Understanding by Understanding by Design Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins Teaching and Learning for the 21 st Century

Before we begin... All resources can be found on this website: – –Navigate to Virginia UbD

Essential Questions for Session What is Understanding by Design? How can UbD provide a framework for curriculum development? How can UbD help teachers focus on critical content in the classroom? In what ways will UbD help students learn and understand content and concepts?

Discuss Table: How does knowledge differ from understanding? Describe the difference in 25 words or less. Share on Padlet. Partner: Think of a time when you moved from knowing about something to understanding it. Table: What are the behaviors and attitudes that are common to your experiences? Be prepared to share.

Understanding by Design Is not... –A program –An add-on –The latest fad Is... –A framework for curriculum, assessment, and instruction –A structure for developing a common language –Research-based

What’s the problem? If you wanted to teach all of the standards in the national documents, you would have to change schooling from K-12 to K standards across 14 subject areas 3,500 benchmarks 13,000 hours of class time available 9,000 hours of instruction available 15,500 hours of instruction needed to cover the 3,500 benchmarks Robert Marzano (2006)

What does this mean? “We seem to feel the obligation to “cover” and “touch on” lots of things in case they are “on the test.” Results confirm, however, that superficial coverage of material causes poorer, not better, test results.” TIMSS, Stigler, Marzano

What can we do? Develop a curriculum emphasizing depth, not breadth Determine desired results that emphasize understanding, not just knowledge recall Use a variety of assessment tools to create a photo album, not a snapshot Develop learning activities after determining desired results and evidence of learning

How does UbD work? Stage One: Determine Desired Results –Enduring Understandings –Essential Questions –Enabling Knowledge and Skills Stage Two: Gather Acceptable Evidence –Test, quizzes –Projects and performance assessments –Self-assessments –Reflections, discussions, observations Stage Three: Plan Learning Experiences –Organized –Differentiated –Scaffolded –Flexible

Cups Analogy

Your understanding of UbD Go to Create a collage of words that you would use to describe UbD to a colleague Gallery walk

Stage One: Desired Results “Students can hit any appropriate achievement target that is clear and holds still for them.” Rick Stiggins

Content Priorities Worth being familiar with Important to know and do Big Ideas and Enduring Understandings

Stage One: Desired Results Enduring Understandings –Content Standards –State Standards –National Standards Essential questions Knowledge and Skills

Sample Enduring Understandings The solution to all mathematical equations requires us to follow a set order of operations. Teaching and learning for understanding enhances learning of standards. Change is necessary for creativity. Price is a function of supply and demand. Might does not make right. Friendships can be deepened or undone by hard times. History is the story told by the “winners”. Math models simplify physical relations. Authors use tools to develop images and ideas. Culture shapes people and people shape culture. Photographs can reveal but also mislead.

Enduring Understandings... Are big ideas that need “uncovering” Connect facts, skills, and facts Transfer to multiple content areas Prioritize content Are what we want students to retain after they have forgotten many of the details

Sample Essential Questions How can conflict bring about change? History: Whose story is it? How do living things interact with their environment in order to survive? How is expectation different from probability? What do good readers do? How do leaders affect change? Can liberty and security be balanced? What makes a family a community? How do communities depend on each other? What makes a good pet? Why are mathematical rules necessary? How does knowing how to read and write affect our lives? Who is a friend?

Essential Questions... Have no one obvious right answer Raise important questions across content areas Reflect conceptual priorities Recur naturally Framed to provoke/sustain student interest

Identify knowledge and skills Knowledge –Facts –Vocabulary –Dates –Places –Names –Definitions Skills –Basic skills of a discipline –Thinking skills –Skills of planning, independent learning –Social skills –Skills of production

Try it out: Knowledge or Skills? KnowledgeSkills All students should understand that comprehension requires making, confirming and revising predictions.

Checkpoint Sorting Activity – Yes or No?

Stage Two: Gathering Evidence Image from FlickrStorm

Survey

Questions to ask... How will I know when my students understand? How can I differentiate my assessments? How can I use formative assessments to plan for instruction?

Ways we assess... Brainstorm assessments in table groups –Sort which tools would best assess a student’s understanding of a concept or idea. –Which tools would assess something a student is apt to remember for 40 minutes? 40 days? 40 years? –How does this sorting of assessments relate to classroom practice?

Do you... Make use of… Tests and quizzes that include constructed- response items? Reflective assessments (reflective journals, thinking logs, peer response groups, interviews)? Culminating performance assessment tasks and projects? Student self-assessment?

Discuss... Why does UBD recommend a “photo album” approach to assessment, rather than just a snapshot?

Stage Three: Plan Learning Experiences Image from FlickrStorm

What do I do? How will I plan learning experiences that are engaging and effective? How will the lessons be sequenced? What learning experiences will enable students to achieve the desired results?

WHERETO Filter W here is the unit going? W hat is expected? W here are the students coming from? H ook all students and hold their interest E quip students, help them E xperience the key ideas and E xplore the issues R ethink and R evise student work and understandings E valuate T ailor instruction O rganize to maximize learning

Reflection Select a quotation that you agree with or that resonates with you. Explain why you like the quote and, if possible give an example to illustrate the idea.

UbD Analogy and Note Card UbD is like a _______________ because... Note card: Write an enduring understanding you have about Understanding by Design. A question you have?

Welcome to Day 2 Exit Slips What’s Happening?

Review – Creative Assessment Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Everything assessment.html

Infographics Infographics are a visual representation of data. When students create infographics, they are using information, visual, and technology literacies. This page includes links to help you develop formative or summative assessments that have students creating infographics to showcase their mastery of knowledge. Kathy Schrock

Create Your Own!! Create an infographic about Understanding by Design.

Unit Planning Work Time

Peer Review Process Designer presents a brief overview of unit. –Issues? –Feedback wanted? Reviewers ask clarifying questions Designer revises

Sharing Work