The learning components are the main areas of related or associated content or skills that are best taught/learned together and represent logical pieces of curricula.

From the IT Technical Support skill standards and other sources, 20 learning components similar in size and scope were identified. Learning components were organized in two groups:

• Technical learning components in which technical knowledge is high
• Foundation learning components in which foundation skills or basic skills are high

As an example, the learning component: Business Knowledge requires the students to learn and understand business concepts and terminology, classifying this component as primarily a technical learning component. On the other hand, the learning component: Problem Solving/Troubleshooting requires the students to master creative thinking, reasoning and communication processes, classifying this component as primarily a foundation learning component.

Note that no learning component is purely a technical learning component or a foundation learning component. All learning components include elements of technical knowledge and elements of foundation or basic skills. This distinction however helps to give equal emphasis to technical knowledge and foundation or basic skills. Too often, technical knowledge is given priority over mastery of foundation skills. Industry managers caution that mastery of technical knowledge will get a worker hired, but it is the mastery of foundation skills in combination with technical knowledge that will make that worker highly valued in the organization.

Note: The Learning Components may be used in the following ways:

• They can become modules or complete courses.
• Two or more components may be combined into a single module or course.
• Some of the competencies from a component may be infused into an existing course. For example, the competencies in the component Task Management are more likely to be combined with competencies from other learning components rather than taught as a stand alone module.

NOTE: See the section, Model Curriculum, for the complete list of Learning Components for Technical Support.