BACKWARD DESIGN: BACKWARD DESIGN: A MUST-HAVE LIBRARY INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN STRATEGY FOR YOUR PEDAGOGICAL AND TEACHING TOOLBOX Sarah LeMire Texas A&M University Donna Harp Ziegenfuss University of Utah courses/

Objectives of this Session At the end of this session you will be able to:  Identify what a backward design approach to instruction looks like  Discuss how backward design can be used to design and implement library instruction in a variety of instructional contexts  Apply backward design to your own instructional problem  Reflect on how backward design could be used in your own institutional context and library instructional situations

What is Backward Design?  Process of planning instruction (Fink, 2013)Fink, 2013  Can be used at various levels (one-class sessions or lessons, course, program)  Conceptual framework (U of Utah, 2012)U of Utah, 2012  Helps you to visualize working through an instructional design process like our Quality Course Framework (QCF)  Student-Centered Focus (Weimer, 2002)Weimer, 2002  Strategy to help you think differently about what you want students to know, be, and do “If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.” Yogi Berra

Examples: Instructional Modalities You can use a backward design approach for aligning and designing instruction for:  One-Shot Lesson/Session  Series of Related Classes  Online Library Course  MOOC with a Library Module

One-Shot Example  Texas A&M First-Year Writing Course  Aligning session objectives to syllabus objectives  Alignment Grid for ENGL 104 Alignment Grid

Series of Related Classes Example  Ten classes (5 each semester) embedded into a cohort-based first-year-experience class for pre-business majors  Aligned library outcomes to course objectives  Not library specific assignments but supports 2 presentation projects: fall - a real estate development project and in spring - a ‘shark tank’ pitch  Skills integrated – brainstorming, storyboarding, visual literacy  Alignment Grid Examples: Real Estate Development & Start-Up Business ProjectReal Estate DevelopmentStart-Up Business Project

Information Literacy Online Course  Online course option for WRTG 2010 courseWRTG 2010 course  WRTG 2010 Alignment Grid WRTG 2010  Badges for motivating students

MOOC Module Example  While co-teaching a Flip the Classroom MOOC  Integrated an online module on conducting education research for faculty taking the courseonline module on conducting education research  Introduced tools for them to use in research such as Diigo  File: Alignment GridAlignment Grid

Using a Backward Design Process STEP 1: Reflect on your ‘Dream’Dream  Let’s try backward design out! Think about library instruction you do or an instructional problem you often encounter  “Dream” about what your ideal outcome for your students would be for your session or your instructional problem (articulate your dream on the worksheet)worksheet  Think about your own situational factors and your dreamsituational factors  Let’s report back on our dreams

STEP 2: Articulating your Dream in Outcomes Outcomes Now that you have thought about your dream, your particular instructional situation, and the ACRL Framework, you will need to convert that dream into ‘measurable’ outcomes  Outcomes/Objectives must be measurable  Objectives usually start with an "action verb"; that explicitly describes what students will do. Do not use vague words like understand and know. Find appropriate action verbs for your objectives (try this resource for action verbs)vague wordsresource for action verbs  Objectives are a single sentence statement. Start off with: At the end of this course, students will be able to:.....  Objectives should focus on what the STUDENT WILL DO, not what the instructor does.  Objectives should focus on different levels of learning

Go Beyond the Content in Your Dream Fink’s Learning Taxonomy, 2003, 2013Learning Taxonomy Where does your dream fit into this taxonomy? How does this taxonomy align to the ACRL Framework: 1. Authority Is Constructed and Contextual 2. Information Creation as a Process 3. Information Has Value 4. Research as Inquiry 5. Scholarship as Conversation 6. Searching as Strategic Exploration

You Have Outcomes/Objectives …Now What? You are going to align your assessment and your teaching and learning activities to your outcome(s) using an alignment gridalignment grid

STEP 3: Using the Alignment GridAlignment Grid 1. Start with adding your outcome into the outcome column of the grid 2. Then decide how you will measure/assess that outcome 3. Then decide what teaching strategy you will use, and what learning activities students will do 4. Share your grid with a peer Teaching & Learning Activities

Lessons We Have Learned  Gives you a visual tool to use to talk to your faculty collaborator about instruction  Shows how library instruction aligns to the course  Measurable outcomes are easier to assess  Makes your thinking visible  Are you doing what you say you are doing?  You can see gaps and redundancies  Students will see what you are trying to do – better buy in?  Makes instruction more coherent – rationale

References  University of Utah QCF tutorial (course design framework based on the Fink Model)QCF tutorial  Fink self guided manualself guided manual  Fink Idea Paper (6 page synopsis of the book) Fink Idea Paper  Link to download the PowerPoint and Other Instructional Design Resources Link to download

 Questions about backward design?  Comments on how you think this might work for you?