Instructional vs. Learning Events: Teaching is an external catalyst for an internal change. Instructional events are the visible things teachers design. Learning events are the invisible mental changes those designs are trying to trigger.
We often confuse the act of teaching with the act of learning.
In the KLI framework, Instructional Events (IE) are observable activities, such as a lecture, a hint from a tutor, or a practice problem. These are external factors controlled by the instructor.
However, you should treat these events as "learning" itself. They are just planned changes in the environment.
The fundamental goal of every IE is to trigger an unobservable Learning Event (LE) inside the student's brain.
These internal cognitive changes are what actually build or modify Knowledge Components.
For example, changing a practice problem to include a prompt for "self-explanation" is a shift in the IE. This forces the student's mind to engage in a different internal LE, which ultimately builds more robust and transferable knowledge than simple repetition.
It's also worth noting that an IE could be a 10-second hint delivered by a computer tutor when a student gets stuck. Alternatively, it could be a 45-minute lecture or a complex simulation. Whether short or long, the goal remains the same: to cause a specific Learning Event in the student's mind.
Also related: CCAF Instructional Design Model