Backwards Design

PJ MethodsEDUC 4454

"To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you’re going so that you better understand where you are now so that the steps you take are always in the right direction."

(Covey, 1994)

The Four Essential Questions

What shall we teach?

How shall we teach?

How can we organize it?

How can we assess?

Ralph Tyler shortens the above four questions to three which are described below.

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There are three key questions for planning.

1.What do you 1.What do you want students to want students to

learn?*learn?*

2. What evidence 2. What evidence will you accept of will you accept of that learning?*that learning?*

* Ralph W. Tyler. Basic Principles of Instructional Design. 1949

3. How will you 3. How will you design instruction design instruction

for effective learning for effective learning for all?for all?

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Classroom planning reflects curriculum priorities.

Key Questions New Ontario Curriculum

ACHIEVEMENT ACHIEVEMENT LEVELSLEVELS

2. What evidence will 2. What evidence will you accept of that you accept of that

learning?learning?

Determine acceptable Determine acceptable evidenceevidence

EXPECTATIONSEXPECTATIONS1.What do you want 1.What do you want students to learn?students to learn?

Identify desired Identify desired resultsresults

Classroom Planning*

* Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe. Understanding by Design. 1999

3. How will you 3. How will you design instruction for design instruction for effective learning for effective learning for

all?all?

Plan learning Plan learning experiences and experiences and

instructioninstruction

TEACHING/LEARNING TEACHING/LEARNING STRATEGIESSTRATEGIES

RESOURCESRESOURCES

The backward design model is comprised of the following steps:

I. Identify desired results:

What do students need to know?

What overall expectations will be covered?

Consider the “Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings”

(building blocks for related learning; key learning that students will revisit throughout their school career)

II. Determine acceptable evidence of learning?

What culminating task, performance tasketc. will allow students to demonstrate theirunderstanding and proficiencies of the

learningexperience?

Summative assessment.

How will you know they learned it?

III. Plan instruction and learning experiences needed for students to be successful.

Consider:-the specific expectations to be covered-the specific instructional strategies to be used-the specific tasks that will be completed-scaffolding learning opportunities for students

to develop “enduring understandings-range of formative assessment strategies-specific recording devices

IV. How will you communicate their learning?

Consider: -feedback to the students-reporting and communicating with

parents