In spite of that, trainers and facilitators often have an almost morbid preoccupation with wanting to know how participants reacted to courses. Ratings don't correlate with transfer of training. Many raters are unqualified. Training participants do not have the background to supply valid judgments about the effectiveness of a training course. They know what they like, but they are usually uneducated about educational theory and methods.
Trainees have uneven comparative histories.
Trainees usually have highly varied training experiences with which to compare a given course. Data are retrospective. Asking participants to rate the opening session on the last day is usually useless. Responses are judgmental or subjective. Such ratings are, of course, judgmental and subjective.