How do you match learning activities to objectives?

1 Why is it important?

Matching learning activities to objectives is important for several reasons. First, it helps you plan your training session in a logical and coherent way, ensuring that you cover all the essential topics and skills that your learners need. Second, it helps you measure and evaluate the learning outcomes of your session, as you can use the activities as evidence of learning and as feedback tools. Third, it helps you create a positive and meaningful learning experience for your learners, as you can tailor the activities to their needs, preferences, and learning styles, and make them relevant, engaging, and challenging.

2 How to do it?

To match learning activities to objectives, you need to follow a few steps. First, you need to identify and write clear and specific learning objectives for your session, using the SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). Learning objectives should describe what your learners will be able to do or know by the end of the session, and how they will demonstrate their learning. Second, you need to determine the level and type of learning that each objective requires, using a framework such as Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive domains. Bloom's taxonomy categorizes learning into six levels: remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. Each level requires different types of activities and assessment methods. Third, you need to select and design learning activities that match the level and type of learning of each objective, using a variety of formats, modalities, and resources. For example, if your objective is to help learners remember key facts or concepts, you can use activities such as quizzes, flashcards, or mnemonics. If your objective is to help learners apply a skill or a procedure, you can use activities such as simulations, role-plays, or case studies. If your objective is to help learners create a product or a solution, you can use activities such as projects, portfolios, or presentations.

3 What are some examples?

In order to match learning activities to objectives in different contexts and topics, we will provide the learning objective, the level and type of learning, and the learning activity for each example. For example, in customer service training, learners should be able to handle customer complaints effectively and professionally, using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result). This is an application of a skill, so a role-play scenario with peers or facilitators would be appropriate. In health and safety training, learners should be able to identify and report potential hazards in their workplace following HSE guidelines. This is a concept-based understanding level of learning, so a group discussion and analysis of photos or videos of real or simulated workplaces would be appropriate. Lastly, in leadership training, learners should be able to develop a personal action plan for improving their leadership skills based on their self-assessment and feedback from others. This is a product-based creation level of learning, so an individual or peer coaching session using a template or a tool would be suitable.

4 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?