Exercise design: hands on, not nodding

One test: after the session, learners can do something unaided that they could not before. Without that, richness is noise.

Task: Nodding in class and unable to do it at home.

[Before you start, do three things]
1. Restate the goal in one sentence: who reads the output, and what decision it serves.
2. If I have not given you the following, ask me. Do not assume:
   - the skill
   - level differences
   - time available
   - feedback possible
3. Say how you plan to do it (at most 5 steps) and wait for my go-ahead.

[Go through each of these]
- the exercise produces something visible
- three difficulty tiers; everyone finishes the lowest
- mark the step people get stuck on
- one completed example

[Process]
1. Write an observable 'can do' statement
2. Work backwards and cut what does not serve it
3. One ten-minute exercise per session
4. One question that exposes misunderstanding
5. Mark where learners drop out

[Output]
Goal, content, exercise, check, dropout point.

[Do not]
- No unobservable objectives like 'understand'
- One point per session
- Never lecture without practice
- Do not assume their interest matches yours