Desigining Understanding-Based Curriculum

January 20, 2015

Design goal
Develop or refine a unit of study using the UbD design template 2.0 working in 2-3
colleagues

Agenda:

The big ideas of UbD

Stage 1 Understandings
Stage 1- Essential Questions
--design time (after lunch)
Stage 2 assessment evidence
UbD supportive websites

Edutech electronic planner

Three-minute pause
Summarize key points
Add your thoughts
Pose clarifying questions

An understanding-based curriculum is teach and assess for understanding and

transfer
Plan curriculum backward 3 stages of design

Workbook, Page 259

What is Understanding?
Understanding is when you can visualize it and apply it to another situation
t-chart process
how would others know understanding?
-

If they can translate that understanding into real-life situations

If they can teach it to others
Integrate bits into a whole, seeing the forest in a group of trees
Transfer into different context to solve a problem

Apply, connect, create, explain, interpret, justify, predict, question

What cant one do if they dont really understand?

-

They cannot visualize it even if they know it

They cannot translate it or apply it to real life
They cannot teach it to others
Recall, identify, retell, state

APPLICATION: Someone who understands can apply, connect, create, predict,

question, solve
EXPLANATION: Someone who understands can explain, interpret, justify, teach

Three questions:
1. What does a beginning driver need to know and be able to do?
- Know: Traffic rules and regulation, mechanics of driving (car parts), what to
do in case of accidents
- Do: practice abiding traffic rules, driving safely, alertness
2. What does a good driver understand that a lousy one does not?
- A good drivers knows traffic rules and practice them.
- Road courtesy
- Effect of the driver to the environment
- Understanding: Large, heavy objects can kill.
- Road and weather conditions
- Driving fast and quickly doesnt mean driving safely.
- Responsible behaviour makes a person a good driver.
3. Long-term goal of an effective drivers education program?
- Safe driving accident-free (or least less accidents)
- Make the passenger at ease
- Discipline in the road
Established goals include
Standards (discipline areas): math, science, history, language, physical ed, arts
Mission-related outcomes: critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration,
citizenship, character
An understanding is
-

An abstraction (e.g., a concept, theme, principle)

A transferrable idea

PM
Essential Questions: Key to Understanding
Essential questions should be aligned to enduring understandings

UbD resources:
http://jaymctighe.com/resources/

21 January 2015
Think photo album versus snap shot
Sound assessment requires multiple sources of evidence collected over time
Gather evidence from a range of assessments
-

Authentic tasks of assessments

Academic exam qs, prompts, problems
Quiz test items
Informal checks for understanding
Student self-assessment

Match assessment evidence with the learning goals

Align stage 2 to stage 1

Output 2: Stage 2

Page 258
Someone who understands
..Can teach what he understands
..Can integrate all the pieces of information into a whole; seeing forest in a
collection of trees
..Can create something out of what he/she understands

Sample Engaging Assessment: Death of an Element, writing an obituary citing the

effects of the elements death in the world.

Ideas for action

Think big
Start small
Go for an early win

Day 3

Performance goal:
Work in a curriculum plan using a backward design process

Topical agenda
-

Schooling by design a systems frame

The mission of schooling
A curriculum blueprint (macro)
Web-based resources
Learning principles to guide action
Analysing backward design to macro curriculum planning

Key elements of schooling by design, page 2

Exmaples of mission-related goal

-

Academic preparation for higher educatin and the world of work

The six Cs
Critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, citizenship, character
traits

Long-term transfer goal: An effective curriculum equips leaners for autonomous

performance by design.

Transfer Goal lifelong learning

Locate needed information from various sources

Cornerstone tasks
-

Anchor the curriculum around important, recurring tasks.

Require understanding and transfer of learning
Integrate 21st century outcomes
Provide evidence of authentic accomplishments