eLearningbyDana

Curriculum

A curriculum is an intentionally organized collection of learning experiences designed to build knowledge, skills, and performance over time — often across multiple courses, topics, or levels.

Curriculum

Think Beyond One Course

A curriculum is an intentionally organized collection of learning experiences designed to build knowledge, skill, and performance over time.

Instead of asking only what belongs in one course, curriculum planning looks at the larger learning journey and how the pieces work together.

Start With the Capability the Curriculum Should Build

Before deciding how many courses are needed, clarify what learners should ultimately be able to do.

Start here
What should this audience be capable of after completing the full learning path?

The answer should guide the curriculum structure, rather than allowing existing courses to define the learning journey.

1
Business Need What organizational result should the curriculum support?
2
Audience Who needs the learning, and what do they already know?
3
Performance What should learners eventually be able to do?
4
Evidence How will the organization know learners are ready?

Organize the Curriculum Around a Logical Learning Path

Group learning into meaningful stages rather than creating a collection of unrelated courses.

01
Foundation Establish shared concepts, language, and context.
02
Core Skills Build the knowledge and skills needed for the role.
03
Application Practice realistic tasks, decisions, and situations.
04
Mastery Apply learning independently in more complex situations.
The stages do not have to look exactly like these, but learners should be able to see how one part prepares them for the next.

Let Complexity Grow Across the Curriculum

A curriculum should do more than repeat similar courses. Learners should gradually handle more independence, complexity, and responsibility.

Understand
Practice
Apply
Perform independently
Build on prior learning Avoid reteaching foundational content unless learners need it.
Increase challenge Introduce more realistic situations, exceptions, and judgment.
Reduce support Move from guided learning toward independent performance.
Reinforce important skills Revisit critical concepts through new contexts rather than simple repetition.

Make Courses Work Together Instead of Competing for Attention

Each part of the curriculum should have a clear role in building the overall capability.

Course 1
Learn the process

Introduce the standard workflow and key decisions.

→
Course 2
Practice the process

Apply the workflow in realistic situations.

→
Course 3
Handle exceptions

Use judgment when the standard process does not fully apply.

If two courses are teaching the same thing at the same level, ask whether both are necessary.

Different Audiences May Need Different Paths

A curriculum does not always need to force every learner through the exact same sequence.

Plan by role Start with the learning everyone shares.

Then branch into role-specific learning based on responsibilities, experience, or performance needs.

Everyone
Foundations + shared expectations
New Staff
Guided practice + core procedures
Experienced
Advanced scenarios + exceptions
Leaders
Coaching + performance support

Review the Curriculum as One Learning System

Before finalizing the curriculum, step back from individual courses and look at the entire learner journey.

✓
Does every course support a clear learner or business need?
✓
Is the sequence logical for someone new to the role?
✓
Does learning build rather than unnecessarily repeat?
✓
Are role-specific paths used where they make sense?
✓
Are there opportunities to practice and apply skills over time?
Design test
“Does this curriculum build capability — or just deliver a collection of courses?”

A strong curriculum has a clear destination, purposeful progression, and a reason for each learning experience to exist.

Curriculum design connects individual learning experiences into a larger path toward performance.

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