Hi! Welcome back. Last time I wrote about how to develop a structured on-the job training program and we looked at three issues: change, needs and job/task analysis. Today I would like to continue the discussion on how to design a structured on-the-job training program by writing about learning objectives and lesson planning.
I’d like to mention at the outset that these two issues are very academic just ask any teacher and I don’t wish to get too technical in this blog but I feel that these topics are very important for you to know and understand so that you can either develop a structured on-the-job training program yourself or at least talk the lingo when you speak with a workplace learning professional. I will guarantee that if you review these blogs on structured on-the-job training and apply them that you will improve the training your employees receive at your workplace.
In my January 3 blog entitled “Structured vs. Unstructured OJT” I stated that unstructured OJT doesn’t help an organization improve their effectiveness for the following reasons: It’s inconsistent, incomplete, lacks vision and contains bad habits. Today’s topic areas--learning objectives and lesson planning help to correct the deficiencies that accompany unstructured OJT.
Learning objectives are just that those things that you wish to accomplish and improve as a result of your on-the-job training and lesson planning is the roadmap if you will of how you are going to do it. Remember last time we said that needs analysis identifies what gaps in skill, knowledge or awareness exist between the current and desired levels of performance. And that job/task analysis takes each job: identifies the various thoughts, actions and decisions, of each task and describes each step starting from the beginning and ending with the final task which must be accomplished to successfully complete each job/task. Well after you complete a needs and job/task analysis the areas where knowledge, skill or awareness are lacking become your learning objectives. It’s as simple as that, where is the worker deficient, what are the areas that they need to improve on to obtain a level of performance that you are comfortable with and can tolerate—those items are your learning objectives! For effective on the job (OJT) training you should have no more than 3 specific training objectives or goals for each training session.
I talk a lot about golf and football because I’m passionate about these two sports. Have you ever tried to learn golf while on the course? Perhaps you were playing with your friends or spouse and they were trying to give you pointers while you make your way around the golf course, how did that experience work out for you? If you are like most people you probably hated it and became easily frustrated why? Well most likely your friend or spouse was critiquing every move you made and you couldn’t concentrate on any one thing. The same thing happens on-the-job when you have someone critiquing every move the trainee makes with no plan or specific goal in mind.
Education is all about repetition and context but when you are new to a task and have no frame of reference how do you build on what someone is telling you unless you gain familiarity and confidence in the basics? The human mind can only recall seven items at one time, why do you think telephone numbers are seven digits long? When the eighth item is mentioned something gets messed up in our brains (how’s that for academic jargon) and we can’t retain the message and connect the dots as to why one item is related to another. If you concentrate on only teaching no more than three items during a training session your chances of success with that topic increase because the trainee can start to understand what is being communicated to them and how the first item relates to the second and so on, if you don’t believe me try it out for yourself on any material you are trying to teach to someone else and improve their skill level I think you’ll find out I’m right.
After you have your objectives you must have a plan as to how you are going to teach so that those objectives can be learned, that plan is your lesson plan! In order to successfully deliver the training and meet the learning objectives you have identified, some type of lesson plan should be established to guide you through the program. This plan should provide structure for you and show how you will link various aspects of your training program together. A typical lesson plan should contain these basic elements.
1. The learning objectives you wish to achieve.
2. The subject matter you wish to cover.
3. The activities, methods or special instructions you wish to demonstrate or
impart subject knowledge from.
4. How much time will be designated to each topic area?
Lesson plans vary with every trainer and can be as simple as 1-2-3 on a piece of paper. An example of a lesson plan appears below.
Sample Lesson Plan
Topic: Introduction to Voice Mail
Objectives: After completing this session each trainee should know:
1. What voice mail is?
2. How they may benefit from it.
3. What each voice mail option does.
4. How to setup some voice mail accounts.
Subject Activities/Methods Used Time
1. Explain the learning Provide a copy to each trainee 2 min.
objectives
2. Introduce voice mail Explain, use handouts 1 min.
3. State voice mail benefits Explain, use handouts and ask for 5 min.
additional benefits.
4. Review voice mail options Explain, use handouts, show options 60 min.
using computer system.
5. Break 15 min.
6. Demonstrate setups Use computer system and handouts 30 min.
7. Allow trainees to practice Use computer system 30 min.
8. Review subjects, answer questions and ask for input. 15 min.
Okay there you have it we’ve completed the second session on how to design a structured on-the–job training program. Next time I’ll finish my discussion on structured on-the-job training with some examples and tips which I hope will help you improve your training sessions; until then thanks for reading and please comment if you have any questions or would like to post a comment. Until next time all my best! Jer.
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