2 Curriculum-Framing Questions-Part 2

7/30/2019 2 Curriculum-Framing Questions-Part 2

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Creating Effective QuestionsCurriculum-Framing Questions


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Copyright 2006, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.


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Curriculum-Framing Questions

How can I create more effective questions?

How can these questions help guide my teaching and unitplanning?

How can I help others develop good questions?


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Research On Learning and Cognition

Expert knowledge is organizedTheir knowledge isnot simply a list of facts and formulas that arerelevant to the domain; instead, their knowledge isorganized around core concepts or big ideas thatguide their thinking about the domain.

Bransford, et. al., How People Learn, p. 24


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Why Do We Have Essential Questions?

Simply applying technology to tried-and-true projects canlead to less learning.

The use of technology should enable students to enhancetheir learning, increase productivity, and promote creativityso we should provide them with more challenging tasks and

questions than provided in traditional projects. Projects need to include reflection, evaluation, analysis, or

synthesis of the subject matter not just identification,definition, or reiteration of facts.


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Why Do We Have Essential Questions?

Technology is most powerful when used as a tool for problem solving,conceptual development, and critical thinking.

With technology, students can spendmore time creating strategiesfor solving complex problems and developing a deep understanding ofthe subject matter.

The Learning Return on our Educational Technology Investment byCathy Ringstaff and Loretta Kelley, WestEd


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Asking Questions is Contagious

It promotes authentic learning, which encourages students to askmore questions.

Students are more likely to become self-directed learners becausethey are interested in the answers.

Students see the connections between the subject being taught and

their worldit can change their whole outlook on what education isabout.


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Dealing with the Yes, but

I have to teach to the test To develop competence, students must:

Have a deep foundation of factual knowledge

Understand facts and ideas in a conceptual framework

Organize knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and application

I have to cover so much Teaching for understanding is key to recall

Instead of aimless activity and superficial coverage, focus ongoals related to big ideas and complex performance

Move beyond micro-managing instruction via overly-fragmented and

isolated lessons and activities

From Understanding by Design Workshop


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How Do Content, Unit, and EssentialQuestions Support Learning?

Sampleobjective

Students will be able to identify an ecosystem and explain how theorganisms within an ecosystem are connected and interdependent.

ContentQuestions

How do I collect information and display it in a graph?

What urban animals are there and what do they need to survive?

UnitQuestions

How can urban wildlife and humans live together successfully?

EssentialQuestion

How can we all get along?

Project Using actual wildlife injury data from a local wildlife rescue center,students learn what animal species have been injured, the causesof injury, and the effects of reduced urban wildlife. Studentsprovide recommendations to reduce human caused injury towildlife and present a summary of their findings andrecommendations to the local Audubon Society, the HumaneSociety, neighborhood associations, and other interested groups.At the end of each public presentation, students gather publicreaction to the data, and publish the findings and ideas in aninformational brochure for the public.


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What is the Difference Between Essentialand Unit Questions?

Its not the question itself that defines whether it is an Essential orUnit Question, its how you use it.

How does conflict produce change? could be used as either anEssential or Unit Question:

It would be an Essential Question if used as a year-long guiding questionin a Social Studies class that covers such units as World Explorers, the

Industrial Revolution, World War II, etc.

It would also be an Essential Question if it is used in a cross-curricularclassroom or classrooms, such as language arts/social studies classroomsthat discuss different aspects of the question.

It could be a Unit Question if used just within a specific unit, such asevolution.


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How Different Unit Questions Support aSingle Essential Question

What does it take to change the world?

Early Explorers Unit Question:

Why leave ones home and familyto make a new life in

a strange land?

Civil War Unit Question:

Why would someone fight tothe death against brother,

neighbor, and friend?

French Revolution Unit Question:

What could move the masses to revolt?

How did the French Revolutionchange their world and yours?


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How Different Unit Questions Support aSingle Essential Question

How does conflict produce change?

Social Studies Unit Question:

How does war create change inthe economy?

Science Unit Question:

How do animals adapt toa changing

environment?

Language Arts

Unit Questions:In literature, how do thecharacters in Lord of the Fliesrespond to conflict?

Why do humans often react to conflictwith violence?

How does Lord of the Flies

help us to understand ourcomplex human nature?


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Hints for Writing Essential andUnit Questions

Brainstorm questions on your own, then work with other teachers, oryour own students, to refine them.

There tend to be more How and Why Essential and Unit Questionsthan those beginning with What, Who, or When.

Stay away from questions asking for definitions or an understanding of asimple process.

Ask yourself if the question has basically only one, or one narrowgroup, of correct answersif it does, it is not an Essential or UnitQuestion.

What is the life cycle of a frog?

Who was Mozart?

Will it take time to fully understand and answer the question?

Is the question still being studied by scientists, philosophers, orpoets? If yes, then you probably have a great question.


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Hints for Writing Essential andUnit Questions

Not so simple, but important, tips Think about why that topic is important to teach. Think about the

compelling questions that scholars have asked throughout time. Howhave human beings acquired the knowledge that we now want toimpart to our students?

Why is the universe the way it is?

How does this subject fit into the real world?

What connections can you make to the students lives?

What makes my body work?

What can I do to keep my body healthy and strong?


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The Creation ofGood Questionsand a Good Unitis an On-GoingProcess

What rich learningexperiences,

activities, andteaching

will promotethat learning?

How will youengage your

students?

How will studentsprovide evidence

that they areachieving

understanding?

How will youassess that

evidence throughoutthe unit?

Step 3: Plan Assessment

Are your questionsstill relevant?

Can they be revised

to be more helpfulin focusingstudent learningand activities?

What CS areyou targeting?

What higher-orderthinking skills

are you targeting?

Step 1a: Determine Goals

Re-check goals

Step 4: Design Activities

Revisit Questions

What is the endproduct, the

learning objectives,that you want students

to achieve?

What will students

be able to know, do,and understand as a

result of this experience?

Step 1b: Determine Goals

What open-endedUnit Question could be

asked to promotehigher-orderthinking skills?

Step 2a: Develop Questions

What big-pictureEssential Question

could be asked to promote

higher-orderthinking skills?

Step 2b: Develop Questions


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