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2.6 Task Taxonomy

The Learning Design Studio (LDS) provides a well-structured ontology of 12 task types, grouped under four categories: 1) Directed Learning, 2) Exploratory Learning, 3) Productive Learning, and 4) Reflective Learning. These task types help make explicit the nature and intent of the learning experiences planned for students, ensuring a balanced and purposeful approach to learning design.

Directed Learning

Receiving & Interpreting Information 

Students undertake prescribed activities to acquire information and develop an understanding of a topic.

 

STEAM Subject:

  • Watching a video on photosynthesis
  • Reading a textbook chapter about photosynthesis

 Language Subject:

  • Reading a news report
  • Watching a micro movie

Practice

Students work through prescribed tasks to apply learnt content/ skills.

 

STEAM Subject:

  • Labelling the parts of a plant cell with flash cards
  • Completing the questions about photosynthesis in the H5P interactive video

Language Subject:

  • Practicing pronunciation of new vocabularies in pairs
  • Writing sentences using newly learned past tense verbs

Test / Assessment

Students take part in assessment activities.

 

STEAM Subject:

  • Completing a lab report
  • Taking a quiz on photosynthesis

Language Subject:

  • Analysing an article and respond to questions about its content
  • Having a spelling test on the week's vocabularies
Exploratory Learning

Information Exploration

Students seek out and gather existing information from various sources to deepen their understanding of a topic.

 

STEAM Subject:

  • Asking an AI chatbot for information about the rate of photosynthesis
  • Benchmarking existing thermal bags online to inform a new design

Language Subject:

  • Researching common vocabulary in news reports online
  • Using AI tools to analyze the tone and style of a news report

Explorations through Conversation

Students engage in exploration of issues with others through conversations.

 

STEAM Subject:

  • Interviewing clients to identify product needs

  • Discussing variables for a fair photosynthesis experiment

Language Subject:

  • Interviewing stakeholders about community issues
  • Discussing findings from the interview script

Tangible / Immersive Investigation

Students conduct hands-on investigations in physical or virtual settings, generating new data through experiments, surveys, or direct observation.

 

STEAM Subject:

  • Conducting an experiment to collect data on the rate of photosynthesis
  • Playing with simple circuits to explore electricity flow

Language Subject:

  • Exploring a virtual museum with VR to learn about history and related vocabulary
  • Visiting the supermarket to learn vocabulary related to daily life
Productive Learning

Construction: Conceptual / Visual Artefacts

Students work individually or together to construct a conceptual, visual artifact.

 

STEAM Subject:

  • Creating a mind map on photosynthesis using information from the internet

  • Designing an experiment plan

Language Subject:

  • Creating the writing outline of the news report
  • Using AI to develop evaluation criteria for a news report

Construction: Tangible / Manipulable Artefacts

 Students work individually or together to construct a tangible, manipulable artifact.

 

STEAM Subject:

  • Building a prototype of a thermal bag
  • Building a digital thermometer with a micro:bit.

Language Subject: 

  • Writing a news report based on an outline
  • Creating a storybook using generative AI

Presentation, Performance and Illustration

 Students present, illustrate or perform individually or in group.

 

STEAM Subject:

  • Presenting scientific findings from experiments
  • Displaying a thermal bag prototype in a competition

Language Subject: 

  • Presenting a news report
  • Screening a post-edited micro movie
Reflective Learning

Reflection

Students engage in reflecting on the learning process & experience and making the thoughts explicit.

 

STEAM Subject:

  • Reflecting on the previous scientific investigation process and identifying its shortcomings
  • Writing a journal entry about challenges faced during the prototype development

Language Subject:

  • Reflecting on the pros and cons of using AI to create a storyboard for a micro movie
  • Writing a reflection on the process of composing a news report

Revision

Students are given an opportunity to re-submit a piece of work, hence giving them a chance to reflect and improve.

 

STEAM Subject:

  • Revising the thermal bag prototype
  • Revising the experimental plan for a scientific investigation

Language Subject: 

  • Revising the content of a news report

  • Revising the script of a micro movie before final filming

Self- / Peer- assessment

Students engage in peer- and/ or self- assessment (using self-generated or teacher-provided rubric)

 

STEAM Subject:

  • Using well-designed criteria to self- and peer-assess prototypes of thermal bags
  • Using well-designed criteria to self- and peer-assess experimental plans for scientific investigations

Language Subject: 

  • Using well-designed criteria to self- and peer-assess news reports

  • Using well-designed criteria to self- and peer-assess storyboards for micro movies
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