5.3. Variation in security/freedom/challenge of assignments

5.3. Variation in security/freedom/challenge of assignments

You can influence how difficult or easy an assignment is experienced by varying the content, form,and structural characteristics of those assignments.

VARIATION IN THE OBJECTIVE

Cognitive/emotional/social/technicalobjectives Make sure that you give attention to those four objectives. The challenge of these goals differs per individual. The more technical assignments maycomelater in the activity.

VARIATION IN THE LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY

From less technical to more technical The assignments you give in the beginning must be able to be performed with a minimum of technique. If technical knowledge is necessary for the successful execution of an assignment, you should first practise this separately with the group.

VARIATION IN COMPLEXITY

From simple to complex action sequences Assignments that require a sequence of precise actions are more challenging than assignments that require only a simple intervention.

VARIATION IN FUN

From playful to more serious Assignments with high entertainment value are safer than assignments where you put the group to work seriously.

VARIATION IN THE SIZE OF THE WORKING GROUP

From assignments with the whole group to individual assignments In the beginning, organise more easily group work, and switch only at a later time to more complex forms of collaboration and individual assignments.

VARIATION IN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RESULT

From no emphasis to a great emphasis on the individual result The greater the (perceived) importance of a result, the less safe the situation becomes. You can avoid emphasising the result by: ● a comparison to rule out an external norm in advance and to put forward another objective ● a pass-through system, inwhich the result is worked together so that responsibility is shared ● a fast pace so that the group feels that no one can look properly, which reduces the idea that the results of an assignment really count.

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VARIATION IN THE AUDIENCE

From no audience to an attentive audience just forme The tension increases and feels less safe when the group performing the assignment for an audience becomes smaller. The most challenging are individual assignments with the rest of the group as the audience. You can reduce the idea of being viewed and assessed, among other things, by: ● doing exercises with the whole group at the same time (so that everyone focuses on their own assignment without or hardly any attention to the others) ● keepingthe exercise at a high levelso that no one has the time toobserve and judge the other participantsthoroughly.

VARIATION IN THE PREPARATION TIME

From little preparation to extensivepreparation Pressure increases with the duration of the preparation: those who are given muchtime to complete an exercise get the feeling that the end result must be good. If the result is disappointing, the frustratingfeeling lingers much longer. By working with short exercises following each other in rapid succession, much less importance will be attached to things that do not turn out completely as desired.

VARIATION IN OPENNESS

From more to less framed assignments Assignments with fewer guidelines on possible ways to carry out or solve them often pose a greater challenge than assignments in which you as a trainer indicate in which direction the group should be working.

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