Understanding:Transfer

It is the essence of understanding and

the point of schooling

Understanding:via big ideas

that’s how transferhappens, makes

learning more connected

Students fail to apply, poor results on tests

Learning is fragmented, more difficult, less engaging

UbD big ideaWhy

important?If not…

‘Backward’ Design

Plans need to bewell aligned to be

effective

Aimless activity & coverage

The big ideas of UbD

1. Identify desired accomplishments

2. Determine acceptable evidence

3. Plan learning experiences

& instruction

KEY: 3 Stages of (“Backward”) Design

Identify content

Brainstorm activities & methods

Come up with an assessment

What we typically (incorrectly) do:

Without checking for alignment

Without checking for alignment

Stage 1 Design Questions

• What are the long-term transfer goals? In the end, students should be able, on their own, to...(Big Ideas)

• What are the desired (enduring) understandings? (What misunderstandings must be avoided, overcome?)

• What are the essential questions to be continually explored?

• What knowledge & skill should they leave with?

Stage 2 Design Questions•What evidence for assessment (of skills and

knowledge) is required by our Stage 1 goals?

•What performances are indicative of understanding - transfer of learning and

understanding of content via big ideas?

•What other evidence is required by the goals?

•What scoring rubrics/criteria/indicators will be used to assess student work against the goals?

Stage 2: Assessment

• The analytic challenge is to identify the ULTIMATE tasks embodying the Standard - reflecting the kind of accomplishment the Standard envisions - and other long-term goals

– What real-world important tasks epitomize the Standard? – What projects should a student who has met the Standard be

able to do well?

– What challenges in the world should students be prepared to handle and accomplish?

Stage 3 - design Qs

If those are the desired STAGE 1 goals and STAGE 2 performance tasks . . .

• What do students need to acquire?

• What inquiries and meaning making must they actively be made to engage in?

• What transfer must they practice and get feedback on?

• What formative assessments are essential for feedback, adjustment, meeting goals?

• What sequence is optimal for engagement and success?

• How will the work be differentiated - without sacrificing goals - to optimize success of all?

WHERETO• Guidelines for Stage 3 learning design

– Where is the work headed (learning goals, relevance)?

– Hook and hold the learner (inquiry, research, problem solving,

experimentation)

– Equip with key learning & experience (experiential and inductive learning,

direct instruction, homework and other)

– Rethink and revise thinking/work (rehearse, refine)

– Evaluate your progress (self-reflection, feedback)

– Tailored to personal need, interest, profile (differentiation)

– Organized for optimal learning (sequencing)

Stage 3 Design

• Determine what needs to be uncovered

vs. covered

• Test design against WHERETO

• How will students demonstrate learning

and understanding? (6 Facets or Bloom’s)

• Diagnostic and formative assessments—

preassessment (summative is Stage 2)

Unit Design Cycles Unit Design Cycles

Draft: • Stage 1• Stage 2• Stage 3

DESIGN, based on: • Goals/Standards• Performance gaps

Analysis of

formative student work

Peer and/or Expert review

Student feedback - what works, what

doesn’t

In-class observations

Unit self-assessed against UbD design standards

Design itDesign itTeach it with

revisions, as needed

Teach it with

revisions, as needed

Pre-assess, tweak

Analysis of

summative student work

Adjust, as needed

•No one expects such “recipes” and “cooking” every day

The aim is “gourmet” unit design - work smarter, not harder: keep adding each

year to a database of units:

Misconception Alert !

Next Steps . . .

• Refer to the handouts (UbD Stages in a Nutshell, stage checklists, Observable Indicators of Teaching for Understanding, UbD Roadmap)

• Use the wikispace (school homepage then click on UbD)

• Try using essential questions next week

• Design (a) model unit(s) individually or as grade level teams within a subject area

Next cont’d . . .

• Peer review those units informally or formally

• Consult with the UbD trainers

• Pilot those units

• Use the unit to provide data for your data team

• Request follow up work/consultation time individually, as

grade level, cross school grade level/subject area