Trinnsteg

Trinnsteg is a concept used in Norwegian and Scandinavian education and training to describe a stepwise, layered approach to learning or process design. The term combines trinn (level) and steg (step) and refers to a framework where content or competencies are organized into discrete, progressive elements that build on one another.

In education, trinnsteg often denotes curricula or instructional models arranged into levels or modules with specific objectives, prerequisites, and assessments. Students advance to the next level only after meeting defined standards, promoting mastery at each stage and enabling differentiation by pace while maintaining a shared progression path.

The term is also applied outside classrooms—in professional training, safety procedures, language courses, and project management—to describe modular sequences such as initiation, familiarization, practice, assessment, and certification or deployment. The common goal is to provide clarity about expectations and a transparent route to competence.

Structure and practice typically define a ladder of levels, each detailing required competencies, learning activities, and rubrics. Progression can be linear or adaptive, with formative checks and feedback that guide learners toward the next level and allow enrichment at higher stages.

Variants include four-level ladders (basic to expert), milestone-based competency frameworks, and modular curricula with explicit completion criteria. In digital learning, trinnsteg maps to onboarding, exploration, mastery, and verification of mastery.