Prepare the course around the first learner action

Start with the learning goal, then make the course space show what learners should do first, where to find the materials, and what comes next. A clear opening activity gives learners a way to begin without guessing which item matters.

A practical preparation sequence

Use this teaching-planning example as a sequence to adapt to the course.

  1. 1

    Name the learning goal

    Write what learners should understand or be able to do after the opening activity. Keep the goal focused enough to guide one short task.

  2. 2

    Arrange the course space

    Put the opening task and the material it needs in a recognizable order. Use titles that tell learners what each item is for.

  3. 3

    Make the first activity explicit

    State the action, the expected contribution, and how learners move to the next part of the course.

  4. 4

    Check the learner view

    Review the sequence as a learner would encounter it. Confirm that the starting point, required material, and next action are understandable.

Worked example: turn a broad goal into a first activity

A fictional course-planning example from Northbridge Learning Network.

Broad starting point

“Understand how evidence informs a decision” is a useful direction, but it does not tell a learner what to do first.

Learner-ready activity

Ask learners to read two short, contrasting case summaries, identify one piece of evidence in each, and post a sentence explaining which evidence they would examine next.

  • The task names a concrete action.
  • The prompt connects the activity to the learning goal.
  • The posted sentence makes the learner’s next evidence question visible to the instructor.