Understanding by Design
Wiggins, G and McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. 2d. ed. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriciulum Development
Pam [email protected] 2011
This presentation complements the workshop on Understanding by Design
It is not designed to be complete, but merely prompts for the activities associated with
planning a unit of work in UBD
Your turn now
• Read Karen Boyes article
• Talk to a colleague about the steps to take in using “backwards design”
• How do these steps fit with the template?
The outcomes from your syllabus
What do you really want your students to understand at the end of this unit?
The over-arching , philosophical question/s – not readily answered
From the syllabus From the syllabus
The performance task must produce evidence that the student has attained the desired understanding
What explicit teaching must happen to ensure that students can do the performance task, demonstrating their understanding?
It’s all about planning!
Where do you want to go?How will you get there?
This is the important bit! ...and so is this!
Your turn now
• Think of the Yr 9 unit on Romeo and Juliet• Write down the BIG understanding/s you
would wish your students to have at the end of the course
• What big philosophical question is the over-riding reason for teaching Romeo and Juliet?
The performance task MUST produce evidence that the understandings have been acquired.
Check for alignment!
Your turn now
• What assessment task will you give students in order to produce evidence that they have acquired the understandings?
• What other evidence might you gather?
Where is the unit headed and why?
What “hook” will draw the students in?
What opportunities will there be for students to explore their ideas?
Will there be opportunities for students to rehearse, reflect, revise and revisit?
How will students evaluate their performance?
How can the unit be tailored to each student?
How will students organise their learning?
