Understanding by Design

Highlights of the Work of

Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe

by

Sandy Stuart-Bayer

Lee’s Summit High School Library

Understanding by Design

“Backward Design” focus: Clarify results and evidence of them before designing lessons.

Teaching for understanding is the goal of teaching and compatible with standards-based curricula.

UbD is a way of thinking more carefully about design, not a program.

Understanding by Design

Thinking like an assessor, not only an activity designer, is key to effective design.

Overcoming the “twin sins” of “aimless activity” and “superficial coverage”.

The work is only “coverage” or “nice activity” unless focused on questions and big ideas, related to the Standards.

3 Stages of “Backward” Design

1. Identify desired results

2. Determine acceptable evidence

3. Plan learning experiences & instruction.

Then and o

nly

then

The Understanding

Insightful use of knowledge and skill, observable in performance

Revealed via the “six facets”(Think Blume-See handout)

Essential for maximal recall and apt transfer of “content” to new situations

Reflective, recursive “spiral” Conventional linear [textbook-driven] scope and sequence is a major impediment to developing understanding.

3 Stages of “Backward” Design

1. Identify desired results

2. Determine acceptable evidence

3. Plan learning experiences & instruction.

Then and o

nly

then

Stage 1 Identify desired results

Consists of four componentsContent standards

Understandings

Essential questions

Knowledge and skills

Key: Focus on Big Ideas!

Some questions for identifying truly “big ideas”

Does it have many layers and nuances, not obvious to the naïve or inexperienced person?

Does it yield optimal depth and breadth of insight into the subject?

Do you have to dig deep to really understand its meanings and implications even if you have a surface grasp of it?

Some questions for identifying truly “big ideas” cont.

Is it (therefore) prone to misunderstanding as well as disagreement?

Are you likely to change your mind about its meaning and importance over a lifetime?

Does it reflect the core ideas as judged by experts?

The Big Ideas

To determine the Big Ideas for your unit or course, ask yourself…

Why? So what?What is the “moral of the story”?How is _____ applied in the world beyond the classroom?What couldn’t we do if we didn’t understand _____?

Avoid truisms, facts, definitions!

Example: Bill of Rights Redux

Content Standards

Understandings (The Big Ideas)Students will understand that:

Essential questions

Are arguable-and important to argue about.Are at the heart of the subject.Recur--and should recur--in professional work, adult life, as well as in the classroom inquiry.Raise more questions-provoking and sustaining engaged inquiry.Often raise important conceptual or philosophical issues.Can provide purpose for learning.

Essential vs. leading Q’s

EssentialAsked to be argued

Designed to “uncover” new ideas, views, lines of argument

Set up inquiry, heading to new understandings.

LeadingAsked as a reminder, to prompt recall

Designed to “cover” knowledge

Point to a single, straightforward fact-a rhetorical question

Tips for Using Essential Qs

use E.Q.s to organize programs, courses, and units of study.

“less is more”

edit to make them “kid friendly”

post the questions

Knowledge and Skill

Students will know…

Students will be able to…

Example: Bill of Rights

3 Stages of “Backward” Design

1. Identify desired results

2. Determine acceptable evidence

3. Plan learning experiences & instruction.

Then and o

nly

then

Stage 2 - Assessment Evidence

What are key complex performance tasks indicative of understanding?

What other evidence will be collected to build the case for understanding, knowledge, and skill.

How will students self-assess?

Stage 2 is the essence of backward design & alignment

“Measure what we value; value and act on what we measure.”

Link assessment types to curricular priorities

Big Ideas Worth

understanding

Important to know& do

Worth beingFamiliar with

Assessment types

Traditional quizzes& tests

•paper/pencil•selected-response•constructed response

Performance tasks& projects

•open-ended•complex•authentic

2 Questions for a practical test of performance tasks:

1. Could the performance be accomplished (or the test be passed) without in-depth understanding?

2. Could the specific performance be poor, but the student still understand the ideas in question?

The goal is to answer NO to both!

Scenarios for Authentic Tasks

Build assessments anchored in authentic tasks using GRASPS:

G-What is the Goal in the scenario?

R-What is the Role?

A-Who is the Audience?

S-What is your Situation (context)?

P-What is the Performance challenge?

S-By what Standards will work be judged in the scenario?

Example: Bill of Rights Redux

Lee’s Summit High School Library: Bill of Rights Redux

Example performance task as a Webquest.

Key Criteria and Other Evidence, including self-assessment

3 Stages of “Backward” Design

1. Identify desired results

2. Determine acceptable evidence

3. Plan learning experiences & instruction.

Then and o

nly

then

Stage 3-Plan learning experience and instruction

A focus on engaging and effective learning, “designed in”

What learning experiences and instruction will promote the desired understanding, knowledge and skill?How will you best promote the deepening of insight and interest?How will you prepare students for the performance(s)?

Organize by W.H.E.R.E.

W = Where are we headed? and why? (from the student’s perspective)

H = How will the student be ‘hooked’?E = What opportunities will there be to be

equipped and explore key ideas.R = How will we provide opportunities to

rethink, rehearse, refine and revise?E = How will students evaluate (so as to

improve) their own performance?

For More Information

Wiggins, Grant & McTighe, Jay. Understanding by Design. New York: Prentice Hall. 2000.

McKenzie, Jamie. Learning to Question, to Wonder, to Learn. New York: Linworth Publishing.2004.