Understanding by Design

Ensuring Learningthrough Lesson Design

Understanding by Design

Ensuring Learningthrough Lesson Design

i.e. Backward DesignGrant Wiggins and Jay McTighe

Big Idea Making BestPractices, Common Practice

Big Idea Making BestPractices, Common Practice

We teach so that others may understand. Our challenges:

Finding time to teach all standards andmaintain the rigor (teaching forunderstanding - not just to cover)

Making lessons meaningful Engaging students in the learning process

Old saying.Old saying.

If you dont know exactly where youare headed, then any road will get you

there.

The goal of teaching should be to providestudents (you) the ability to effectively usethe stuff of the subject, not just learning thestuff

Three Stages of UbDThree Stages of UbD

Stage 1: Identify the Desired Results Unpack the learning, prioritize learning

goals, determine expectations . Clarify Learning Outcomes

Stage 2: Determine AcceptableEvidenceStage 3: Plan learning experiencesand instruction

Let the main ideas which are introducedinto a childs education be few andimportant, and let them be thrown intoevery combination possible.

-Whitehead, 1929

Average % of Topics with Concepts That were Developed or Only Stated

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Stage 1: Identify the Desired Results

Stage 2: Determine AcceptableEvidence What evidence could be used to

document and validate the learningthat has been achieved

Evidence is gathered throughout thelearning time - includes formativeand not only summative assessments

Stage 3: Plan learning experiences and instruction

Stage 1: Identify the Desired Results Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence

Stage 3: Plan learning experiences andinstruction What specific content and skills must

be taught to achieve desired results? What is the best way to teach the

content and skills? What resources will we need? How much time might be required for

learning?"Reduce your plan to writing... The moment

you complete this, you will have definitelygiven concrete form to the intangibledesire." - Napoleon Hill

Lasting thought .Lasting thought .

For any subject taught in primary school, wemight ask [is it] worth an adults knowing,and whether having known it as a childmakes a person a better adult. A negativeor ambiguous answer means the material iscluttering up the curriculum.

Bruner, 1960

UbD - Stage 1UbD - Stage 1

Identify the Desired Results orUnderstandings

If we are designing forUnderstanding

If we are designing forUnderstanding

What does Understanding mean? Is there a difference between knowing and

understanding?

Is there a difference between knowing andbeing able to do?

Is there a difference between being able todo and understanding?

Understanding is the result of factsacquiring meaning for the learner.

Dewey 1933

Understanding is the ability totransfer learning to new, different

and unique experiences.Wiggins

Challenge:Challenge:

To make understanding (transference) more likely bydesign rather than by luck

**my challenge: to help you learn (understand)lesson planning strategies which will ensure

student learning (not make you hope that theylearn) . That is why I want you to learn!

"A goal is not the same as a desire,and this is an important distinctionto make. You can have a desireyou don't intend to act on. But youcan't have a goal you don't intendto act on." - Tom Morris

Stage 1 - Planning for The EndStage 1 - Planning for The End

During Stage 1 - Design for the End: What is the Big Idea? What is the Essential question based on big

idea What are the Desired outcomes/learning goals

(unpacked standards)?

1st Component: Big Ideas1st Component: Big Ideas

Big ideas provide the basis for transfer (bothduring and of learning) or relevance for thelearner

education with inert ideas is not only useless: itis above all things, harmful. Let the main ideaswhich are introduced be few and important, andlet them be thrown into every combinationpossible. Whitehead 1929

Transfer is the basis of all creativity,problem solving and the making of satisfying

decisions. -Madeline Hunter

Transfer is the basis of all creativity,problem solving and the making of satisfying

decisions. -Madeline Hunter

Never underestimate the power of transfer.Past learning always influences theacquisition of new learning. -David A. Sousa Thematic units and an integrated curriculum

enhance the transfer process. Information is most likely to get stored if it

makes sense and has meaning. -David A. Sousa

A Big Idea (bottom line)A Big Idea (bottom line)

Provides a lens for prioritizing Serves as an organizer for facts, skills and actions

focusing on big ideas, helps students seepurpose and relevance of pieces

Support Transference create coherence Manifest itself in many ways and in many content

areas Requires Uncovering - its meaning is abstract, so

it must be discovered, constructed or inferred bylearners

Our Big IdeaOur Big IdeaMake Best Practices, Common

PracticeOr

Teach in a way so that othersTeach in a way so that othersmay may understandunderstand..

**Key: focus on learning, not the teaching**key: big ideas are not finished in a lesson theyare enduring understandings, connect lessonsthroughout the year or years of learning

2nd Component:Essential Questions

2nd Component:Essential Questions

To question means to lay open, toplace in the open. Only a person who

has questions can have realunderstanding.

Gadamer, 1994

Essential QuestionsEssential Questions

Key: the goal is to pursue the question, notnecessarily answer it

Know that the answers students will findshould only lead to more questions . Thatis when learning takes place!

An Essential Question isAn Essential Question is

An open-ended provocative questiondesigned to guide student inquiry and focusinstruction for uncovering the importantideas of the content

Essential Questions Essential Questions

Have no simple right answer; they are meant tobe argued and discussed (discovered, uncovered)

Designed to provoke and sustain inquiry Often address the foundational or historical issues

of a subject Lead to more questions Naturally come back again when learning Encourage ongoing re-thinking of big ideas,

assumptions, prior learning (transference) Could be overarching or topical

Our Essential QuestionsOur Essential Questions

What is the best way?Or

Can I help everyone Learn?

Underlying question to me: How can I make itmore likely - by design - that all students/teachers

really understand why they are asked to learn?

3rd Component - DesiredOutcomes

3rd Component - DesiredOutcomes

Determine the Learning Goal (standard) Clarify specifically what the student will

know, understand, and be able to do(unpack the standards)

Understandings:* There is a sense of urgency to help all students

succeed in all content areas*There are research-based, effective strategies

which will increase student achievement*Collaboration is a powerful means of moving

education forward

Our Desired OutcomesOur Desired Outcomes

*Know:*Teachers will be aware of new

tools/strategies/resources/ideas they can useto increase effectiveness

*Teachers will be identify themselves withinthe 4 components of the BSSD IM

Our Desired OutcomesOur Desired Outcomes

Our Desired OutcomesOur Desired Outcomes

Be Able to Do:*Teachers will be able to implement

tools/strategies to engage students inmeaningful and effective learning

At the end of this workshop,teachers will

At the end of this workshop,teachers will

have tools/experience with research-based,effective lesson planning strategies to enhancestudent learning

KNOW: nouns and adjectives tools to help students learn Research-based strategies Definition for learning

Be Able to: (verbs) Use experience with effective lesson planning to

enhance student learning Use tools to enhance student learning

Stage 1 - summarizedStage 1 - summarized

Identify the Desired Results . Begin with theEnding! What big ideas, related to the goal/standard are worthy

of understanding How can the learning connect with the student

(essential question) What, specifically, will students know, understand and

do?? **Remember: these can be developed in any

order - it is not a step-by-step process