Main Body
Toolpack A – Align Learning with What Students Actually Do
I’ll use this toolpack when…
I want to make sure I’m designing for more than just thinking tasks.
Purpose
Help you spot whether your activities ask students to think, feel, do, or collaborate, so you can fill in any missing types of learning.
Why it matters
If you only ask students to recall facts or solve problems, you miss out on helping them think critically and develop values, hands-on skills, and teamwork abilities that matter in real-world settings. These domains don’t just shape activities — they should also be visible in both formative and summative assessments, so that what students practise is also what counts.
When to grab it
- You notice student engagement dips during labs or group work.
- You suspect you’re over‑relying on quizzes or lectures.
What’s inside
- Domains of Learning Definitions Table (MS Word doc)
- Clear descriptions and examples of four learning domains: cognitive, affective, psychomotor, and social
- Includes: learner behaviours, instructional purposes, and common verbs
- Use this as a quick reference when planning activities or writing targets.
- Single-Task Domain Breakdown (MS Word doc)
- Use this grid to break down a single task into its primary and supporting learning domains.
- Promotes clearer understanding of what learners are really doing, beyond just course content.
- Helps you fine-tune task design so that affective, social, and sensorimotor demands aren’t overlooked.
- Whole-Course Domain Map (MS Word doc)
- Map all course activities to see how different learning domains appear over time.
- Spot overreliance on one domain (e.g. cognitive) or gaps in experiential/social learning.
- Supports intentional sequencing of domain-rich experiences that align with course goals.
