understanding dr. robert mayes university of wyoming science and mathematics teaching center...
TRANSCRIPT
Understanding Understanding
Dr. Robert MayesUniversity of Wyoming
Science and Mathematics Teaching Center
Understanding by Design
Authors: Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins ASCD materials – Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development Understanding by Design Handbook will serve as
basis for many of our activities in assessment
2
Establishing Norms
Open-mindedness Curiosity Discovery Sincerity Brevity Engagement Connections
3
Understanding Understanding Though we claim as teachers
to be after understanding, we may not adequately understand our goal
Knowledge is different than Understanding Knowledge can be rote – correct
beliefs Understanding is fluid,
transferable to new contexts, transformable into new theories - insight 4
Understanding Understanding
Was the banker a good teacher?What characteristics of good teaching did he display?
What are common teaching design errors?Activity-focused teachingCoverage-focused teaching
5
Some basic terms
What is assessment versus evaluation? What are standards versus objectives? What does it mean to know versus understand?
6
Understanding Understanding
Understanding is difficult to measureTeachers often satisfied with signs of apparent
understanding – such as performing an algorithmStudent misconceptions are persistentHigh-stakes testing makes determining understanding
more pressingCat and mouse game – give students incentive to seem to
understand what they are supposed to learn
7
Understanding Understanding
Attempts to teach for understanding must answer If correct answers can offer inadequate or misleading
evidence of understanding, or if good test results can hide misunderstanding, then what is genuine understanding?
How does genuine understanding manifest itself?How can design more effectively and reliably reveal
genuine understanding?
8
Understanding Understanding
Provide a definition of what understanding means to youBloom (1956): ability to marshal skills and facts wisely
and appropriately, through effective application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation
Wiggins and McTighe (2005) 6 facets of understandingperform - explain, interpret, applygain insight – perspective, empathize, self-knowledge
9
Cognitive Science and Understanding Transfer: applying facts and skills in novel situations
Pattern recognitionEnduring understandings are the basis of transfer
Metacognition: self-assessment, self-awareness, self-regulation3 pathologies of mislearning are amnesia (we forget),
fantasia (we don’t understand that we don’t understand), and inertia (we are unable to use what we learn)
10
Cognitive Science and Understanding
Misconceptions: (buggy literature) mapping of a working idea in a plausible but incorrect way in a new situation – consistent errorConceptual Benchmarks – must understand the
likelihood that big ideas will be misconceived Expert Blind Spot: if it teach it, they will learn it –
basis in Piaget concept of encapsulation
11
Six Facets of Understanding
3 Facets represent performances one with understanding can doExplain – provide thorough, supported, and justifiable
accounts of phenomena, facts, and data (theoretical, explain why)
Interpret – tell meaningful stories, offer apt translations, provide revealing historical or personal dimension to ideas and events, (personal, what does it mean to me)
Apply – effectively use and adapt what one knows in diverse contexts (pragmatic, how can I use it)
12
Six Facets of Understanding 3 Facets represent types of insights one has
Perspective – see points of view through critical eyes and ears, see the big picture (dispassionate, whose point of view)
Empathize – find value in what others might find odd, alien, or implausible, perceive sensitivity on the basis of prior direct experience (passionate, what are you feeling)
Self-knowledge – perceive personal style, prejudices, projections, and habits of mind that both shape and impede one’s own understanding, be aware of what one does not understand (introspective, my prejudices)
13
Backward Design Process
Backward design can be thought of as:Purposeful task analysis – Given a task to be
accomplished, how does one get there?Planned Coaching – What kinds of lessons and
practices are needed to master key performances?
14
Backward Design Process Typical Teacher Design
Begin with text, favorite lesson, time honored activityDerive targeted goals and standards
Backward DesignBegin with desired result (goal or standard)Derive curriculum based on the evidence of learning Think like an assessor – begin with a question,
operationalize goals or standards in terms of assessment
15
Backward Design Process Three Stages of Backward Design (HO: 6 page UbD
Unit Template)
Stage 1: Identify desired results
Stage 2: Determineacceptable evidence
Stage 3: Plan learningexperiences and
instruction16
Backward Design Process Stage 1: Identify Desired Results
Consider goals Examine content standards Review curriculum expectations
More content than can be covered so we are obliged to make choices What should students know, understand and be able to do? What is worthy of understanding? What enduring understandings are desired?
17
Backward Design Process
Stage 2: Determine Acceptable EvidenceThink like an assessor – consider up front, How we will
determine if students have attained desired understanding
Consider a range of assessment methodsPerformance tasks to measure understandingTraditional assessments (quizzes, tests) to assess essential
knowledge and skills contributing to performanceSelf-assessment and peer-assessment
18
Backward Design Process
Stage 3: Plan Learning Experience and InstructionSpecifics of instructional planning occur after desired
results and assessments are identified Key Questions
What enabling knowledge and skills will students need to perform effectively and achieve desired results?
What activities will equip students with the needed knowledge and skills?
19
Backward Design Process
Stage 3: Plan Learning Experience and Instruction Key Questions
What will need to be taught and coached, and how should it best be taught, in light of performance goals?
What materials and resources are best suited to accomplish these goals?
Is the overall design coherent and effective?
20
