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Training Curriculum

Design training curricula with learning objectives, module sequencing, hands-on exercises, assessment methods, and progression milestones — using learning science principles for effective knowledge transfer.

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training-curriculum/

SKILL.md

Markdown

1
2	# Training Curriculum
3
4	## Before you start
5
6	Gather the following from the user. Items 1-4 are required before proceeding:
7
8	1. What skill or knowledge should learners have after completing this curriculum? Be specific. "Understand Kubernetes" is vague. "Deploy, scale, and troubleshoot containerized applications on Kubernetes" is actionable.
9	2. Who are the learners? Role, experience level, and what they already know. A curriculum for senior engineers differs fundamentally from one for new hires.
10	3. How much time is available? Total hours, session length, and whether it is self-paced or instructor-led. This constrains scope.
11	4. What does success look like? How will you know learners achieved the objective — certification exam, project delivery, observed behavior change?
12	5. What resources exist already? Existing docs, recordings, mentors, sandboxes, or lab environments that can be incorporated.
13	6. Are there prerequisites? What must learners know before starting? Be explicit to avoid wasting time on mismatched cohorts.
14
15	If the user says "create a training program on X," push back: "Who is the audience, what should they be able to do afterward, and how much time do we have?"
16
17	## Curriculum design template
18
19	### 1. Curriculum Overview
20
21	Write a short summary covering:
22	- Target outcome: One sentence describing what learners can do after completing the curriculum
23	- Audience: Role and prerequisite knowledge
24	- Format: Self-paced, instructor-led, cohort-based, or blended
25	- Duration: Total hours and recommended schedule (e.g., 2 hours/week for 6 weeks)
26
27	### 2. Learning Objectives
28
29	Write objectives using the format: "By the end of [module/curriculum], learners will be able to [observable verb] [specific outcome]."
30
31	Use Bloom's Taxonomy verbs matched to the appropriate level:
32
33	\| Level \| Verbs \| Example \|
34	\|-------\|-------\|---------\|
35	\| Remember \| List, define, identify \| List the five components of a Kubernetes pod spec \|
36	\| Understand \| Explain, summarize, compare \| Explain the difference between a Deployment and a StatefulSet \|
37	\| Apply \| Implement, configure, use \| Configure a HorizontalPodAutoscaler for a deployment \|
38	\| Analyze \| Debug, differentiate, investigate \| Debug a CrashLoopBackOff by analyzing pod logs and events \|
39	\| Evaluate \| Assess, recommend, justify \| Evaluate whether a workload should use Deployments or DaemonSets \|
40	\| Create \| Design, build, architect \| Design a multi-namespace cluster architecture for a microservices application \|
41
42	Avoid vague verbs: "understand," "learn," "know," "be familiar with." These are not observable or measurable.
43
44	### 3. Module Sequence
45
46	Structure modules in a dependency-ordered sequence. Each module builds on the previous one.
47
48	\| Module \| Title \| Duration \| Objectives (from Section 2) \| Format \|
49	\|--------\|-------\|----------\|---------------------------\|--------\|
50	\| 1 \| Foundations \| 2 hours \| Objectives 1-3 \| Lecture + guided walkthrough \|
51	\| 2 \| Core Workflows \| 3 hours \| Objectives 4-6 \| Hands-on lab \|
52	\| 3 \| Troubleshooting \| 2 hours \| Objectives 7-8 \| Scenario-based exercises \|
53	\| 4 \| Advanced Patterns \| 3 hours \| Objectives 9-10 \| Project work \|
54	\| 5 \| Capstone \| 2 hours \| All objectives \| Assessment project \|
55
56	Sequencing rules:
57	- Concepts before procedures. Teach the "why" before the "how."
58	- Simple before complex. Start with isolated tasks, then combine into workflows.
59	- Scaffolded practice. Early modules have guided exercises; later modules are increasingly open-ended.
60
61	### 4. Module Detail
62
63	For each module, specify:
64
65	- Pre-work: Reading, video, or setup tasks to complete before the session (max 30 minutes)
66	- Content outline: Key topics in delivery order (bullet list, not paragraphs)
67	- Hands-on exercise: A concrete task learners perform during the module. Include the scenario, expected deliverable, and estimated time.
68	- Key takeaways: 2-3 sentences summarizing what learners should remember. These double as review material.
69
70	### 5. Exercises and Labs
71
72	Every exercise follows this structure:
73
74	```
75	Exercise: [Title]
76	Scenario: [Real-world context — why would someone need to do this?]
77	Task: [Specific steps or open-ended problem to solve]
78	Expected outcome: [What the completed exercise looks like]
79	Time: [Estimated duration]
80	Hints: [Optional progressive hints for self-paced learners]
81	```
82
83	Exercises must practice the stated learning objective, not adjacent skills. If the objective is "configure autoscaling," the exercise should not be "write a Dockerfile."
84
85	### 6. Assessment Methods
86
87	\| Assessment \| When \| What It Measures \| Pass Criteria \|
88	\|-----------\|------\|-----------------\|--------------\|
89	\| Knowledge check quiz \| End of each module \| Recall and comprehension \| 80% correct \|
90	\| Hands-on lab review \| End of Modules 2-4 \| Application of skills \| Functional deliverable matching requirements \|
91	\| Capstone project \| End of curriculum \| Synthesis of all objectives \| Peer review + rubric score of 3/5 or higher \|
92
93	For each assessment, provide the rubric or answer key. Subjective assessments need a scoring rubric with concrete criteria at each level.
94
95	### 7. Progression Milestones
96
97	Define checkpoints where learners should self-assess readiness to continue:
98
99	- After Module 1: "I can explain [core concepts] to a colleague without notes."
100	- After Module 3: "I can complete [core workflow] independently within [time limit]."
101	- After Module 5: "I can solve a novel problem in this domain using the tools and patterns from this curriculum."
102
103	## Quality checklist
104
105	Before delivering the curriculum, verify:
106
107	- [ ] Every learning objective uses an observable, measurable verb — not "understand" or "learn"
108	- [ ] Modules are sequenced by dependency — no module requires knowledge from a later module
109	- [ ] Each module has at least one hands-on exercise that directly practices its stated objective
110	- [ ] Assessments exist for each major objective with defined pass criteria
111	- [ ] Total time adds up correctly and fits within the stated time budget
112	- [ ] Prerequisites are explicit — a learner can self-assess whether they are ready to start
113	- [ ] Exercises use realistic scenarios, not abstract toy problems
114
115	## Common mistakes to avoid
116
117	- Objectives without assessments. If you state an objective but never test it, you cannot know whether learners achieved it. Every objective needs at least one corresponding assessment or exercise.
118	- All lecture, no practice. Adults retain ~10% of what they hear and ~75% of what they practice. Allocate at least 50% of time to exercises.
119	- Skipping prerequisites. A curriculum that assumes too little bores advanced learners. One that assumes too much loses beginners. State prerequisites explicitly and offer a self-assessment.
120	- Modules that are too long. Sessions over 90 minutes without a break cause attention to drop sharply. Break long modules into segments with varied formats.
121	- No sequencing logic. Randomly ordered modules force learners to hold too much in working memory. Sequence from simple to complex, concrete to abstract.
122