Today's Tip
When Content Exists Use Resource Management Modules
 Today,
content abounds. Books, the Internet, in-house and commercial training
programs on every subject are readily available. So — why not use
that content instead of reinventing it?
If this seems to be a reasonable proposition then the next question
is how to organize the available content and provide the other key
elements of effective instruction to assure that learning has occurred.
How about using Resource Management Modules?
Resource Management Modules are modules that provide learners a way
to focus and manage learning with existing content. The format is
straight forward, consisting of 6 elements:
- A Title that
is descriptive and appealing
- An Introduction to
provide context and rationale (see
DSA’s last
Tip)
- The Objectives to
provide the learner a target and direction
- Existing Learning
Materials (the content)
- Engaging Learning
Activities to reinforce and provide Practice
- An Evaluation to assess which learners accomplished which learning objectives
Resource
Management Modules can be used for self instruction, instructor led
training and structured on-the-job training. Click below to see
an example of a self instructional resource management module for
beginning trainers on “How
to Write Tests That Match Objectives”.
Resource Management Modules have three major benefits:
- They allow you
to use existing learning materials, activities, and content.
- They
allow you to transfer much of the responsibility for learning
to you adult learner.
- They provide
an easy fast way to communicate instructions to your learners.
Variations on the theme of using existing content and materials include:
Creating a part of the content that may be missing and adding that
to the module perhaps in an appendix. This might include job aids and
examples. You can also treat this type of development on a as part
of a convergent system (continuous improvement) adding more of your
own content in subsequent revisions continually focusing the module
to the learners needs.
You may have tried something like this before. Maybe it is time to
revisit this strategy the next time some one needs a training program
really fast.
Regards,
Darryl
Article © 2006
Darryl Sink & Associates, Inc
|
Vol.
2, No. 19 November
29, 2006 
