Write the Learning Program

Up to this point, you have identified training needs, developed an outline and objectives, and researched the subject matter.

You have organized the content into sections and lessons and now you are ready to write the training program. To do this, you will write the detailed content of each lesson based on the objectives, evaluation questions, and reference material. The lesson consists of a series of learning frames that present content, provide interactive practice and include self-paced evaluations with feedback.

Rules for effective lesson writing

The key to writing good lessons is staying focused on your learning objectives and making sure your learners can understand and interact with the content. Consider these tips:

• Write to the reading level of your audience.
• Always use clear, concise language.
• Write simple, short statements instead of long, convoluted sentences.
• Start with basic ideas and concepts and explain them thoroughly before moving on to more complex subject matter.
• Use visual support materials as needed to explain and illustrate concepts.
• Do not use abbreviations or acronyms without defining them.
• Try to challenge learners with interactive frames but do not make them too difficult to answer correctly.
• Always keep a positive tone in the remediation of wrong answers.
• Use different question formats to maintain variety and interest.
• Include enough interactive frames so learners can monitor their own progress.
• Include a section overview and summary to introduce and summarize the material in your lessons.

Lesson structure

Each lesson consists of one or more objectives and evaluation frames along with multiple learning frames. The learning frames are the core content of your training program. As you write, be mindful of the length of the learning program. Try to conserve bandwidth so that your learning programs load quickly.

Consider these tips:

• Instruction should follow the job sequence.
• Recognize when prerequisite information is required.
• Structure the information so that it moves from simple to complex.