A well-designed cloud exercise helps learners engage with the material while reinforcing key concepts. Below are guidelines on what makes a good cloud exercise, tips for structuring your exercise, and advice on crafting related conceptual videos and questions.
What Makes a Good Cloud Exercise?
1. Clear Learning Objective
Focus on validating a single concept.
If the exercise attempts to test multiple concepts, split it into smaller exercises.
2. Manageable Time Frame
Aim for learners to complete the exercise in 2–3 minutes, with a maximum of 5 minutes.
If a resource takes time to provision, include an intermediate step to keep learners engaged. Notify your Curriculum Manager (CM) or Content Developer (CD) if provisioning takes more than 2 minutes.
3. Independence
Design exercises to be as standalone as possible.
If dependencies exist:
Provide all required files within the exercise.
Add context encouraging learners to complete dependent exercises in one sitting.
Limit dependencies to a single lesson, not across lessons or chapters.
4. Clear Instructions and Hints
Use high-level instructions for steps (e.g., what needs to be done).
Include detailed guidance in hints (e.g., exactly what buttons to click).
For detailed steps, add a bolded sentence summarizing the goal before bullet points (e.g., “Set up a secure access point by completing the following steps:”).
5. Concise Steps
Limit exercises to 4–7 steps (5 is ideal).
The final step should only be a question; move any setup or navigation instructions to earlier steps.
What Makes a Good Question?
Types of Questions
Validation Questions: Confirm the learner successfully completed the step.
Example: "Did you successfully provision the
S3 bucketwith public access disabled?"
Conceptual Questions: Reinforce the learning objective by asking learners to reflect on the purpose of the task.
Example: "What is the main purpose of using IAM policies in this context?"
Guidelines for Questions
Ensure the question ties back to the learning objective.
Avoid excessive focus on UI; instead, validate conceptual understanding.
What Makes a Good Conceptual Video?
Key Elements
Word Limit: Videos should have a script of 500 words or fewer, translating to 3–4 minutes of runtime.
Dynamic Visuals: Update the screen frequently (no static slide for longer than 10 seconds).
Contextual Examples: Explain concepts using real-world scenarios rather than just definitions.
Transitions: Use smooth transitions between topics, e.g., “Now that we’ve discussed X, let’s move on to Y.”
Relevant Images: Avoid stock images; use visuals related to the concept, such as architecture diagrams or service flows.
Additional Considerations
Citations:
Cite official documentation when necessary.
Avoid third-party sources; recreate content when possible.
Learning Outcomes:
Align video content with the lesson’s learning outcomes.
Cover prerequisite theory needed for exercises.
Bringing it All Together
A great cloud exercise:
Validates a single concept with clear, actionable steps.
Keeps learners engaged with concise instructions, focused hints, and a strong learning objective.
Avoids unnecessary complexity or reliance on earlier exercises.
A great conceptual video:
Introduces learners to key terminology, context, and learning objectives in a concise, engaging manner.
Motivates the topic with real-world relevance.
Provides the foundation needed for the exercise without overlapping content unnecessarily.