‘the big ideas’

‘the big ideas’

Understanding by Design

Curriculum Coordinator Meeting


Goals Gain an understanding of the UbD

framework Essential Questions Knowledge Skills

Make connections to Curriculum Connector work

Consider implications for curriculum revision


Why teach/design curriculum for understanding? Why should we do this work?

Why is this work important?

What is understanding?

How do you know if someone understands?


Understanding means: to make sense of what you know, to be able to know why it’s so, and to use it in various situations and

contexts. Grant Wiggins


How do you know if someone understands?


Assessment of Understanding

You really understand it when you can: explain, connect, systematize, predict it show its meaning, importance apply or adapt it to novel situations see it as one plausible perspective among others,

question its assumptions see it as its author/speaker saw it avoid and point out common misconceptions,

biases, or simplistic views


Is This a Good Plan?Analyze the Pioneer Plan on page 1.As a pair, discuss the following:

What are the strengths of the unit? What are the problems?


3 Stages of “Backward” Design1.Identify desired results. 2. Determine

acceptableevidence.

3. Plan learning experiences & instruction.

Page 2


Why “backward”? Stages are logical but go against habits

We’re used to jumping to lesson & activity ideas - before clarifying our performance goals for students

Thinking through the assessments upfront, ensures greater alignment of goals & means, and that teaching is focused on desired results

The “big ideas” of each stage:* Unpack the content

standards and ‘content’, focus on big ideas

* Derive the implied learning from Stages 1 & 2

Assessment Evidence

Learning Activities

Understandings Essential Questions

stage2

stage3

Standard(s):

stage1

Performance Task(s): Other Evidence:

What are the big ideas?

What’s the evidence?

How will we get there?

* Analyze multiple sources of evidence, aligned with Stage 1

Page 3


Template as a Tool Stage 1- Desired Results

Established Goals Understandings Essential Questions Knowledge and Skills

Stage 2- Assessment Evidence Performance Tasks and Other

Evidence Stage 3- Learning Plan

Learning Activities

Page 3


Not necessary to fill in the template “in order”

Many ‘doorways’ into successful design – you can start with...Content standardsPerformance goalsA key resource A required assessmentA big idea, often misunderstoodAn important skill or processAn existing unit or lesson to edit

!


Misconception Alert:the work is non-linearIt doesn’t matter where you

start as long as the final design is coherent (all elements aligned) Clarifying one element or

Stage often forces changes to another element or Stage

!


Prairie Plan-What’s Missing? Turn to page 4. Knowing what you know about backwards

mapping, what do you notice about the unit as it was planned? What components were not addressed?

Compare with the revised UbD plan (pgs.5&7). What stands out? How does this plan support student learning/

understanding?


Examining the ShiftCheck out a completed unit plan (left side

of folder). What do you notice? What stands out about the design? The

content? The alignment?


Consider Design Questions Page 8 . Read through the design questions in

each stage of the template. How does this approach compare with

the way your units are currently designed?



acceptableevidence.



Stage 1 – Identify desired results.Key: Focus on Big ideas Established Goals Enduring Understandings: What specific insights

about big ideas do we want students to leave with? What essential questions will frame the teaching and

learning, pointing toward key issues and ideas, and suggest meaningful and provocative inquiry into content?

Knowledge- What should students know? Skills- what should students be able to do?

U

K

Q

S

G

Page 9


The “big idea” of Stage 1:There is a clear focus in the unit

on the big ideas

Implications: Organize content around key concepts Show how the big ideas offer a purpose and rationale

for the student You will need to “unpack” Content standards in many

cases to make the implied, big ideas clear


Big Ideas in Literacy: Examples Rational persuasion (vs. manipulation) audience and purpose in writing A story, as opposed to merely a list of events linked by

“and then…” reading between the lines writing as revision a non-rhyming poem vs. prose fiction as a window into truth A critical yet empathetic reader A writer’s voice


Some questions for identifying truly “big ideas” Does it have many layers and nuances, not

obvious to the naïve or inexperienced person? Can it yield great depth and breadth of insight into

the subject? Can it be used throughout K-12? Do you have to dig deep to really understand its

subtle meanings and implications even if anyone can have a surface grasp of it?

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?

You’ve got to go below the surface...

to uncover the really ‘big ideas.’


Big Ideas in Curriculum Work Teachers must understand and identify

the big ideas. Big ideas pervade all aspects of unit

design. Correct identification of big ideas leads

to proper alignment of unit plan.


Still More on Big Ideas… Manifest themselves in different forms.

Concept- Genre Theme- Saving for a rainy day Issue or Debate- Nature vs. nurture Problems or Challenges- Maximize shipping volume Processes- Problem solving Theories- The Atkins Diet Paradoxes- Fighting for Peace Assumptions or Perspectives- Terrorist vs. freedom

fighter


“Big Ideas”- typically revealed via Core conceptsFocusing themesOn-going debates/issues Insightful perspectives Illuminating paradox/problemOrganizing theoryOverarching principleUnderlying assumption(Key questions)(Insightful inferences from facts)Q


Essential Questions Concept Attainment Define the characteristics on an

essential question.

Understanding by DesignSample Essential

Questions: Who are my true friends - and how do I know

for sure? How “rational” is the market? Does a good read differ from a ‘great book’?

Why are some books fads, and others classics? To what extent is geography destiny? Should an axiom be obvious? How different is a scientific theory from a

plausible belief? What is the government’s proper role?

Q


Essential Questions Have no simple “right” answer; they are

meant to be argued.- Does art reflect culture or help shape it?

Are designed to provoke and sustaining student inquiry- Is the Internet dangerous for kids?

Often address the most historically important issues, problems and debates.- Nature or nurture?

Raise other important questions.- Do only the strong survive-what do we mean by strong?

Recur.-What makes a great book? Stimulate rethinking- What IS a friend?

Page 12


Essential Questions More examples to further your understanding (page 13). Two types:

overarching/broad topical-specific to a particular unit of study


Knowledge and Skills Knowledge-what we want students to

know.

Skills-what we want students to be able to do.

Page 16


3 Stages of “Backward” Design1. Identify

desired results. 2. Determine

acceptableevidence.



Stage Two- Evidence Consider the assessment evidence needed

to determine the extent to which students have achieved the desired results

Goal- obtain valid, reliable, credible, and useful evidence Performance Tasks and Rubrics Other Evidence Self-Assessment


The big idea for Stage 2The evidence should be credible & helpful. Implications: the assessments should –

Be grounded in real-world applications, supplemented as needed by more traditional school evidence

Provide useful feedback to the learner, be transparent, and minimize secrecy

Be valid, reliable - aligned with the desired results

of Stage 1 (and fair)

Page 17


Just because the student “knows it” …Evidence of understanding is a greater challenge

than evidence that the student knows a correct or valid answer

Understanding is inferred, not seen It can only be inferred if we see evidence that the

student knows why (it works), so what? (why it matters), how (to apply it) – not just knowing that specific inference


Key understandings about assessment The only way to assess for understanding is via

contextualized performance - “applying” in the broadest sense our knowledge and skill, wisely and effectively Performance is more than the sum of the drills:

using only conventional quizzes and tests is insufficient and as misleading as relying only on sideline drills to judge athletic performance ability

Thinking like an …Assessor vs. What would be sufficient &

revealing evidence of understanding?

What performance tasks must anchor the unit and focus the instructional work?

How will I be able to distinguish between those who really understand and those who don’t (though they may seem to)?

Against what criteria will I distinguish work?

What misunderstandings are likely? How will I check for those?

Activity Designer What would be interesting &

engaging activities on this topic?

What resources and materials are available on this topic?

What will students be doing in and out of class? What assignments will be given?

How will I give students a grade (and justify it to their parents) ?

Did the activities work? Why or why not? Page 17

Curricular Priorities and Assessment Methods

worth being familiar with

important to know and do

Big Ideas and Enduring Understandings

Assessment MethodsTraditionalquizzes and tests

• Paper and pencil• Selected-response• Constructed response

Performance task and projects

• Complex• Open-ended• Authentic

Page 18

A Balanced Assessment Model

Normal ch

ecks fo

r

understanding

Observa

tion and

dialog

ueTest

/quiz

Academ

ic prom

pt

Perform

ance

task/project

Continuum of Assessment Methods

Page 18



acceptableevidence.


Stage 3 big idea:

EFFECTIVE

and

ENGAGING

Page 19


Think of your obligations via W. H. E. R. E. T. O.

“Where are we headed?” (the student’s Q!) How will the student be ‘hooked’? What opportunities will there be to be equipped, and to

experience and explore key ideas? What will provide opportunities to rethink, rehearse,

refine, and revise? How will students evaluate their work? How will the work be tailored to individual needs,

interests, styles? How will the work be organized for maximal

engagement and effectiveness?

WHE

ER

L

TO

Page 19


Questions?


Resources http://

jaymctighe.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/UbD-Websites-3.3.12.pdf

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http://jaymctighe.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/UbD-Websites-3.3.12.pdf




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‘the big ideas’