The following are some general guidelines for developing and presenting the curriculum content in a manner that will facilitate optimal reception by the training audience. These techniques can be used individually as applicable to meet specific content development needs, or can be used in conjunction with one another as circumstances allow.
Additional and more specific curriculum content packaging strategies can be found in our course entitled The Essential Fundamentals of Successful Training Design.
1. Tell a Story
An effective means of delivering your curriculum content is to treat each content section as an individual, non-fiction narrative that is built upon as it progresses.
- Start with a strong opening paragraph
- Add strong supporting content as the story develops.
- Once all information has been presented, provide closure by adding a simple statement that indicates completion of the story.
Tell the story using a crisp and enticing writing style that will hold the interest of the reader from beginning to end.
2. Satisfy the Need to Know Why
Since nobody likes being told what to do without knowing why they are doing it, there are significant cognitive benefits to telling the audience why they are doing something instead of simply mandating that they do it.
Try to avoid sounding imperative when providing instructions by incorporating any of the following into the related curriculum content:
- The cause and effect relationship of the learned action. How will it impact another outcome?
- Potential benefits to the company, for example increased productivity, cost savings or quality control improvements,
- Potential benefits to the training audience including improved workplace efficiency, a more comfortable work experience or a safer work environment.
- The potential for personal advancement as the result of learning the new skill.
3. Debunk Associated Myths
There are some situations in which learning can be impeded by preconceived notions that are simply not correct. To facilitate proper learning it is necessary to debunk these incorrect notions- or myths, by first presenting them, then countering them with the reality of the situation. This can be achieved with a few simple steps.
Present the “myth.”
For example, “Many are under the impressions that…”
Explain the actual or possible origins of the “myth.”
For example, “It is thought that this notion originated due to…”
Explain why the “myth” is wrong.
For example: “In actuality, this notion is incorrect for the following reasons…”
Provide a detailed explanation of the reality.
For example, “Now that you are familiar with these common misconceptions, let’s take a detailed look at how to proceed going forward.”
Though the need to use the above procedure will be limited to specific circumstances where incorrect preconceived notions are at play, these simple steps provide an effective structure for replacing old and incorrect thinking with accurate information capable of meeting current learning objectives.
4. Address the Behavioral Aspect
All successful training involves some degree of modification pertaining to one or more behaviors.
While the training curriculum is not in and of itself a behavior modification program, the inclusion of some common behavioral elements will help to keep the training audience interested and engaged. When circumstances apply, it is helpful to address the behavioral aspect in you curriculum content by:
- Creating an awareness of the need to change.
- Presenting benefits of the change.
- Suggesting acknowledgment of a commitment to change.
- Establishing a goal.
- Presenting action steps for achieving the goal.
- Establishing a means of measuring progress towards the goal.
5. Inject a Street Smart Tone
There are two obvious and distinct types of knowledge that come into play when designing training materials: “book smart” and “street smart.” “Book smart” knowledge is that which is derived from academic sources such as books or other forms of writing that are generally scholarly in nature. On the contrary, “street smart” knowledge is derived through real-world experience.
While an effective training curriculum requires incorporating a balance of both, favoring the “street smart” tone is often more effective as the training audience will be more familiar with the language used in the content delivery.
Incorporating “street smart” language into the training content involves determining the context of a particular subject area as it would be addressed in the field, then presenting it in the training curriculum within the same context and essentially the same language as would be used in the real world. For example:
- A construction worker training class would contain language that comes across as if it were delivered by a seasoned construction foreman in the field, not by a school teacher.
- An engineering training class would come across as if delivered by other engineers talking amongst themselves, as they would at a project status meeting.
With a “street smart” approach the audience feels that the curriculum content is directed at them personally. As a result of this personal connection the audience is likely to be more receptive to the messages than if it were delivered in a “book smart” or academic way.
When incorporating a “street smart” tone, however, it is important not to be too casual. A common pitfall of this approach is the incorporation of “street talk”- or slang, into the curriculum content. In such cases the improper language will result in an overall poor presentation. Poor presentation will not only diminish the effectiveness of the “street smart” messages, but it will reduce the integrity of the overall training curriculum.
6. Create Additional Message Layers with Headings
When working with the structural aspect of the curriculum, it is important to recognize that there are multiple layers at which the curriculum content conveys messages to the training audience.
In addition to the text contained in the curriculum content body, there are several levels of headings. Each of these heading levels- module or lesson headings, section headings or subsection headings, constitutes a message layer. For optimal message delivery and receipt, it is important to ensure that the headings created at each of these levels effectively present the gist of the associated content when read within the context of one another.
For example, all of the module or lesson headings must collectively paint a succinct yet informative picture of the overall curriculum content.
Section headings within each module or lesson will constitute their own message layer and must also collectively tell a consistent and informative story. When read successively they must succinctly yet accurately convey the gist of the content within the associated module or lesson.
The same applies for subsection titles within each section,
Once relevant and informative headings have been created at a given level, verify their effectiveness by reading them within the context of one another. Ensure that they collectively tell an informative and consistent story that accurately reflects the associated content.