JUNE 2016 (18)e - P U B L I C A T I O N

S E R I E S

Also published by ACEL • e-Shortcuts – Wisdom for successful school leadership and management• e-Teaching – Management strategies for the classroom • e-Technology – Technology in the classroom• e-Early Learning – Thinking on early learning

e-Leading June 2016 (18) – researched and prepared for ACEL by Carroll Byrne, Head of Drama, Ballarat Clarendon College, Victoria

Subscribe online at www.acel.org.au

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results” Benjamin Franklin

Levin (2008) as cited by Donohoo concurs asserting that:

“Effective change in schools comes from ‘thoughtful application in particular

contexts’. When doing what has been done does not result in outcomes intended, real change is required. Real change comes from and is sustained when goals are achieved in new ways under complex circumstances. When real change occurs, students and educators benefit” (Levin, 2008, p.81).

In 2002 Michael Fullan, a major proponent of educational reform, stated that:

“Only principals who are equipped to handle a complex, rapidly changing environment can implement the reforms that lead to sustained improvement in student achievement” (asdc, 2002, p.16).

It would appear that in 14 years little has changed and contemporary educational leaders around the globe are being held accountable for reform so much more than their counterparts of the past. With student achievement, pedagogy and teacher efficacy the focus for many educational leaders, many principals look to Teaching Frameworks to solve some of the dilemmas that they face when tackling these issues.

I could literally write a thesis on the plethora of frameworks that are being utilised globally at present and as a result I had intended to discuss four frameworks in this article: Teaching for Understanding by Harvard’s Project Zero, Dimensions of Learning by Robert Marzano, Understanding by Design by Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins and Michael Fullan’s initiative, New Pedagogies for Deep Learning: A Global Partnership.

There is, however, such an incredible volume of information on each of these efficacious frameworks that boast increased student achievement that I

Familiarising oneself with Understanding by Design

It would appear that in 14 years little has changed and contemporary educational leaders around the globe are being held accountable for reform so much more than their counterparts of the past

could not do them justice in a short overview. As a result, I will focus on Understanding by Design which I am currently utilising and which has a great deal of similarities to Teaching for Understanding. Therefore, I will draw some parallels between the two from my experience. I will address Fullan’s New Pedagogies for Deep Learning: A Global Partnership in an article later in the year.

Understanding by Design is the brainchild of Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins, who claim that:

“The Understanding by Design (UbD) framework offers a planning process and structure to guide curriculum, assessment, and instruction. Its two key ideas are contained in the title: 1) focus on teaching and assessing for understanding and learning transfer, and 2) design curriculum “backward” from those ends” (www.asdc.org).

The UbD framework is based on eight tenets and Table 1 shows how it looks in a nutshell (The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units; 2011, p. 3).

One of the most important concepts of the UbD framework is the ‘Backward Design’. This three-stage process for curriculum planning includes a template and a set of design tools that embody the process.

Stage 1: Identify Desired ResultWhen considering Stage 1 it is important to ask the following questions in relation to the learning:1 What should students know, understand, and be

able to do?

2 What is the ultimate transfer we seek as a result of this unit?

3 What enduring understandings are desired?4 What essential questions will be explored in-

depth and provide focus to all learning?Through the process of asking these questions

Stage 1 aims to have curriculum developers consider the goals, examine integral content and standards and review curriculum expectations, leading to ‘clarity about priorities’ (ascd.org, 2016). This is similar to Harvard’s Teaching for Understanding where the ‘generative topic’ is also decided before the unit is planned. Generative topics are significant topics, issues, concepts or ‘big ideas’ which provide depth and rigour, multiple connections and different perspectives required to support students’ development of powerful understandings. A generative topic is typically central to one or more of the disciplines, interesting to both teachers and students, accessible and supports inquiry-based approaches to learning. Stage 1 of UbD similarly identifies the transfer goals of the curriculum developer. Table 2 provides a brief example across a couple of disciplines.

Stage 1 of UbD aims to provide important knowledge and skill objectives related to the established standards. It is important here to acknowledge that in the UbD framework:

“Factual knowledge and skills are not taught for their own sake, but as a means to a larger end. Acquisition of content is a means, in the service of meaning making and transfer. Ultimately, teaching

Stage 1: Desired ResultsWhat long-term transfer goals are targeted?What meanings should students make in order to arrive at important understandings?What essential questions will students explore?What knowledge and skill will students acquire?What established goals/ standards are targeted?

Stage 2: EvidenceWhat performances and products will reveal evidence of meaning-making and transfer?By what criteria will performance be assessed, in light of Stage 1 desired results?What additional evidence will be collected for all Stage 1 desired results?Are the assessments aligned to all Stage 1 elements?

Stage 3: Learning PlanWhat activities, experiences, and lessons will lead to achievement of the desired results and successes at the assessments?How will the learning plan help students with acquisition, meaning-making, and transfer?How will the unit be sequenced and differentiated to optimise achievements for all learners?How will progress be monitored?Are the learning events in Stage 3 aligned with Stage 1 goals and Stage 2 assessments?

Learning is enhanced when teachers think purposefully about curricular planning.

The UbD framework helps focus curriculum and teaching on the development and deepening of student understanding and transfer of learning. The ability to make meaning of learning via “big ideas” and to transfer learning.

UbD unpacks and transforms content standards and mission-related goals into relevant Stage 1 elements and appropriate assessments in Stage 2.

Understanding is revealed when students autonomously make sense of and transfer their learning through authentic performance. Six facets of understanding: the capacity to explain, interpret, apply, shift perspective, empathise, and self-assess – ALL CAN SERVE AS INDICATORS OF UNDERSTANDING.

Effective curriculum is planned backward from long-term, desired results through a three-stage design process. Avoids the treatment of a textbook as curriculum rather than a resource.

Teachers are coaches of understanding, not mere purveyors of content knowledge, skill or activity. They focus on ensuring that learning is happening not just teaching!

Regularly reviewing units and curriculum against design standards enhances curricular quality and effectiveness, and provides engaging and professional discussions.

The UbD framework reflects a continual improvement approach to student achievement and teacher craft. The results of our designs – student performance – inform needed adjustments in curriculum as well as instruction so that student learning is MAXIMISED.

Table 1: The UbD framework

“The Understanding by Design (UbD) framework offers a planning process and structure to guide curriculum, assessment, and instruction”

should equip learners to be able to use or transfer their learning” (ascd.org, 2016, p.4).

Stage 2 – Determine Assessment EvidenceThinking like the assessors as curriculum planners before designing specific units and lessons is the fundamental premise of Stage 2 of Understanding by Design. Identifying what students need to explain, interpret, apply and have knowledge of can really assist in the planning of lessons, units and assessment.

Stage 3 – Plan Learning Experiences and InstructionIn this stage of backward design, teachers plan appropriate lessons and learning activities to address the three different goals identified in Stage 1: transfer, meaning making, and acquisition.

One addition to unit planning that has really assisted me in the development of my lesson plans is shown in Table 3 where I clearly identify the targets of the session in three specific areas of the knowledge I expect students to assimilate from a lesson.

Should you wish to embark on the Understanding by Design journey in your department or School, a critical tool is the The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe.

“This is targeted to individuals and groups interested in improving their skills in designing units of study based on Understanding by Design (UbD) framework. This guide introduces UbD unit design and directs readers through the process. It is organized (sic) around a set of modules that move from basic ideas (e.g., the three stages of “backward design”) to more complicated elements of unit design (e.g., authentic performance tasks)” (The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units; 2011, p.1).

Ultimately all frameworks aim to provide the educational institution with a solid platform from which to spring when designing curriculum, assessment and instruction. Each of the frameworks mentioned in this article claim to be efficacious in the enhancement of student achievement; I hope that this has been informative in providing a small insight into one of these.

Referencesascd.org, 2016 ASCD: Professional Learning & Community for Educators, available at: http://www.ascd.org, accessed May 2016.Donohoo, J 2013, ‘Chapter 1: Why Collaborative Inquiry?’,

Table 2: Sample Transfer Goals from UbDDiscipline/ Subject/ Skill Transfer Goals

Mathematics Apply mathematical knowledge, skill, and reasoning to solve real-world problems

History Apply lessons of the past (historical patterns) to current and future events and issues.Critically appraise historical claims

Arts Create and perform an original work in a selected medium to express ideas and evoke mood.

(ascd.org, 2016, p.3)

Lesson One

All Students will be able to:• Define fiction• Define non-fiction• Demonstrate an understanding of a couple of theatrical styles• Present their partner

Most students will be able to:• Define fiction• Define non-fiction• Demonstrate an understanding of a number of theatrical styles• Present their partner using expressive skills

Some students will be able to:• Define fiction• Define non-fiction• Demonstrate an understanding of many theatrical styles and that they have particular conventions that make up each style.• Present their partner using expressive and performance skills in a particular style with knowledge of some conventions

Collaborative Inquiry for Educators: A Facilitator’s Guide to School Improvement, Newbury Park, Los Angeles.Fullan, M 2002, ‘The Change Leader’, Beyond Instructional Leadership, vol. 59, no. 8, pp. 16–21.Fullan, M 2011, Choosing the wrong drivers for whole system reform. Summary of Seminar Series Paper No. 204, Centre for Strategic Education, Melbourne.Pz.harvard.edu. 2016, Teaching for Understanding | Project Zero, available at http://www.pz.harvard.edu/projects/teaching-for-understanding, accessed May 2016.Wiggins, G, McTighe, J 2011, The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units, Pearson, USA.

Identifying what students

need to explain,

interpret, apply and have

knowledge of can really assist in the

planning of lessons, units and

assessment

Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort. Paul J. Meyer

Plans are nothing; planning is everything. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Meticulous planning will enable everything a man does to appear spontaneous. Mark Caine

Table 3: Areas of knowledge expected to be assimilated