What makes a great task?
Tom O'Donahoo avatar
Written by Tom O'Donahoo
Updated over a week ago


Creating tasks for your class on Atomi is super simple, and in just a few clicks you can get your students engaged with the content. It's even possible to take your tasks to the next level—boosting engagement, retention, and results.

Creating an Atomi task

In this guide, we'll step you through what the best teachers are doing to make sure their tasks always hit the mark 😉.

Great tasks:

1. Are timely and specific

When creating tasks, make sure that the due dates match your in-class teaching schedule. This ensures that tasks are always relevant to what your students are learning in class, reinforcing and extending their understanding.

2. Promote active learning

With every task, you have the option to add instructions or any external content to guide your students. This can be a great opportunity to kickstart your students' higher-order thinking and promote active learning. You could use personalised instructions to highlight particular sections of the lesson that students should focus on, add some active recall questions or even seed your in-class discussion with an intriguing follow-up question. The very best tasks deeply engage students in critical thinking and self-reflection, enabling them to walk into your class ready to engage and contribute.

You can even add links to external resources such as a survey, further reading or attach materials and worksheets. Feel free to get creative!

Great Atomi tasks promote active learning

3. Are well-paced

It can often be tempting to operate in bulk, taking an entire topic or two of lessons and creating tasks due on the day before the next assessment. However, if left to their own devices, many students will procrastinate until the very last minute. Setting due dates at a consistent and achievable tempo allows students to stay on track, avoid large fluctuations in workload and understand where there are issues early, while there is still time to address them.

Great Atomi tasks are well-paced

4. Are followed up

Tasks should be a powerful tool in speeding up the feedback loop between teacher and student. Great tasks don't just provide informative data, they help dynamically change teaching practice.

Great Atomi tasks are followed up
  • If the data suggests that some of your students are falling behind and not completing their work, make sure you follow up.

  • If your class is weak in a particular topic, adjust your dates to spend a bit more time where it's needed.

  • If individuals require extra support, they are taken aside for one-on-one or group interventions.

The very best tasks aren't just cast aside when the due date passes, they inform and promote future actions to make your classroom more efficient and effective.

5. Are unique to you

Last but not least, it's important to remember that few things will have a larger quantitative impact on your students' performance than having a positive relationship with their teacher. Rather than making tasks just about marching through the course, feel free to inject your passion, enthusiasm, and personality into your assignments. When your students know you're invested in their happiness and success, it's easy for them to do the same.

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