Forum Discussion
Learning Objectives for "Informational" Courses
OK...so...let's say you have a course that is purely informational (don't ask...probably should not be a course but hey)..the learning objectives become a bit problematic...shaping them into application or analysis...for example, if they are studying the history of an organization, how can a learning objective move beyond describe to make the learning more actionable? Am I making sense? What is the expectation for learning objectives when there is primarily an info dump? (OY...that's how I feel!). We always have an internal debate at work about the types of LOs to create...in my head, everything should have a purpose on the job, but I could be wrong.
I had a conversation about this very thing the other day and a friend shared a video that challenges some conventional wisdom on learning objectives. It differentiates different objectives for different audiences (designers, sponsors, learners, etc.) and whether or not there's benefit to putting the "...after completing this course you will be able to..." wording in courses. I liked the pragmatic perspective. See what you think Who Are Objectives For?
I think info dumps dumps are a fact of life for developers. I like SydneyClifton 's positive take on how to make the most of them! 😊
8 Replies
Personal opinion on this, learning objectives are great to establish what needs to be included in the session/training. As learning professionals, we understand them. If there's an assessment, we know what information is essential for them to know to pass it.
However, regardless of the content the question to consider is does the average learner care about them? Or would they prefer to know why it's important they complete the session/training?
I prefer telling them the benefit they will get, the WIIFM as JudyNollet has said. How will it help them as opposed to 'they will be able to...'.I had a conversation about this very thing the other day and a friend shared a video that challenges some conventional wisdom on learning objectives. It differentiates different objectives for different audiences (designers, sponsors, learners, etc.) and whether or not there's benefit to putting the "...after completing this course you will be able to..." wording in courses. I liked the pragmatic perspective. See what you think Who Are Objectives For?
I think info dumps dumps are a fact of life for developers. I like SydneyClifton 's positive take on how to make the most of them! 😊
Thank you so much. Great resource
Yep, I’ve been there. Sometimes you're handed something that’s really just an info dump, but it still needs to live in a course shell or get built out in Rise. And while it’s easy to roll your eyes at that, I actually think there’s still a way to make it meaningful, if you shift "how" you frame it.
The question I always come back to is: what do we want people to do with this information? Even something like org history can be positioned to build context, connection, or alignment. That might mean reframing the objective from “describe our history” to something like “recognize how our past shapes current priorities” or “identify where our values came from and how they show up now.” That’s not revolutionary, but it helps move the content from trivia to something that supports the bigger picture.
Not everything has to ladder up to a skill or behavior. Sometimes the job of the content is orientation, or storytelling, or reinforcing identity. That still matters. So if the content is going to exist no matter what, I’d rather see it in Rise with some intentional design than buried in a SharePoint folder or lost in a PDF.
I don’t worry too much about hitting Bloom’s taxonomy in those cases. I just try to be honest about the purpose. Is it about building understanding? Helping people feel part of something? Giving them a way to talk about the work? Then say that. Design for that.
So no, you’re not wrong. And yes, I’ve had that same “OY” moment more times than I can count. But with a few intentional shifts, even a pure info piece can earn its place.
Thank you for the very thoughtful response. We did land on the objectives as you described them...so thank you. And I also appreciate the shared "OY"!
Brilliant...and thank you.
You're welcome! Pay it forward when you can.
And keep fighting for the learners! 😊
Unless the employee might lead a tour of a facility or do a presentation that requires discussing the organization, there is no "actionable" purpose for a course about the organization's history. As you already said, it "probably should not be a course."
- When SMEs or stakeholders want to insert "Did you know?" info into a course, I like to bring up cognitive-load theory. Extraneous info requires extra effort by the brain—which leaves less brain power for learning the actionable content.
But, yeah, sometimes an info-dump course is requested/required. If so, I think the learning objectives should reflect that the information is only "nice to know" (or, more accurately, just nice to sort of be aware of). Something like, "the learner will recognize the founding date of the organization."
No matter how you write the LOs for that type of course (or any course), I suggest you don't show them to the learner. Frankly, I think most learners immediately click Next (if they can) as soon as they see "At the end of this course, you will be able to..."
Instead, present them with WIIFM (what's in it for me?). Help them work more efficiently? Help them follow procedures to avoid getting into trouble? Or just let them know they can be proud to be part of such a wonderful org/company?
My guess is that the actual goal of that kind info-dump course is to somehow motivate the employee by showing how great the org/company is. So perhaps just let them know that you want to share the org's story with them, because now they are part of the story.
