ubd - bridging the gap

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN

Bridging the Gap Between Curriculum and Authentic Learning

TRAINING NORMS• Take care of your personal needs

• Participate actively

• Be mindful of time limits

• Monitor personal use of technology

• Be respectful of learning and the learner

TRAINING OBJECTIVES: BEGINNING WITH THE

END IN MINDWe will: • explore the curriculum design process utilizing UbD and

Backward Design • write essential questions • develop an action plan using Backward Design • discuss strategies for implementation • explore the role of technology and curriculum • review effective instruction

INTRODUCE YOURSELF

• On the Padlet, introduce yourself by sharing your name, content, grade level and school.

• Take a selfie and include 1word that describes your view of “curriculum”.

• Be prepared to share why you chose this word.

http://padlet.com/achapman/UbDIntros

http://padlet.com/achapman/UbDIntros

GETTING STARTED

“LEARNING GIVES CREATIVITY, CREATIVITY LEADS TO THINKING,

THINKING PROVIDES KNOWLEDGE,

KNOWLEDGE MAKES YOU GREAT.”

!

― A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/986042.A_P_J_Abdul_Kalam

WHY UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN?

• Understanding by Design represents a way of thinking about the design of curriculum, instruction, and assessment and pulls together many ideas and processes that have been tested both through research and classroom use. Used independently, these ideas and processes are valuable. Used within the conceptual framework of Understanding by Design, these ideas and processes can result in a way of thinking about curriculum, instruction, and assessment that can give rise to powerful learning experiences that result in deeper understandings of facts, concepts, generalizations and principles.

(McTighe & Wiggins, 2005)

BIG IDEAS OF UBD• Backward Design: Plans need to be aligned to be

effective

• Understanding vs Big Idea: Create a transfer of the learning to “make it stick”; students should be able to apply the learning

• Meaningful learning: Make it relevant to engage and excite the learner; differentiated

A CLOSER LOOK AT BACKWARD DESIGN

• Why is it called Backward Design? • What are the basic steps to the

backward design planning process? • How can I design an assessment

before I teach a unit?

WHAT IS BACKWARD DESIGN• Backward design focuses thinking on the desired results

of instruction, rather than beginning the planning process with activities, materials, or textbook content. What the learner should know, understand, and be able to do as a result of instruction serves as the focal point for the planning of curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

By starting with assessments, we can focus on alignment of our goals and means, and help ensure teaching is focused on the desired results.

(Wiggins & McTighe 2005)

(SSCED Tool Kit)

Stage1: Identify Desired Results

Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence

Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

THE BACKWARD DESIGN APPROACH CONSISTS OF THREE GENERAL

STAGES:

STAGES OF BACKWARD DESIGN


To what extent does the design focus on the big ideas of targeted content?

STAGE1: IDENTIFY DESIRED RESULTS

(Wiggins & McTighe, 2005)


WORTH BEING FAMILIAR WITH

IMPORTANT TO KNOW AND DO

“ENDURING” UNDERSTANDING

KNOWLEDGE THAT IS WORTH BEING FAMILIAR

WITH

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO

KNOW AND DO

UNDERSTANDINGS THAT ARE ENDURING


• What long-term transfer goals are targeted?

• What meanings should students make?

• What essential questions will students explore?

• What knowledge & skill will students acquire?

(Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, pp. 105-125)

STAGE1: DEVELOPING ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

An essential question is: • is open ended; has no simple “right answer.”

• is meant to be investigated, argued, looked at from different points of view.

• encourages active “meaning making” by the learner about important ideas.

• raises other important questions.

• naturally arises in everyday life, and/or in “doing” the subject.

• constantly and appropriately recurs; it can fruitfully be asked and re-asked over time.


Essential Questions Not Essential Questions

• How do the arts shape, as well as reflect, a culture?

• What common artistic symbols were used by the Incas and the Mayans?

• What do effective problem solvers do when they get stuck?

• What steps did you follow to get your answer?

• How strong is the scientific evidence?

• What is a variable in scientific investigations?

• Is there ever a "just" war? • What key event sparked World War I?

• How can I sound more like a native speaker?

• What are common Spanish colloquialisms?

• Who is a true friend? • Who is Maggie's best friend in the story?

WHAT MAKES A QUESTION ESSENTIAL?


Question Is it Essential?

1. In what year was the Battle of Hastings fought? Yes/No

2. How do effective writers hook and hold their readers?

Yes/No

3. Is biology destiny? Yes/No

4. Onomatopoeia—what's up with that? Yes/No

5. What are examples of animals adapting to their environment?

Yes/No

6. What are the limits of arithmetic? Yes/No

IS IT ESSENTIAL?

(McTighe & Wiggins, 2004, p. 4)

Question Is the question

essential?

Commentary

1. In what year was the Battle of Hastings fought?

No This is a factual question with a single correct answer.

2. How do effective writers hook and hold their readers?

Yes This is a rich question for exploring the many facets of effective writing, including different genres, audience/purpose connections, writer's voice, and organizational structures.

3. Is biology destiny?

Yes This is intended to be a thought-provoking, open question with many nuances (so don't be fooled by the phrasing).

4. Onomatopoeia—what's up with that?

No Although the format of the question may wake up a sleepy student, it doesn't really open up worthy inquiry. At best, it can lead to a definition of a new term.

5. What are examples of animals adapting to their environment?

No This is a useful question for helping students understand the concept of adaptation in various manifestations; however, there are specific answers that could be found in a book.

6. What are the limits of arithmetic?

Yes This is an open question, widely applicable across mathematical topics across the grades; the question helps students come to understand an abstract yet important idea: mathematics involves tools and methods that have both strengths and limitations.


ANSWERS

YOUR TURN

With your content team, develop 5 essential questions pertaining to

established goals or selected TEKS.

YOUR TURNDo your questions meet the following criteria? Essential Questions are: • Asked to stimulate ongoing thinking and inquiry • Raise more questions • Spark discussion and debate • Asked and re-asked throughout the unit • Demand justification and support • "Answers" may change as understanding deepens


BREAK FOR 10 MINUTES

SHARE OUTHow is developing essential questions different from writing leading questions? • I was surprised…

• I found that…

• I realized that…

• I learned...

To what extent do the assessments provide fair, valid, reliable and sufficient

measures of the desired results?

STAGE 2: DETERMINE ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE


LET’S DISCUSS• What are the purposes of assessment? • What are ways to assess? • How do we decide if an assessment is

aligned with the curriculum?Post your group responses on this

collaborative google doc. Please feel free to comment on other groups responses

!

http://tinyurl.com/pumldl6

http://tinyurl.com/pumldl6

• What performances and products will reveal evidence of meaning-making and transfer?

• What additional evidence will be collected for other desired results?

STAGE 2: DETERMINE ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE


• What activities, experiences, and lessons will lead to achievement of the desired results and success at the assessments?

• How will the learning plan help students of Acquisition, Meaning Making, and Transfer?

• How will the unit be sequenced and differentiated to optimize achievement for all learners?

STAGE 3: PLAN LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND INSTRUCTION

(McTighe & Wiggins, 2005, pp. 197-222)

WHERETOAcronym for considering and self-assessing the key elements

and logic of a learning plan:


Where: ensuring that the student sees the big picture

WHERETO

!

Hook: engaging the student in thought-provoking experiences, challenges and

questions at the heart of the unit

WHERETO

!

Equip & Experience: providing the student with the tools, resources, skill, and

information needed to achieve the desired understandings; and successfully accomplish

the performance tasks

WHERETO

Rethink: enhance understanding by shifting perspective, considering different theories, challenging prior assumptions, introducing

new evidence and ideas, etc.

WHERETO

Evaluate: ensuring that students get diagnostic and formative feedback, and

opportunities to self-assess and self-adjust

WHERETO

!

Tailor: Personalize the learning through differentiated instruction,

assignments and assessments without sacrificing validity or rigor

WHERETO

Organize: Sequence the work to suit the understanding goals

WHERETO

TIME TO PUT TOGETHER THE PIECES

Developing an Action Plan using Backwards Design

CONTENT TEAM WORK TIME

REFLECTION

How is this different from how you currently design? What did you discover by

designing in this way?

Post your Backward Design reflection on Today’s Meet: https://todaysmeet.com/

BackwardsDesignReflection

https://todaysmeet.com/BackwardsDesignReflection

BREAK FOR 10 MINUTES

6 FACETS OF UNDERSTANDING

• Can Explain • Can Interpret • Can Apply • Has Perspective • Can Empathize • Has Self-Knowledge


OLD VS. NEW BLOOM’S TAXONOMY OF COGNITIVE DOMAIN

- Knowledge vs Remembering

- Comprehension vs Understanding

- Application vs Applying

- Analysis vs Analyzing

- Synthesis vs Evaluating

- Evaluation vs Creating(Robinson, 2009, pp. 25-27)

HOW DO STUDENTS LEARN BEST?

MAKING LEARNING MEANINGFUL

WHY TECHNOLOGY?

Enhancement

Transformational

OUR LEARNERS NEED A THINKING CURRICULUM THAT IS RELEVANT TO

THEM“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” - Alvin Toffler

• Competition - with themselves

• Cooperation - with others

• Collaboration - learning is social

TECHNOLOGY AS A TOOL FOR DIFFERENTIATION

Teachers, students, and districts benefit by “working smarter” and using technology and other vehicles to collaboratively

design, share, and critique units of study.

(Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006, p. 11)

THE TRUTH ABOUT TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM

• Technology enables them to reinforce and expand on content (74%),

• to motivate students to learn (74%),

• and to respond to a variety of learning styles (73%).

• Seven in 10 teachers (69%) surveyed said educational technology allows them to “do much more than ever before” for their students.

(PBS, 2013)

REFLECTION• What role does technology play in the

development of a viable and relevant curriculum?

• Why should we be intentional in planning for learning with and through technology?

• How does this “fit” in the backward design process?

TWEET your reflection to

#UbDwithTECH

THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

MAKING IT TRANSLATE: EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL SKILLS

• The teacher in the classroom makes the difference.

• Teacher behaviors have a direct link to student achievement

• Classroom instruction and climate have nearly as much impact on learning as student aptitude.

(Marzano, 2009)

EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION“In effective classrooms, teachers consistently attend to at least four elements:

1. whom they teach (students), 2. where they teach (learning environment), 3. what they teach (content), and 4. how they teach (instruction).

If teachers lose sight of any one of the elements and cease investing effort in it, the whole fabric of their work is damaged and the quality of learning impaired.”


LONG STORY SHORT…

THE TEACHER MATTERS!!!

MOVING FORWARD• As an effective instructional leader, you will work with

your team to implement UbD to support student learning and achievement.

• Quality control: CCAPS, Benchmarks, Instructional Rounds, Backward Design planning process, quarterly curriculum reviews

• Support: PLCs, Instructional Walkthroughs, Feedback, Vertical Teams

IN CLOSING: UBD BIG IDEAS1. The primary goal of quality curriculum design is to

develop and deepen student understanding. 2. Evidence of student understanding is revealed when

students apply (transfer) knowledge in authentic contexts. 3. Effective curriculum development following the principles

of backward design helps avoid the twin problems of textbook coverage and activity-oriented teaching in which no clear priorities and purposes are apparent.

4. Regular reviews of curriculum and assessment designs, based on design standards, provide quality control and inform needed adjustments.

(Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006, pp. 1-11)

IN CLOSING: UBD BIG IDEAS, CONT.5. Teachers provide opportunities for students to

explore, interpret, apply, shift perspectives, empathize, and self-assess. These six facets provide conceptual lenses through which student understanding is assessed.

6. Teachers, students, and districts benefit by “working smarter” and using technology and other vehicles to collaboratively design, share, and critique units of study.

7. UbD is not a program, but a way of thinking, not a program. with the goal of promoting better student understanding. (Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006, pp. 1-11)

REFERENCESMarzano, R. J. (2009). Designing & teaching learning goals & objectives. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory.

Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

McTighe, J., & Wiggins, G. P. (2013). Essential questions: opening doors to student understanding. : Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

McTighe, J., & Wiggins, G. (2004). Understanding by Design: Professional Development Workbook. ASCD: Alexandria, Virginia USA.

PBS Survey Finds Teachers Are Embracing Digital Resources to Propel Learning : PBS. (2013, February 4). Retrieved July 23, 2014, from http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2013/teacher-tech-survey/

Robinson, C. (2009, April). Using ASQ’s body of knowledge to answer common questions. Journal for Quality and Participation, 25-27.

http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2013/teacher-tech-survey/

REFERENCES, CONT.SSCED Tool Kit. (n. d.). Understanding by design. Retrieved July 28, 2014, from https://elearn.uta.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-3191952-dt-content-rid-23931259_2/courses/2145-CURRICULUM-DESIGN-53902-011/UbD.pdf

Tomlinson, C. A., & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction and understanding by design: Connecting content and kids. Alexadria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd edition). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Youtube.com. (nd). Learning to change, changing to learn. Retrieved on Sept. 8, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tahTKdEUAPk

Youtube.com. (nd). Pay attention. Retrieved on July. 28, 2014, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEFKfXiCbLw&feature=related

Youtube.com. (nd). Three steps for 21st century learning. Retrieved on Sept. 8, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPQlu5Vxm28

Youtube.com. (nd). Why is Creativity Important in Education? Sir Ken Robinson Video Series from Adobe Education. Retrieved July 17, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywIhJ2goiGE

http://www.youtube.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywIhJ2goiGE