Skip to main content
All Collections4. Course Design
🖍️ How to write and vary a categorization exercise
🖍️ How to write and vary a categorization exercise

Learn how to diversify your categorization exercises to enhance engagement and conceptual understanding

Clara Gros avatar
Written by Clara Gros
Updated over a year ago

📢 Creating relevant and diverse exercises isn't always easy. Explore our tips for crafting engaging and varied categorization questions!

🪧Categorization exercises can be incredibly powerful pedagogical tools. They allow learners to group, compare, and critically analyse items, helping to build deeper understanding and long-term retention. However, these exercises can also be complex for learners if not designed carefully. Below is a step-by-step guide to create effective categorization exercises in a way that maximises learning outcomes.

🎯Step-by-step guide

Step 1: Distinguish true from false

  • What it is: items such as concepts, actions, or objects are classified into "true" or "false" categories.

  • When to use it: use this as an introductory activity to help learners understand key concepts or best practices.

  • Key tips:

    • display all items simultaneously if their position doesn’t make the answers too obvious.

    • alternatively, display items one by one to increase difficulty and reduce guesswork.

Step 2: Identify groups of items

  • What it is: items (concepts, actions, or objects) are grouped under specific categories labeled as "groups."

  • When to use it: when learners struggle to differentiate between similar elements or mistakenly assume they have equal importance.

  • Key tips: ensure categories are clear and easy to read for optimal learning.

Step 3: Predict the consequences of a choice

  • What it is: items represent actions, and the categories indicate their respective consequences.

  • When to use it: when learners need to map actions to potential outcomes but struggle to understand the connection.

  • Key tips: ensure all possible actions are realistic and can be accurately linked to their outcomes.

Step 4: Analyse the parameters of a situation

  • What it is: items represent situational parameters, and categories explain their influence on decision-making (e.g., "improves…" or "facilitates…").

  • When to use it: when learners don’t fully understand how different parameters affect decision-making.

  • Key tips: include only parameters that learners are likely to misinterpret to ensure relevance.

Step 5: Act in a complex situation

  • What it is: items represent different situations, and categories represent actions.

  • When to use it: when learners need to consider multiple parameters to act effectively but struggle to prioritise their actions.

  • Key tips: limit the number of items to 4 or fewer to avoid cognitive overload.

Step 6: Analyse a situation using a theoretical framework

  • What it is: items correspond to theoretical rules, principles, or criteria. categories assess whether these elements are applied correctly.

  • When to use it: use this when learners need to evaluate actions or outcomes through a theoretical lens.

  • Key tips: build on the work done in step 4, focusing on applying theoretical principles correctly.

🔎 Why use categorization exercises?

Categorization exercises provide a structured way for learners to engage with and internalise content. whether used to distinguish facts, group similar items, or analyse complex situations, these exercises enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills. follow these steps to create impactful learning experiences that cater to your learners' needs.

🎓How to use it?

In your Studio, to select or modify the exercise type click on 👉

🎦 Case Study

Context: A company in the industrial sector aims to train its employees on fire safety protocols. The goal is to ensure that all staff members know how to respond quickly and effectively in an emergency situation.


Related Topics:


Keywords: create exercise granule, categorization, categorizer, complex exercise, diversify exercise, exercise type, create categorizer, write exercise


Need Assistance? If you have any questions or need support, our team is available via chat/messenger. 💬

Did this answer your question?