Sunday, January 29, 2006

Tip #101: Training Content

The third step in the comprehensive nine step LESSON PLANning Process is:

STEP 3. SELECT THE KEY CONTENT TO BE COVERED.

This process is often referred to as a Task Analysis:

  1. Identify the skill and knowledge factors necessary to accomplish each of the training goals.*

  2. Differentiate the essential from the non-essential skill and knowledge factors, based on the training goals.

  3. Remedy any inconsistencies between factors that should be essential and the training goals by rewriting the goals.*

  4. Place the essential factors in a logical sequence.

  5. Remedy any gaps in the logical sequence of events by adding in the missing factors.

Please note that there are many checks and balances incorporated into the lesson design process. They begin with this step. In (a), you make sure that there is sufficient content to accomplish all of the established training goals. In (c), you have an opportunity to revise the goals if they do not allow you to address content that you consider critical to the learning.

Another note: although the lesson plan will be built around the essential content identified in (b), you may still want to keep notes on the content that was considered interesting but not essential. In the event that you need additional content for a training program, you can add exercises related to this "non" essential content.

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Tip #100: Training Goals

The second step in the comprehensive nine step LESSON PLANning Process is:

Step 2. ESTABLISH THE TRAINING GOALS.

There are always two stated goals: what the learners will learn and why it is important to them.

  1. Determine the purpose of the training program, based on the training needs assessment.

  2. Identify what learning is expected as the first goal.

  3. Identify why the learning is important from the learners' perspective as the second goal.

  4. Create a title for the training program that reflects these goals.

Thursday, January 12, 2006

Tip #99: Needs Assessment

The first step in the comprehensive nine step LESSON PLANning Process is:

Step 1. Look at the Training Needs.

a. Identify the performance issue that needs to be addressed.

b. Identify how this issue impacts the organization.

c. Determine that training is the appropriate remedy.

d. Identify the target audience.

e. Identify the general content that needs to be covered.

f. Determine the participants' receptivity to this content.

g. Assess their skill or knowledge level in this content area.

h. Identify why this training is important to them from their perspective.

i. Identify the amount of time available for training.

j. Identify pre- and post-training reinforcement necessary and available to the participants.

Monday, January 2, 2006

Tip #98: Lesson Planning



There is a comprehensive nine step LESSON PLANning Process that has served me very well as I have designed a variety of training programs for clients:

  1. L OOK at the TRAINING NEEDS.

  2. E STABLISH the TRAINING GOALS.

  3. S ELECT the KEY CONTENT.

  4. S ET the desired LEARNING LEVELS.

  5. O RGANIZE the LEARNING OBJECTIVES.

  6. N EGOTIATE the AGENDA.

  7. P ROPOSE the TRAINING METHODS.

  8. L IST the necessary TRAINING RESOURCES.

  9. A RRANGE to EVALUATE if the training need has been met.

N OW CREATE the TRAINING MATERIALS!

If a diagram is useful for you, here is a very basic depiction of the lesson design process: