Designing Training Plans and Learning Objectives

Sections of This Topic Include

Preparation for Designing Your Training Plan
Design Your Learning Objectives
Analyze Your Learning Objectives for Relevance, Alignment, Sequence and Testability
Designing Training Rooms (Classrooms)
Additional Information About Designing Training
Various Ideas for Ways to Learn (including distance and online learning)

Also consider
Related Library Topics

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Designing Training and Development Plans

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to Designing Training and Development Plans. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

Preparation for Designing Your Training Plan

The purpose of the design phase is to identify the learning objectives that together will achieve the overall goals identified during the needs assessment phase of systematic training design. You will also identify the learning activities (or methods) you’ll need to conduct to achieve your learning objectives and overall training goals.

Before progressing through the guidelines in this topic, the reader would benefit from first reviewing the information about formal and systematic training, especially the ADDIE model, at Formal Training Processes — Instructional Systems Design (ISD) and ADDIE.
Then scan the contents of the first phase of the ADDIE model systematic planning of training, Training Needs Assessment and Analysis: Identifying Training Goals. (This design phase is the second phase of the ADDIE model.)
Also, note that there is a document, Complete Guidelines to Design Your Training Plan, that condenses the guidelines from the various topics about training plans to guide you to develop a training plan. That document also provides a Framework to Design Your Training Plan that you can use to document the various aspects of your plan.

Design Your Learning Objectives

Learning objectives specify the new knowledge, skills and abilities that a learner should accomplish from undertaking a learning experience, such as a course, webinar, self-study or group activity. Achievement of all of the learning objectives should result in accomplishing all of the overall training goals of the training and development experience(s).

Understand the Alignment, Dimensions and Terms in Learning Objectives

The following table depicts how learning objectives are associated with the training goals (identified during the needs assessment phase), learning methods/activities, evidence of learning and evaluation activities.

Training Goal

Overall results or capabilities you hope to attain by implementing your training plan, e.g.,

pass supervisor qualification test

Learning Objectives

what you will be able to do as a result of the learning activities in this plan, e.g.,

exhibit required skills in problem solving and decision making
exhibit required skills in delegation

Learning Methods / Activities

what you will do in order to achieve the learning objectives, e.g.,

complete a course in basic supervision
address a major problem that includes making major decisions
delegate to a certain employee for one month
etc.

Documentation / Evidence of Learning

evidence produced during your learning activities — these are results that someone can see, hear, feel, read, smell, e.g.,

course grade
your written evaluation of your problem solving and decision making approaches
etc.

Evaluation

assessment and judgment on quality of evidence in order to conclude whether you achieved the learning objectives or not

Examples to Convey Nature of Well-Written Learning Objectives

To help learners understand how to design learning objectives, the following examples are offered to convey the nature of learning objectives. The examples are not meant to be offered as examples to be adopted word-for-word as learning objectives. Trainers and/or learners should design their own learning objectives to meet their overall training goals and to match their preferred strategies for learning. The topic of the learning objective is included in bolding and italics. Learning objectives are numbered directly below.

Topic: Communication

1. explain four basic principles of communication (verbal and non-verbal) and active, empathetic listening.
2. outline four barriers and bridges to communication
3. list at least four ways communication skills which encourage staff involvement will help crate a positive work environment.

Topic: Mentoring

1. explain basic job duties and standards from job description to staff
2. outline at least five specific learning goals with staff by comparing performance with job duties
3. develop a yearly plan with staff to accomplish learning needs, supervision plan and rewards

Topic: Effective coaching

1. state at least three job expectations for staff that focusing on meeting resident’s needs
2. plan five strategies to give frequent verbal and non- verbal encouragement and rewards
3. identify specific performance concerns with staff asking for possible solutions and decide together methods of measuring successful outcomes

Topic : Cultural Diversity

1. plan workable strategies for incorporating new staff into the work team
2. select their own means to exhibit an appreciation of how values and perceptions affect communication
3. make available for staff a series of learning opportunities for increased world knowledge and cultural information

Topic: Time Management

1. list job expectations of staff
2. provide tools to use in prioritizing tasks of resident care
3. create with staff a tentative schedule for cares based on these facts

Topic: Conflict resolution

1. explain at least five basic principles of empathetic communication to handle conflict
2. develop policy that gives current front-line leaders the permission and expectation to work with other staff on conflict resolution
3. develop policy for progressive discipline and explain how this works to current front line leaders

Topic: Stress Management

1. list and recognize major symptoms and behaviors related to too much stress
2. outline three to five stress management strategies
3. list quick strategies staff can use during work shift as well as at home to reduce stress level
4. educate staff about basic guidelines to build support work teams

Topic: Communication skills/Cultural Approaches

1. teach each other and staff about different cultural approaches and living styles
2. identify three steps to foster a climate where differences in cultures are reviewed as positive and additive
3. learn at least three methods of problem solving when cultural differences and practices interfere with necessary resident care.

Topic: Job expectation/Coordination including authority and responsibility

1. learn three approaches to problem solving which includes identification of the underlying problem
2. make staff assignments based on input from staff
3. evaluate approaches and make corrections based on outcomes

Topic: Team work/Positive work environment/Positive Rewards

1. identify characteristics of an effective team
2. describe four skills leaders can use to foster commitment and collaboration
3. develop at least five guidelines to treating staff with respect and helping staff learn from each other

Topic: Goal Setting/Performance Reviews

1. develop guidelines to set specific goals with staff and help them plan to meet these goals
2. develop policy that encourages staff to seek education goals through career ladders
3. develop guidelines for effective observation and feedback toward goal achievement (by staff)

Topic: Constructive Criticism/Consequences

1. establish clear standards of behavior, and that recognize and reward staff when they meet the standards
2. list ways to approach staff whose performance is a concern (with a win-win frame of mind)
3. describe how learning empathetic communication will help front line leaders handle conflict/constructive communication and help plan for solution

Analyze Your Learning Objectives for Relevance, Alignment, Sequence and Testability

1. What Sequence Should the Objectives Be Achieved?

Usually, learning builds on learning. It may be useful to learn certain areas of knowledge and skills before learning new areas.

2. Will the Objectives Achieve the Overall Training Goal(s)?

Now you’re read to write down your learning objectives in the Framework to Design Your Training Plan.

3. What Are the Best Learning Activities to Achieve the Objectives?

Do the methods match the learners’ particular learning styles, for example, reading, doing or listening? Do the methods stretch their styles, too? Are the methods readily accessible? Do the methods take advantage of real-life learning opportunities, for example, use on-the-job training opportunities, real-life problems that occur at work, use projects and programs at work? Note that learning activities do always match learning objectives on a one-for-one basis. You might benefit from the following links, Some Typical Ways of Learning, Some New Ways of Learning in the Workplace and Learning Style Inventory.)

4. Do the Activities Include Ongoing Reflections About Learning?

The learners will benefit from regularly taking time to stand back and inquire about what is going on in the training, what are they learning and what, if anything, should be changed. Skills in reflection are critical for ongoing learning in life and work. Consider using a private learning journal. Now you’re read to write down the learning activities in the Framework to Design Your Training Plan.

5. What Results, or Evidence of Learning, Will Be Produced?

For ideas about what results to design into your plan, see Samples of Learner’s Results as Means to Verify Learning. Now you’re ready to write down your evidence of learning in the Framework to Design Your Training Plan.

6. Who Will Verify That Each of the Learning Objectives Was Reached?

Ideally, the learning is evaluated by someone who has strong expertise in the areas of knowledge and skills required to achieve the training goals. Now you’re ready to write down your evaluator in the Framework to Design Your Training Plan.

7. What Costs Will Be Associated With Developing and Implementing Your Plan?

Think about facilities, technologies, personnel, special expertise, etc. You may want to update the “Budget” section in the Framework to Design Your Training Plan.

8. How Will Learners’ Manage Time and Stress During the Learning?

Professional development inherently includes the need for self-development, as well. Therefore, you might consider information in the sections:
Stress Management | Time Management | Work-Life Balance | Self-Confidence | Emotional Intelligence | Maintaining a Positive Attitude

Designing Training Rooms (Classrooms)

Additional Information About Designing Training Plans

Various Ideas for Ways to Learn

The following list of methods is really a mix of modes, types and learning aids from which the learner might draw many ideas for learning.

Various (and a Mix of) Ways and Methods of Learning

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to This Topic

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to this topic. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

Go to main Training and Development page.

For the Category of Training and Development:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.