What is Understanding by Design (UbD) ?  A curriculum-planning framework, not a prescriptive program.  A way of thinking purposefully about curricular planning.  Developing and deepening student understanding.  QUAD D = Analyze, Synthesize, Evaluate- Adapt and Apply to Real World Unpredictable situations  Transferring learning through authentic performance.  Helping students understand the important ideas and transfer their learning to new situations.

Understanding as an Educational Aim WHAT WE SEE:  Superficial coverage of lots of content mandated by state/government.  Overemphasis on Short-Term content acquisition for simple recall instead of long term understanding.  Pressure of high stakes accountability testing.

Understanding as an Educational Aim WHAT WE SHOULD KNOW:  The idea that long term achievement gains via teachers teaching for understanding of transferable concepts and processes while giving learners multiple opportunities to APPLY their learning in meaningful (i.e., authentic) contexts.  Required knowledge and skills are learned and long recalled through the process of coming to an UNDERSTANDING and in TRANSFERRING learning to new situations.  Treat content mastery as a means, not the end, students learn more in the long term and become more engaged in their work.

Conceptual Base for UbD  Balance focus on students’ understanding and application of knowledge along with drill.  Learning with understanding is far more likely to promote transfer than simply memorizing information from text or a lecture.  Think in terms of Big Ideas (Themes, models, theories)  Adjust curriculum. “Mile wide and an inch deep” risks developing disconnected rather than connected knowledge.

Conceptual Basis for UbD  Ensure that assessments include authentic performance. Students should know when, where, and why to use what they have learned in the past.  Experimental learning stimulates multiple senses and is engaging. Most likely to be stored as long term memories.  The best remembered information is learned through multiple and varied exposures followed by authentic use of knowledge.  These underpinnings should guide curriculum, instructional practice, and assessment design.

What is Understanding? Adjust Be flexible To extend Participate To emphasize To predict Explain To re-teach Do/act To compare and contrast To know To create To evaluate To apply To synthesize To transfer Critical thinking To rephrase To assess

What do we mean when we say we want students to understand the content, not just know it? Further Questions ???

UNDERSTANDING is DIFFERENT from KNOWING!  GOAL of UNDERSTANDING = More sophisticated instruction and assessment than teaching and testing for knowledge and skill alone. IF GOAL IS UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN, We will need to plan mindful of these meanings.

What is Backward Design?  Beginning with the “end” in mind.  Planning precedes teaching.  Plan with understanding in mind.  Teaching is a means to an end.  Teaching begins with clarity about desired outcomes and the evidence that will show that learning has occurred.

Backward Design  Identify a specific learning destination and design and instructional path to get there.  Occurs with a three stage design process that promotes purposeful teaching. 1. Identify Desired Results Goals, Meaning, Essential Questions, Knowledge and Skill, Standards 2. Determine Acceptable Evidence Performance, Products, Performance Criteria, Assessments 3. Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction Accordingly Authentic Activities, Quad D lessons, Transfer of knowledge, DI. Are learning events aligned with Stages 1 and 2?

Why UbD?  Want autonomy for teachers and students  Because students do not apply their learning unless you hold their hands.  Local assessments are too low level and unconnected to content.  Teachers just march through textbooks and cover ‘content’.  Students don’t know why they are learning what they are asked to learn.

Transfer….? An army bus holds 36 soldiers. If 1128 soldiers are being bused to their train site, how many buses are needed?  70% of the students who took the exam did the appropriate computation correctly.  However after doing so, 29% of those taking the exam said that the number of buses needed was "31 remainder12."  Another 18% of the students rounded down instead of up, giving 31 as the number of buses.  Only 23% of the students gave the correct answer. The NAEP Bus Problem Results

UbD in a Nutshell (code) Standards: 5.1 House should have a door. 5.2 House should have windows including upstairs. 5.3 House should have a chimney. 5.4 House should have shrubs. But is this good enough….

UbD in a Nutshell Stage 1 - Desired Results  Unpacking and transforming Content Standards into goals  Framing learning goals into important accomplishments reflective of understanding. Stage 1 - Desired Results  Unpacking and transforming Content Standards into goals  Framing learning goals into important accomplishments reflective of understanding. Stage 2 - “Valid” Evidence  Make sure that what we assess and how we assess follows logically from STAGE 1 goals  Student is able to insightfully explain or interpret their learning  Apply their learning in a new, varied, and realistic situation Stage 2 - “Valid” Evidence  Make sure that what we assess and how we assess follows logically from STAGE 1 goals  Student is able to insightfully explain or interpret their learning  Apply their learning in a new, varied, and realistic situation

UbD in a Nutshell continued Stage 3 – Learning Plan  Making sure that what we teach and how we teach follows logically from and aligns with STAGE 1 and STAGE 2 goals  Requires that students be given numerous opportunities to draw inferences and make generalizations for themselves (with teacher support) Stage 3 – Learning Plan  Making sure that what we teach and how we teach follows logically from and aligns with STAGE 1 and STAGE 2 goals  Requires that students be given numerous opportunities to draw inferences and make generalizations for themselves (with teacher support) Stage 2 – “Valid” Evidence Stage 1 - Desired Results

Established Goals Stage 1 – Desired Results Stage 2 - Evidence Stage 3 – Learning Plan Transfer Meaning Acquisition Students will be able to independently use their learning to… UnderstandingsEssential Questions Students will know…Students will be skilled at… Performance Task Other Evidence Pre-assessment / Learning Events / Progress Monitoring Assessment Evidence Criteria T,M A

Established Goals Drive the vehicle safely and responsibly. Negotiate the road correctly. Comply with signals, signs and road markings Interact appropriately with other road users. Minimize risk when driving Learn from experience Stage 1 – Desired Results Transfer Meaning Acquisition Drive courteously and defensively without accidents or needless risk. Anticipate and adapt their knowledge of safe and defensive driving to various traffic, road, and weather conditions. Understandings Defensive driving assumes that other drivers are not attentive and they might make sudden or ill- advised moves Essential Questions Students will know… The driving laws of their state. Basic car features. Students will be skilled at… Procedures of safe driving under varied traffic, road, etc The time needed to stop or react is deceptively brief, thus requiring constant attention Effective drivers constantly adapt to the various traffic, road, and weather conditions What must I anticipate and do to minimize risk and accidents when I drive? What makes a courteous and defensive driver?

Stage 2 - Evidence Performance Task Other Evidence Assessment Evidence Criteria T,M A Their ability to transfer all their discrete learning into real-world (or simulated) responsive, safe, and courteous driving, under varied conditions. For example, 1.Drive from home to school and back, with parental and teacher supervision. 2. Same as #1, but with rainy conditions 3. Same as #1, but in rush-hour traffic. 4.Self-assessing driving and parking in Tasks 1-3, in terms of courteous and defensive 6. Quiz on basic car parts, functions, and necessary maintenance. 5. Identifying driver errors in video clips, without prompting by teacher

Stage 3 – Learning Plan Pre-assessment / Learning Events / Progress Monitoring Applying their learning, first off-road, then on-road. All instruction is carried out and formatively assessed under a five-level system of increased autonomy. The skill is introduced The skill can be carried out under full instruction The skill can be carried out correctly only with prompted The skill can be carried out correctly with occasional prompting The skill can be carried out consistently without any prompting

Additional Resources Login = school address Password = dec2011ubd and Login = school address Password = dec2011standards Questions? New Jersey Standards Clarification Project Core Curriculum Content Standards - CADs