What you'll walk away with

  • A working understanding of how adults learn and why it matters for your design decisions

  • Confidence using the core L&D frameworks — ADDIE, Bloom's taxonomy and Kirkpatrick

  • The ability to diagnose a real learning need before jumping to solutions

  • Practical skills for writing learning objectives that actually drive behaviour

  • A design process you can apply to your next training project straight away

  • The foundations of learning evaluation — so you can prove your work made a difference

Is this path for you?

This path is for you if you're working in L&D and want to build a more confident, structured approach to your practice. It's also well suited if you've recently moved into the field and are still finding your feet — or if you've been doing L&D work instinctively and want to put proper frameworks behind what you already do. This path is not for you if you're brand new to the field and still exploring whether L&D is for you — the Breaking into L&D path is a better starting point. If you're already a seasoned practitioner looking to move into a strategic role, the L&D Strategy path will serve you better.

Course curriculum

    1. What does Learning & Development do?

    1. A Comprehensive Guide to Adult Learning Theories

    2. Mastering andragogy: practical guide to adult learning

    3. L&D Buzzwords: ADDIE, Andragogy, Agile, Blended Learning, Competency Framework

    4. Pre-course Reflection Journal

    1. Training Needs Analysis vs Learning Needs Analysis

    2. What is a Learning Needs Assessment?

    3. 5 Learning Needs Assessment Questions to Ask

    4. Watch THIS before designing another training session (Skill Gap Analysis)

    5. Learning Needs Analysis Workbook

    1. What is ADDIE?

    2. What is Bloom's Taxonomy?

    3. Learning objectives 101: with examples

    4. How to elevate your training with backward design

    5. Why your training fails and how to fix it

    6. 7 Components of Effective Learning Experiences

    7. Meeting Minutes

    1. How to deliver an engaging face-to-face classroom training

    2. 15 Tips for Engaging Webinars

    3. Post-course Reflection Journal

    4. How to Deliver Effective 360 Degree Feedback

    1. How to Use the Kirkpatrick's 4 Levels of Evaluation Model

    2. How to Measure Learning and Development

    3. Learning Evaluation: Common Traps and Best Practices

    4. L&D Consulting Planner

About this course

  • Free
  • 26 lessons
  • 0 hours of video content

Meet your instructor

Learning and Development Consultant Irina Ketkin

I have been in Learning and Development since 2011, focusing on soft skills, leadership and management, and team development. I have designed and facilitated over 1000 custom development programs for multinational corporations in the IT and online gaming sectors and working with employees and managers in different hierarchical levels in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa.

Want to go further after this path?

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    Learning and Development Fundamentals: Practitioner's Guide

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    Training for Non-Trainers

    Designed for people whose role involves delivering training but whose background isn't in L&D. Best for managers, subject matter experts and HR professionals who need to train others effectively.
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FAQ

  • Is this really free?

    Yes, completely. No credit card, no trial period. You create a free account and start immediately.

  • Do I need any prior L&D experience?

    Some is helpful but not required. If you're completely new to the field, we'd recommend starting with the Breaking into L&D path first — it'll set the context for everything covered here.

  • How long does it take to complete?

    The videos and articles total around 5–6 hours of content. Most people spread it across two to three weeks at their own pace.

  • Will I get a certificate?

    Yes — you'll receive a completion certificate from The L&D Academy when you finish the path.

  • What's the difference between this path and the L&D Fundamentals course?

    This free path gives you a broad foundation using our best free content — videos, articles and resources. The L&D Fundamentals course goes deeper, with full structured lessons, exercises, downloadable templates and a practitioner's certificate you can put on your CV and LinkedIn.

  • I'm already doing L&D work — is this still useful?

    Yes, particularly if you've been working instinctively without a formal framework. Going through the theory behind what you already do often changes how you approach your work — and gives you the vocabulary to explain it to stakeholders.

  • What comes after this path?

    If you want to go deeper on practice, the L&D Fundamentals course is the natural next step. If you're ready to move into a more strategic role, the L&D Strategy learning path picks up where this one leaves off.

Ready to build your foundations?

Free. Self-paced. No payment required.