Understanding by Design for No Administrator Left BehindLOFTI TechPlus Academy

SDSU- Brookings, SDJuly 21-23, 2003July 23-25, 2003

Karen Taylor, Instructional Technology CoordinatorPeggy Blair, Director of Education Services

Aberdeen Public SchoolsKaren.Taylor@aberdeen.k12.sd.usPeggy.Blair@aberdeen.k12.sd.us

www.aberdeen.k12.sd.us

Introductions Housekeeping issues Agenda & Overview

Participant Introductions

•Who are you ? •What is your role as an

educator? •Why are you here? • Is this true about you?

Why UbD?

• How do we give educators tools to manage the accountability issues of NCLB?

• How do we make sure we don’t “throw out the baby with the bath water?” (Do we teach only to the test? )

• How do we help educators move from teaching in isolation to teaching systemically?

• How do we make sure we’re making thoughtful decisions about curriculum and instruction?

What is UbD?

Conceptual planning framework from the work of Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe

Circular, non-linear process

Three interrelated stages

Backward Design

Simply put, backward design

means beginning with

the end in mind.

1. Identify desired results

2. Determine acceptable evidence

3. Plan learning experiences

& instruction

3 Stages of Backward Design

Assignment

Read assigned portion of the chapter Respond to the discussion questions

1. How would you describe or explain the concept of backward design to your staff/peers?

2. How does backward design relate to instructional leadership in light of NCLB?

Identify the characteristics of your assigned design stage

Bp. 4-5

J igsaw Assignments

Who Topic

Everyone (Black)

Introductory Information, Concluding Information

Group One (Blue)

Stage One

Group Two (Purple)

Stage Two

Group Three (Red)

Stage Three

For Chapter 1

Reporting Out Your Findings

Stage One: Blue group

Stage Two: Purple Group

Stage Three: Red Group

Bp. 4-5

The “big ideas” of each stage:

Assessment Evidence

Learning Activities

Understandings Essential Questions

stage

2

stage

3

Standard(s):

stage

1

Performance Task(s): Other Evidence:

Unpack the content standards and ‘content’, focus on big ideas

Analyze multiple sources of evidence, aligned with Stage 1

Derive the implied learning from Stages 1 & 2

NIB

What are the big ideas?

What’s the evidence?

How will we get there?

Why “backward design”?

The stages are logical but they go against habits. . . – We’re used to jumping to lesson and activity

ideas - before clarifying our performance goals for students.

– By thinking through the assessment upfront, we ensure greater alignment of our goals and means, and ensure that teaching is focused on desired results.

NIB

Misconception Alert: the work is non-linear!

Clarifying one element or Stage often forces changes to another element or Stage

The template “blueprint” is logical but the process is non-linear (think: home improvement!)

!

Overarching understandings

Knowledge and skill to be acquired

Essential Questions

Understanding by Design Template: the basis of exchange

– The UbD template embodies the 3 stages of “Backward Design”

– The template provides an easy mechanism for exchange of ideas

nib

Is there a difference?

How is a UbD unit

different from units

we typically see?

nib

Bp. 6

Bp. 7

Bp. 8

Does the approach matter?

Activity-basedvs.

Coverage-basedvs.

Understanding based

COMPARISON CHART

Activity-

based

Coverage-based

Understanding-based

Role of activity

Role of student

Role of teacher

Role of textRole of assessment Bp. 10

Characteristics Characteristics of the of the

Best Learning EnvironmentsBest Learning Environments

Based on surveys of K-16 facultyBased on surveys of K-16 faculty

Bp. 11Bp. 11

1. Identify desired results

2. Determine acceptable evidence

3. Plan learning experiences

& instruction

Three Stages of Design--elaborated

Bp. 12

Stage One: Identify Desired Results

Enduring Understanding

6 Facets of Understanding

Essential Questions

Knowledge and Skills

Bp. 12

Stage 1: To identify desired results, we have to focus on Big IdeasEnduring 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?

What should students know and be able to do?

What content standards are addressed explicitly by the unit?

U

K

Q

CS

• An understanding is a “moral of the story” about the big ideas

– What specific insights will students take away about the the meaning of ‘content’ via big

ideas? – Understandings summarize the desired

insights we want students to realize.

– Understandings demand “uncoverage”

From Big Ideas to Understandings about them

U

You’ve got to go below the surface...

to uncover the really ‘big ideas.’

What IS understanding?

Go to bp. 13-20

Chapter 2 DQs

• How do we determine what knowledge is worthy of understanding?

• What do you see as the benefits of framing content standards and textbook topics as essential questions?

• Respond to the following concern expressed by a colleague: “Teaching for understanding takes too much time. I can barely get through the textbook now.”

Bp. 21

Knowledge vs. Understanding– An understanding is an unobvious and important

inference, needing “uncoverage” in the unit; knowledge is a set of established “facts”.

– Understandings make sense of facts, skills, and ideas: they tell us what our knowledge means; they ‘connect the dots’

– Any understandings are inherently fallible “theories”; knowledge consists of the accepted “facts” upon which a “theory” is based and the “facts” which a “theory” yields.

What is anEnduring

Understanding?

Enduring Understandings . . . Are specific generalizations about the ‘big ideas.’ They summarize the key meanings, inferences, and importance of the ‘content’

Are deliberately framed as a full sentence ‘moral of the story’ – “Students will understand THAT…”

Require “uncoverage” because they are not ‘facts’ to the novice, but unobvious inferences drawn from facts, counter-intuitive and easily misunderstood

Setting Priorities

Knowledge that is worth being familiar with . . .

Knowledge and skills that are important to know and do

Understandings that are enduring. . .

Bp. 22-23

Day 1 Wrap-Up: Shapes Reflection

Day 1: What are the pieces?

Backward Design

3 Stages of UbD

Intro to Stage 1:

Enduring Understanding

Analyzing standards for EUs

Day 2: Putting more pieces together

Continuing Stage 1:

Facets of Understanding

Essential Questions

Intro to Stage 2: Thinking like an assessor

Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence

Six Facets of Understanding

Self-Knowledge

Empathy

Perspective

Application

Interpretation

Explanation

Facets of

Understanding

Bp. 26

McTWiggins/BloomHow are the frameworks alike/different?

6 Facets6 FacetsTaxonomyTaxonomy

Bp. 29

When is a question

essential?

Activity (p.30) Characteristics of

Essential Questions

Essential QuestionsWhat questions . . .

are arguable and important to argue about?

are at the heart of the subject?

recur - and should recur - in professional work,

adult life, as well as in classroom inquiry?

raise more questions, provoking and sustaining

engaged inquiry?

often raise important conceptual or philosophical

issues?

can provide organizing purpose for meaningful and

connected learning?

Sample 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? How different is a scientific theory from a

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

Essential vs leading questions used in teaching

Essential - STAGE 1

Asked to be argued

Designed to “uncover” new ideas, views, lines of argument

Set up inquiry, heading to new understandings

Leading - STAGE 3

Asked as a reminder, to prompt recall

Designed to “cover” knowledge

Point to a single, straightforward fact - a rhetorical question

‘Essential Question’ Questions

• Discuss the questions listed on p. 32

• Share your ‘answers’ with the larger group.

Stage 1Design Checklist p. 33

Stage 1 Questions/Comments?

Moving on to Stage 2 . . .

1. Identify desired results

2. Determine acceptable evidence

3. Plan learning experiences

& instruction

Three Stages of Design: Stage 2

Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence (Thinking Like an Assessor)

• Body of Evidence

• Alignment

• Performance Tasks (GRASPS)

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

Body of Evidence

• Enough evidence to “convict them of understanding”

• Ongoing and formative

• Snapshot vs. Photo Album– Sound assessment

(particularly of state standards) requires multiple evidence over time - a photo album vs. a single snapshot

Range of Evidence

Varied types, over time:authentic tasks and projects

academic exam questions, prompts, and problems

quizzes and test items

informal checks for understanding

student self-assessments

More about collecting the evidence…

Not just determining the tool, but also being clear about the criteria

And of course. . . Alignment ! Alignment !! Alignment !!!

What evidence of “in-depth understanding” would we accept?

Important to know and do

Familiar with

Big ideas

Enduring Understanding

Assessing Understanding via the 6 facets

You really understand 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

Explanation

Interpretation

Application

Perspective

Empathy

Self-Knowledge

p. 38-41

Generating Assessment Ideas

• Look at the examples on p. 39, 38, and 40• Choose one of the sets of EU’s and EQ’s found

on page 42. • Use your choice to complete the learning activity

on p. 43; you may want to use some of the verbs from p. 41 to help generate ideas.

• Be sure your assessment ideas will provide evidence of the understanding you selected.

Aligning and Focusing Stage 2 With the 6 Facets Assessment Alignment Practice

Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions: Option 1: Option 2: Option 3: Students will understand that:

The adaptation of mathematical models and ideas to human problems requires careful judgment and sensitivity to impact.

Mapping three dimensions onto two (or two onto three) may introduce distortions.

Sometimes the best mathematical answer is not the best solution to “real-world” problems.

Students will understand that: Race was (and continues to be)

a crucial element in American life and politics.

Americans have a difficult time honestly reconciling their beliefs with the record on civil rights.

Racial, cultural differences and socio-economic differences can lead to misunderstanding, prejudice, oppression and violence.

Students will understand that: Reading involves making

sense of the text, not just decoding the words.

Sometimes authors convey their ideas indirectly and the reader must infer their meanings.

And thoughtfully consider the questions:

How can pure mathematics model messy, real-world situations?

When is the best mathematical answer not the best solution to a problem?

How do you design the most economical packaging?

And thoughtfully consider the questions:

Do our stated American ideals cause progress or mask hypocrisy?

What caused the race riots of the late 1960’s?

Could they happen again? Can the racial divisions that

have plagued American society be erased?

And thoughtfully consider the questions:

What do good readers do? Why do writers and speakers

sometimes mean something other than what they say?

How do we read between the lines?

Now that we’ve generated a “body” and “range” of

evidence, let’s take a look at the assessment

“anchor” for UbD units. . . the Performance Task

To Understand is to Invent

“Real comprehension of a notion or a theory implies the reinvention of this theory by the student. Once the child is capableof repeating certain notions and usingsome applications of these in learning situations, he often gives the impressionof understanding; however, this does not fulfill the condition of reinvention. True understanding manifests itself by new spontaneous applications.”

--Jean Piaget

Authenticity Matters. . .Authenticity Matters. . . Therefore:Therefore:

Understanding is revealed through Understanding is revealed through contextualized performance. contextualized performance.

Students apply knowledge in Students apply knowledge in meaningful, “real-world,” contexts to meaningful, “real-world,” contexts to show they show they reallyreally understand. understand.

Writing Writing

Performance Tasks Performance Tasks

is within our is within our G.R.A.S.PG.R.A.S.P..

Scenarios for Authentic Tasks

Build assessments anchored in authentic tasks using GRASPS:

What is the Goal in the scenario? What is the Role? Who is the Audience?

What is your Situation (context)?

What is the Performance challenge? By what Standards will work be judged

in the scenario?

SPS

GRA

Planning for a Performance Task

Use the Learning activity sheet p. 47Select one of the assessments you

brainstormed in the Facets activity (p.

43) and expand it using the GRASPS planning tool.

Share your GRASPS plan with the group.

Evaluating the Performance TaskEvaluating the Performance Task

Naïve to sophisticated Naïve to sophisticated understandingunderstanding

Using rubrics to outline the Using rubrics to outline the CRITERIACRITERIA

The big idea for Stage 2:The big idea for Stage 2: The evidence should be credible & helpful.The evidence should be credible & helpful.

Implications: the assessments should Implications: the assessments should – Be grounded in real-world Be grounded in real-world

applications, applications, supplemented as supplemented as neededneeded by traditional school by traditional school evidenceevidence

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

Wrapping up Stage 2Wrapping up Stage 2

Design checklist p. 49Design checklist p. 49

Stage 2 Evaluation p. 50Stage 2 Evaluation p. 50

1. Identify desired results

2. Determine acceptable evidence

3. Plan learning experiences

& instruction

3 Stages of Design: Stage 3

Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences

• Alignment

• Focus

• WHERETO

Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences/Instruction

A focus on engaging and effective learning, “designed in”

•What learning experiences and instruction will promote the desired understanding, knowledge and skill of Stage 1?

•How will the design ensure that all students are maximally engaged and effective at meeting the goals?

Stage 3 big idea:

EFFECTIVE

and

ENGAGING

Using the W. H. E. R. E. T. O. design tool• Where are we headed?

• 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?

WHERETO Learning ActivityWHERETO Learning Activity

Use the WHERETO planning tool Use the WHERETO planning tool to brainstorm ways to implement to brainstorm ways to implement UbD in your own school/district. UbD in your own school/district.

Share ideas with large group. Share ideas with large group.

Stage 3 Wrap-upStage 3 Wrap-up

Stage 3 Questions or Stage 3 Questions or Comments? Comments?

Review filters, tools, and Review filters, tools, and design standards for design standards for Stages 1, 2, and 3Stages 1, 2, and 3

What’s technology got What’s technology got to do with it? to do with it?

The 4The 4thth stage stage

Stage 4: Technology IntegrationStage 4 was added to the UbD template through the work of the South Dakota LOFTI project. It does not appear as a separate ‘stage’ in the work of Wiggins and McTighe. In today’s world, technology is an important andnecessary part of instructional design. Like the otherstages of the UbD process, effective and meaningful Technology integration requires the teacher-designer to carefully consider the desired results and make thoughtful decisions about how and when technology should be incorporated into the unit design. Alignment and focus are again the key considerations in Stage 4.

Questions to Think About

Technology • How can technology enhance

understanding? • In what ways can technology

enhance expression/communication?

• In what ways might it hinder it? • What are the pros and cons of

technological progress? • Should technology be controlled?

… by whom?

Information Technology• How can we find out (things we

want to know)?• What is the best source of

information? • What do you have to remember

vs. what can you just look up?• What makes information “true”?• Is some information better than

other information on the same topic? How do we judge?

• How do we know what to believe (from what we hear, read, see on the Internet, etc.? What makes a “lifelong learner”?

Effective learning environments Effective learning environments for for Technology IntegrationTechnology Integration include include

seven aspects: seven aspects:

ActiveActive: Students participate in : Students participate in mindful processing of information. mindful processing of information.

ConstructiveConstructive: Students integrate new : Students integrate new ideas into their prior knowledge to ideas into their prior knowledge to make sense or meaning.make sense or meaning.

CollaborativeCollaborative: Students work in learning : Students work in learning communities in which each member communities in which each member contributes to the group’s goals, and they contributes to the group’s goals, and they work to maximize each other’s learning. work to maximize each other’s learning.

IntentionalIntentional: Students are trying to achieve : Students are trying to achieve cognitive goals and objectives. cognitive goals and objectives.

ConversationaConversational: Students benefit from l: Students benefit from being part of knowledge-building being part of knowledge-building communities in which learners exchange communities in which learners exchange ideas and build on each other’s knowledge.ideas and build on each other’s knowledge.

ContextualizedContextualized: Students encounter : Students encounter learning assignments that are situated learning assignments that are situated in real-world tasks or simulated in real-world tasks or simulated through problem-base activities. through problem-base activities.

ReflectiveReflective: Students reflect on : Students reflect on processes completed and the decisions processes completed and the decisions made during the learning activity and made during the learning activity and articulate what they have learned.articulate what they have learned.

Wrap-up/ClosureWrap-up/Closure

UbD in Aberdeen UbD in Aberdeen Part of a long-range staff development plan Part of a long-range staff development plan Addresses needs we have observed Addresses needs we have observed Uses both internal and external expertsUses both internal and external experts

KT, PB, KKKT, PB, KK K-16 study groupK-16 study group LOFTI and Tech Ram teachersLOFTI and Tech Ram teachers Jay McTigheJay McTighe

The Big Picture in Aberdeen

• Educators will understand that curriculum ‘work’ is a process not an event.

• Educators will understand that life-long learning is the key to continuous improvement.

• Educators will understand that staff development must be strategically planned and systemically implemented based on district, building, and individual professional growth needs.

• Educators will understand that online curriculum mapping and UbD are tools that promote continuous improvement and improve student achievement.

Long Range Plan

(see Word chart)

What is a curriculum map?A map offers a calendar of designs in a school or district, unit by unit, over the course of the year– Maps can be as simple or complex as you like:

simply select the template fields you wish to see “mapped” over time

– Maps can be works in progress - e.g. local work only on essential questions done so far: see map of all essential questions, by date, grade level, etc.

Why map?

Maps help local educators -Ensure that key state standards are not

falling through the cracksKnow what the big ideas are in units and

courses across the systemFind natural ways to link their work with that

of other teachers, to make the student’s experience more rich and coherent

Identify unhelpful redundancies or gaps in program that happen from isolated design

With such a structure, powerful functions are possible

• A Curriculum map for a whole school or district is automatically built as units are designed by individuals

• Overarching design elements can be assigned at the program, subject, and course level by local teams

What are Overarching Elements?

• The design elements that cut across units, courses, subjects, and/or Programs: Overarching . . .

– Essential Questions

– Enduring Understandings

– Performance Tasks

– Rubrics

Backward Design: Micro and MacroMap the curriculum

•Overarching understandings and essential questions

•Core assessment tasks

•Check for gaps and alignment

Refine

designs

Design

“Backward”

“Work Smarter”

“Macro” Design:

programs & courses

“Micro” Design:

units and lessons

Set local performance standards

and “anchor” student work

Review against design standards

•self assessment

•peer review

Evaluate Results:•student feedback•student work•external data

UbD and the big picture

Units are Building BlocksThe entire K - 12 curriculum is ultimately

built out of all the unitsTo build and map a curriculum, group

units into larger entities

Programs

Arts Science HistoryLanguage

ArtsMathematics

P.E. /Health

Technology Ed

WorldLanguage

Content Standards

Course 1 Course 4 Course 7 Course 10

Course 2 Course 5 Course 8 Course 11

Course 3 Course 6 Course 9 Course 12

Program Understandings, Questions & Core Assessments

Course / Strands

Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5 Unit 6

Course Understandings, Questions & Core Assessments

Units

What is a “unit?”

A unit is a coherent set of lessons, organized around a theme, a performance, an idea, or a text

A unit is big enough to help us avoid - • micro-managing our lessons• overlooking complex performance goals

A unit is small enough to help us avoid -• vague and unhelpful planning, typically ending in

“coverage”

It’s not mandatory to fill in the template “in order.”

There are many ‘doorways’ into successful design. You can start with...

✓Content standards✓Performance goals✓A key resource or activity✓A required assessment✓A big idea, often misunderstood✓An important skill or process✓An existing unit or lesson to edit

!

It 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

The template “blueprint” is logical but the process is non-linear (think: home improvement!)

Misconception Alert: the work is non-linear!i

Course Wrap-up and Final Participant Performance Task

• UbD template (p. 72)• Iterative Process (p. 73)• Research findings

(abbreviated, p. 74-75)• Final GRASP assignment:

Promoting UbD

Last “to-do’s”

• Turn in final GRASPS assignment• Fill out and hand in Tech Plus

Academy evaluation• Fill out “drawing card” for Palm

Pilot (name, address, etc.)

Thank you for your thoughtful and lively

participation!

Drive Safely home and enjoy the remainder of

your summer.