Learning theory tells us that students learn when they are challenged to think and perform at new levels. Nothing dulls the mind so much as the same routines over and over. Worksheets day after day or too many overly scaffolded tasks cause students to stall. Productive struggle is necessary for learning, and you can manage that by thoughtfully planning a sequence of LDC tasks that increasingly demand more of students in their work and as thinkers.
As you plan a sequence of LDC mini-tasks and modules in your units and coursework, think about how to create a progression of complexity as students manage each task. You can do this by adjusting levels of demand to create “stretch” in your mini-tasks and modules in four ways.