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Curriculum Design and Evaluation (EDUC535) Professor: Sandy Buczynski, Ph.D. Office hours: Monday 12:30-2:30 Wednesday 12:30-2:30 Virtual office hours and additional office hours can be arranged by appointment. Office: MRH 249 Phone: 619-260-7991 Email: sandyb@sandiego.edu Semester: Spring 2016 Schedule: Wednesday: 4:40 pm – 7:30 pm Location: MRH 133

Course Description: Beginning with an overview of why teaching for and assessing understanding can be both

challenging and critically important, this course will offer an introduction to the research,

learning theory, and design elements of using backward design for curriculum writing. As such,

each of the six facets of understanding will be uncovered as we explore students’ ability to

explain and interpret what they learning, apply it to new and unpredictable situations, and

demonstrate a growing capacity for analyzing perspectives, expressing empathy, and exhibiting

self-knowledge. Using a project based learning format, students will design an original

curriculum unit for K-12 learners that examines learning in a technology rich context, as well as

critically analyzes the true impact of technology to promote student learning and the global

influence of technology on learning.

Students will (ACE):

Academic Excellence, Critical Inquiry, and Reflection 1 Learn to critically analyze technology and the environment in which it promotes learning.

2 Define the theoretical and practical implications in the use of the six facets of

understanding for curriculum design, assessment, and teaching with a global perspective.

3 Evaluate a continuum of methods for appropriately assessing the degree of student

understanding and design curriculum accordingly.

Community and Service 4 Integrate both theoretical and empirical research through research projects.

5 Examine global issues from different perspectives developing an informed understanding

of justice, human rights and responsibilities

Ethics, Values, and Diversity 6 Learn from readings and discussion about the relationship between theoretical and

empirical research and technology.

7 Develop a personal viewpoint, wherever possible, in relation to the global themes and

issues studied

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Activities: 1. Class and attendance (5% of grade) For this course to have professional meaning, we must

be willing to contribute, be prepared for class presentations, and attend all classes. One absence

is acceptable. Each additional absence will result in a loss of 5 percentage points on your overall

average. An attendance folder will be circulated weekly for you to initial.

2. Class participations (5% of grade): This class requires active and thoughtful preparation and involvement in activities and discussions. For each of us to gain perspective, we each must listen to one another and expand the ideas generated collectively. A word about cell phones: Please turn them off before entering class. Unless you are the parent of small children, or caring for a seriously ill family member, cell phones should not ring in class. This is simply an issue of professionalism. 3. Design an Assessment & rubric (10%) Develop an original project, activity, or traditional assessment that allows learners the opportunity to demonstrate the level of knowledge, skills and dispositions that have been developed over the course of the curriculum package. Then design a rubric or answer key that allows a teacher to effectively evaluate students’ work.

4. Conceptual Design of Unit (10%) According to the backward design protocol, you will develop the enduring understandings, essential questions, facets of understanding and summative assessment prior to developing learning activities. This will be presented at the time of the midterm. 5. Midterm interview (20%). Given 13 questions on the reading of the text, you will draw and answer 3 questions orally. See Appendix A.

6. Prototype activity (10%) Design an original activity that leads to a specific learning

outcome. The activity is formatted as a curriculum activity and not a lesson plan; written for

other teachers to carry out. It has all of the components of a curriculum activity: measurable

objectives, standards addressed, essential question targeted, intro, time required, materials

needed, background information or links, procedural directions, handouts, blackline masters,

media support, anticipated student responses, answer keys, enrichment or extended activities,

misconception alert, and formative assessment.

7. Field Testing original activities (10%): In developing learning events for your curriculum

project you will be completing design guides from the backward design text. In addition you

will participate in presenting and evaluating original learning activities. The peer feedback

received can be incorporated into the final product.

8. This is a project-based learning forum. Toward that end, your final project will be an

original Curriculum Unit (30%) that you have developed using the backward design

process. The curricular unit will consist of two modules and a summative assessment. Each

module needs to contain a minimum of 3 activities. Each activity must be complete and

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polished with all supporting materials. The unit must have a graphic design theme. An

understanding by design rubric (see Appendix B) will be applied to the finished curriculum

package.

Grades:

Attendance and Participation 10

Assessment piece and rubric 10

Prototype activity 10

Midterm Interview 20

Conceptual Design of Unit 10

Field Testing original activities 10

Curricular Unit 30

100%

Required Reading:

Wiggins, G. & McTighe J. (2005). Understanding by Design. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Edition: expanded 2nd

Understanding by Design Guide to Advanced concepts in creating and reviewing Units (located in Edmodo library)

Edmodo Use code dibjtx to enter our class site EDUC 535 Sp16. This free format will be used for day-to-day communication, sharing, and classroom activities.

Schedule/Topics: The following is a tentative list of the weekly topics. Specific readings and classroom

activities will be updated on Edmodo.

Week Activity

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Jan 27 What is curriculum?

Introduction Overview of design process Review of syllabus & course requirements

How can the status quo be enhanced by innovative curriculum? 1:1 classrooms on-line learning modules supplemental curriculum for a specific topic: AIDS, bullying, Character Ed, Museum, outdoor ed.

What is curriculum & what is a lesson plan?

Bring a copy of your content standards to class next week Reading (In Edmodo Library): Lubienski, S. (2007). What we can do about achievement

disparities. Educational Leadership.

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Feb 3 Interpreting and Aligning National, State, and Local Standards NATIONAL STANDARDS through a curriculum design lens

How do “Big Idea” statements relate to Standards from your content area?

Designing local curricula aligned to standards – filling in the gap.

WORKSHOP: From your “big ideas” and content standards, generate topic questions & measurable objectives for the unit you will be designing.

Reading: UbD Chapter 1: Backward Design UbD Chapter 2: Understanding Understanding

Assignment: Unpacking Standards: Reference UbD Electronic Workbook Write 5 measureable objectives (learning outcomes) from standards

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Feb 10 Assessment for Conceptual Design How will understanding of content be measured? DESIGNING ASSESSMENTS: Diagnostic, Formative,

and Summative evaluations, alternative assessments What essential questions are at the heart of your

concepts? How do Bloom’s taxonomy of questions relate to this

design process? Reading: UbD Chapter 3: Gaining Clarity on Our Goals UbD Chapter 5: Essential Questions: Doorways to Understanding Assignment: Write 3 essential questions for unit of study

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Feb 17 Six Facets of Understanding

What constitutes knowledge and skills? Compare facets to Bloom’s taxonomony Anticipate Misunderstandings Differentiated Instruction Apparent vs. Enduring Understanding

UbD Chapter 4: The Six Facets of Understanding UbD Chapter 6: Crafting Understandings

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Feb 24

NO CLASS MEETING Reading: UbD Chapter 7: Thinking like an Assessor UbD Chapter 8: Criteria and Validity Readings (In Edmodo Library): Mabry, L. (2009). Writing to the rubric: Lingering effects of traditional standardized testing on direct writing assessment.

Assignment: 1. Design an assessment activity or project for unit of study

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March 2 How will we know if learning has taken place?

Acquisition, Meaning, Transfer Rubric design Norm and Criterion based assessment Validity and Reliability of grading

Review for midterm Assignment:

1. Design a rubric for the unit’s assessment piece. 7

March 9 Designing Activities: Coverage / Uncoverage

“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? Assignment:

Design prototype activity for unit of study 8

March 16 MIDTERM: INTERVIEWS

Schedule a 20-minute interview with instructor to discuss level of conceptual application of basic framework of curriculum design and evaluation. Conference will include discussion of selected mid-term questions and reflections on the design process – SEE APPENDIX A

Conceptual Design of overall unit due including summative assessment,

rubric, and prototype activity.

March 23

SPRING BREAK

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March 30 Field Testing of Original Activities Check: Is every desired result assessed?

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April 6 Field Testing of Original Activities Check: Is every desired result assessed?

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April 13 NO CLASS MEETING Continue design of curriculum package

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April 20 Production values of Curriculum Packet

Visual appeal: Graphics, White space, Fonts, etc. Format: Positioning of background information, teacher

information, student information, assessment, references, etc. Packaging: Hard-copy: formatting, bound, loose-leaf

Digital Copy: formatting, on-line (public/password protected)

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April 27 Curriculum Design Homestretch: Multi-media, edits, references, citations, content, logos, credits, captions, glossary, teacher edition, blackline masters etc. Oral presentation of curriculum packages: See Appendix B for scoring Rubric

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May 4 LAST CLASS

Oral presentation of curriculum packages: See Appendix B for scoring

Rubric

Academic Integrity

All members of the University community share the responsibility for maintaining an environment of academic integrity since

academic dishonesty is a threat to the University. Acts of academic dishonesty include: a) unauthorized assistance on an

examination; b) falsification or invention of data; c) unauthorized collaboration on an academic exercise; d) plagiarism; e)

misappropriation of resource materials; f) any unauthorized access of an instructor’s files or computer account; or g) any other

serious violation of academic integrity as established by the instructor.

An act of academic dishonesty may be either a serious violation, or if unintentional, a non-serious violation of course rules, an

infraction. If the instructor determines that an infraction or serious violation has occurred, the instructor can impose penalties

that may include: a) reduction in grade; b) withdrawal from the course; c) requirement that all or part of the course be retaken;

and d) a requirement that additional work be undertaken in connection with the course exercise. Policies and procedures

regarding academic integrity follow the guidelines established in the Student Honor Code Academic Pledge.

Grade of Incomplete

The grade of Incomplete (“I”) may be recorded to indicate 1) that the requirements of a course have been substantially completed

but, for a legitimate reason, a small fraction of the work remains to e completed, and 2) that the record of the student in the course

justified the expectation that he or she will complete the work and obtain the passing grade b the deadline. It is the student’s

responsibility to explain to the instructor the reasons for non-completion of work and to request an incomplete grade prior to the

posting of final grades. Students who receive a grade of incomplete must submit all missing work no later than the end of the

tenth week of the next regular semester, otherwise the “I” grade will become a permanent “F”.

A petition for a grade of incomplete must accompany all requests for an incomplete at the end of the course term. Criteria for

changing a grade of incomplete to a letter grade must be negotiated with the instructor before the final class. The criteria must be

outlined on the signed Incomplete Request Form. A completed form with both the instructor and student signature must be

turned in by the last session of the class. Without a student signed form the registrar requires assignment of a grade of F. A

student must complete an incomplete by the 10th week of the next session or a grade of F is permanently calculated I the overall

grade point average. Any attempt to complete an incomplete after the 10 week deadlines requires the approval of the Associate

Dean of the School of Education after the 10-week deadline requires the approval of the Associate Dean of the School of

Leadership and Education Sciences.

Requests for Accommodation

Reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act will be made for course participants with

disabilities who require specific instructional and testing modifications. Students with such requirements must identify

themselves to the University of San Diego Disability Services Office (619.260.4655) before the beginning of the course. Every

effort will be made to accommodate students’ needs, however, performance standards for the course will not be modified in

considering specific accommodations.

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Appendix A

2016 Midterm questions for conversation Understanding by Design, Wiggins and McTighe

You will be responsible for verbally discussing 3 of these questions 1. Define curriculum. What are differences between curriculum and lesson plans? Between curriculum and instruction? Who is the audience for a curricular package? 2. What is an essential question? How does it differ from topical questions? Give a few examples of essential questions and topical questions for your content area / project. How does an essential question lead to performance tasks? 3. Explain the stages in the backward design process and analyze its value in helping to avoid common inadequacies in curriculum and assessment planning. How does identifying new “big ideas” for learning require new ways of thinking about old problems? 4. Define the theoretical and practical implications in the use of the six facets of understanding for curriculum design, assessment, and teaching. How should we determine which of the six facets of understanding apply best to a unit of study? Are the facets of understanding of equal importance? How do the facets relate to Bloom’s Taxonomy? 5. What are advantages/disadvantages of using rubrics as assessment tools? What are the characteristics of effective rubrics? Is assessment of understanding more “subjective” than assessment of knowledge or skill? 6. Entertain the seemingly odd or alien view that “uncoverage” is required for teaching for understanding. How does uncoverage relate to discovery learning and constructivism? How might you promote "uncoverage" of an issue and make the understanding of big ideas more likely? What are the enduring understandings that are in need of uncoverage for the unit that you are currently designing? 7. What are the main components of a measurable objective? What is the purpose of measurable objectives? How do we know if an objective has been achieved? How can we deconstruct standards into measurable objectives? Give an example of a measurable objective from your content area / project. 8. What is the relationship between these areas of knowledge? Worth being familiar with Important to know and do Enduring understanding

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What are the differences between traditional assessment, alternative assessment & authentic assessment? For each of the above areas, what type of appropriate assessment tool might you design? WHY? 9. What is differentiated instruction? What are some strategies for differentiating instruction? How can the six facets be used for differentiating your curriculum package? 10. Why might you include misconception alerts in your curriculum design? What are some strategies for revealing / addressing misconceptions? 11. According to UBD, there are three distinct kinds of learning – acquisition, meaning, and transfer. How might you address these in Stage 3 of the curriculum plan? 12. How do we distinguish apparent understanding from enduring understanding? How do we distinguish topical understanding from overarching understand? Why is criteria needed to make evaluations? What are some validity concerns about assessment tools? How do we make distinctions between levels of understanding? 13. What role can technology play in learning? What is the S.A.M.R. model? Is there a relationship with Bloom’s taxonomy, 6 facets, and the S.A.M.R. model? How can technology promote learning at the individual and group level? How can technology be leveraged in today’s classroom?

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Appendix B: CURRICULUM DESIGN RUBRIC Name of Curriculum Package:

Name of Designer:

Extensive satisfactory Consider Revising

Stage 1: Identify Desired Results

To what extent are the targeted understandings:

1. Enduring (transferable, big ideas at the heart of the discipline) and in need of uncoverage?

2. Framed as generalizations specific enough to guide teaching and assessing but overarching enough to encourage conceptual understanding?

3. Framed by provocative essential questions?

Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence To what extent do the assessments provide:

4. Valid and reliable measures of the targeted knowledge, skills, dispositions & defined six facets of understanding?

5. Multiple opportunities for students to exhibit their level of understanding through authentic performance tasks?

6. Sufficient and varied information to support formative inferences about each student’s understanding?

Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

To what extent do learning experiences

7. Address knowledge, skills & dispositions, enduring understandings & essential questions?

8. Include engaging AND effective activities

9. Provide direction & materials sufficient for other teachers to implement curriculum

10. Support relevance of learning for students

COMMENTS:

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MODULE EVALUATION

Design Considerations

Talented Teacher

Capable Curriculum Creator

Accomplished Curriculum Designer

Use of Technology to enhance learning

Technology has tremendous power to help learners obtain, organize, manipulate and display information. Consider various technology tools for activities that might motivate students.

Take advantage of technology tools for the 21st century in the design of your module. Blogs, comic strip software, podcasts, wikispaces, prezi, google docs, video editing, well, the list goes on . . .

This module provided opportunities for the application of technology tools that enable learners to learn more efficiently.

Teacher background and answer guides/anticipated responses are provided

In the teacher information, be sure to include intended outcomes, measurable objectives, time guidelines, safety cautions, vocabulary, & materials needed for preparation of the activity.

Consider providing background information, resource and material lists, blackline masters, answer keys and rubrics in the module.

The user of this curriculum appreciates having relevant resources and citations for referenced materials.

Visual Appeal Think of how this module could be made more teacher friendly, easier to navigate and marketable. Consider adding graphics, color, icons, text boxes, various fonts or columns.

Consider the flow of the module. How could the position of background information, assessment, and references be adjusted for a more cohesive design?

White space, font, graphics combine to create an inviting document.

Assessment Make sure multiple assessments measure the targeted goals from the six facets for continual measurement of essential questions.

Consider including more opportunity for formative assessment in the module to ensure all facets is targeted. Make sure your rubrics follow effective rubric guidelines.

Formative and summative assessments measure targeted standards and facets.

Differentiated instruction options provided

Create multiple paths so that students of different abilities, interest or learning needs experience equally appropriate ways to absorb, use, develop and present concepts.

Consider adding options for differentiation through technology, ideas for “next steps” or independent study/extension activities.

This module provided varying learning strategies, alternative paths to manipulate the ideas embedded within the concept and the complexity of activities addresses different levels of cognitive processing.

Grade: Comments: