1. What are Roles, Levels, and Topics (plain-language definitions)
These are structural dimensions, not content.
Roles → Who is this for?
Roles describe the learner’s position or responsibility, not their skill.
Examples (community radio–appropriate):
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Board Member
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Station Manager
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Staff
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Volunteer
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Producer / Content Creator
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Trainer / Facilitator
Key rule
A person may have multiple roles over time — or at once.
Roles are about context, not hierarchy.
Levels → Where am I in my development?
Levels describe stage of progression, not status or authority.
A clean, defensible model (already implicit in your framework):
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Foundational – Orientation, shared language, expectations
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Intermediate – Applied practice, role competence
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Advanced – Leadership, governance, mentoring, stewardship
Key rule
Levels are directional, not permission gates.
They guide sequencing without turning learning into policing.
Topics → What is this about?
Topics describe subject matter, independent of role or level.
Examples:
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Governance & Fiduciary Responsibility
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Programming & Content
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Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
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Regulatory & Compliance (CRTC, Copyright)
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Leadership & Strategy
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Community Engagement
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Technical Operations
Key rule
Topics cut across roles and levels.
Governance isn’t “for Board only”; it just appears at different depths.
2. How these three work together (this is the mental model)
Every meaningful piece of learning sits at an intersection:
Role × Level × Topic
Example:
| Role | Level | Topic | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board Member | Foundational | Governance | “Board Overview & Responsibilities” |
| Staff | Intermediate | Governance | “Working with the Board Effectively” |
| Producer | Advanced | Leadership | “Mentoring & Editorial Leadership” |