information used to compile the
retro pre/post test comes from the
content of the sessions themselves
The retro pre/post test is used as the
indicator of estimating the level of
knowledge gained pertaining to
important components of the session
itself.
Why Use It ???
 Provides
educators an
opportunity to better gauge
participants perceptions of
their basic knowledge levels
on a particular topic as well
as their knowledge levels
after instructional
intervention.
Why Use It ???
Self
reported
information enables one
to measure change in
knowledge level and
document the impact of
instruction as a result.
Assumptions of Retro Pre/Post Test
 Research
shows advantages
and disadvantages to utilizing
this approach of evaluation
 Traditional
Pre/Post Test v.s.
Retrospective Pre/Post Test
Traditional Pre/Post Test
Limitations



Time consuming (before and after
intervention)
Mortality (subject must be present before
and after – issues with consistent
attendance)
Tendency to over estimate knowledge and
skills- leads to Response Shift Bias
(internal validity threat)
Retro Pre/Post Advantages



Provides a single frame of reference
(allows a more accurate assessment
of changes in self-reported
knowledge and behavior)
Administered only once (simple,
convenient, expeditious)
Flexible when intervention takes
place over time
Retro Pre/Post Limitations
Demand characteristics (wanting to
please program providers and/or
look good)
 Implicit theories of change (thinking
that change should have occurred)
 Memory related bias such as
hindsight bias
 Still a form of estimation

Impact of Leadership Development

Since 2002, 53 public officials and
those who work in local government
have attended the Toledo Local
Government Leadership Academy.
The Retrospective Pre/Post Tests
utilized in evaluation indicated an
86% OVERALL INCREASE of
participant knowledge in local
government leadership.
For More Info
 If
you are interested in receiving
more information on this
program, please contact Joe
Lucente, Extension Agent in
Community & Economic
Development at (419) 213-2028
or by e-mail at
lucente.6@osu.edu