The A-Z of Training: K is for Knowledge
Building knowledge is an important aspect of many training courses. It may have fallen out of fashion but knowing the correct information can be the difference between making the right decision or a costly mistake.
When devising a new training course I always start with establishing the learning objectives as these help me to structure the course. To achieve the learning objectives I begin to think about what knowledge would be required to get the desired results.
In considering the knowledge that I might use to meet the learning objectives, I find that it is helpful to distinguish between essential and supplementary knowledge.
Under essential knowledge I place the knowledge that is critical for meeting the learning objectives. These may cover a single whole learning objective or part of one.
All other relevant but non essential knowledge is considered as supplementary knowledge. Examples of this might be historical information or activities that are related to the essential knowledge.
To complete the course design, I combine the essential knowledge with supplementary information. The supplementary information helps learners commit the key points to memory and connect it with their existing knowledge. It can also be a good change of tempo before jumping into the next section of essential knowledge.
