Colegio Colombo Británico Primary Years Programme Claudia Fayad, PYP Coordinator Understandin g by Design
Jan 10, 2016
Colegio Colombo BritánicoPrimary Years Programme
Claudia Fayad, PYP Coordinator
Understanding by Design
An approach to curriculum designed to engage students
in inquiry and uncovering ideas
What is the enduring idea? What will they remember about the topic in five years?
"Understanding by Design" Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe
(1998)
Conceptual framework for instructional designersBackwards DesignThe Six Facets of Understanding
Backwards Design
Backwards Design
Begin with identifying the desired results Then "work backwards" to develop instruction
• Traditional approach: define topics to be covered
Stages of Backwards Design
IDENTIFY DESIRED RESULTS
DETERMINE ACCEPTABLE
EVIDENCE
PLAN LEARNING EXPERIENCES/INSTRUCT
ION
12
3
Backwards Design: 3 Stages
Identify desired results (3) (learning outcomes) Determine acceptable evidence (2) (means to assess if learners have learnt)Plan learning experiences/instruction (1)
Identify desired results (learning outcomes)
What should students know, understand, and be able to do? What is worthy of understanding? What enduring understandings are desired?
K.U.D.TO KNOW (Know-what, Declarative knowledge, Content)
TO UNDERSTAND
TO DO (Know-how, Procedural knowledge, Skills)
P.Y.P.Lines of Inquiry: (Knowledge)
ConceptsCentral IdeaEnduring Understandings
Transdisciplinary SkillsAttitudes
KUD
TO KNOW
TO UNDERSTAND
TO DO
PYP Planner
Stage 2
StageS 1 & 2
Stage 3 *
* “Extended POI”
Determine Acceptable Evidence (means to assess if learners have learnt)
How will we know if students have achieved the desired results and met the standards?What will we accept as evidence of student understanding and proficiency?
Plan learning experiences and instruction
Definition of knowledge (know-that), skills and procedures (know-how) students ought to master [Stages 1, 2 & 3]Definition of materials [Stage 5]Definition of learning /teaching activities (scenarios) [Stage 4]
Wiggins and McTighe insist on enduring understandings
that go beyond simple facts and skills to include larger concepts,
principles or processes
Stage 1. Identify Desired Results
Like “defining goals and objectives”BUT: Consider not only the course goals and objectives, but the learning that should endure over the long termThis is referred to as the ENDURING UNDERSTANDING
Establishing Curricular Priorities
ENDURING UNDERSTANDING
Important to know & do
Worth being familiar with
The enduring understanding is not just “material worth covering"
It has enduring value beyond the classroom It is at the heart of the discipline It requires un-coverage of abstract or often misunderstood ideasIt offers potential for engaging students
Questions, questions!
Backwards Design uses a question format rather than measurable objectivesBy answering key questions, students deepen their learning about content and experience an enduring understandingThe instructor sets the evidence that will be used to determine that the students have understood the content
Where in the PYP planner do we do this?
Stage 2:
TEACHERS QUESTIONS/PROVOCATIONS
Questions focus on:
What questions point toward the big ideas and understandings?What arguable questions deepen inquiry and discussion?What questions provide a broader intellectual focus, hence purpose, to the work?
Example:
Overall question: "How does an organism's structure enable it to survive in its environment?" Specific topic question: "How do the structures of amphibians and reptiles support their survival?”
Asking inquiry-based questions facilitates the
students “ uncovering" the answer
Practically speaking, this means turning content
standards and outcome statements into question
form!
Stage 2: Determine what constitutes acceptable evidence of competency
in the outcomes and results
Define what forms of assessment will demonstrate that the student acquired the knowledge, understanding, and skill
to answer the questions
Performance TaskCriterion-referenced AssessmentUnprompted Assessment & Self-Assessment
Wiggins and McTighe’s types of assessment:
Performance TaskIt’s at the heart of the learningA real-world challenge in the thoughtful and effective use of knowledge and skillIt is an authentic test of understanding, in contextFor PYP: Performance assessments
Process-focused assessmentsOpen-ended tasks
Criterion-referenced Assessment Quizzes, tests, promptsThese provide instructor and student with feedback on how well the facts and concepts are being understoodFor PYP: Selected responses
Unprompted Assessment & Self-Assessment
Observations, dialogues, etc.
THINKING AS AN ASSESOR
What would be revealing & sufficient evidence of understanding?What performance tasks must anchor the unit and focus the instructional work?How will I be able to distinguish between those who really understand and thoise who don’t (but seem to)?Against what criteria will I distinguish work?What misunderstandings are likely? How will I check for those?
THINKING AS AN ACTIVITY DESIGNER
What would be interesting and engaging activities on this topic?What resources and materials are available on this topic?
What will students be doing in and out of class? What assignments will be given?
How will give students a grade (and justify it to their parents)?Will the activities work? Why or why not?
Practically speaking, this means designing
assessment (and asignments) that
evoke possible answers!
Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction
Determine what sequence of teaching and learning experiences will equip students to develop and demonstrate
the desired understanding
Implications for TeachingAcquisition Development Understandingof Knowledge of Skills of Ideas &
Values
DIDACTIC COACHING, SOCRATICINSTRUCTION EXERCISES & QUESTIONING
SUPERVISED & ACTIVEPRACTICE PARTICIPATION
Six Facets of Understanding
Six Facets of Understanding
APPLYINTERPRET
EXPLAIN
HAVE SELF-KNOWLEDGE
EMPATHIZE
HAVE PERSPECTIVE
EXPLAIN
provide thorough and justifiable accounts of phenomena, facts, and data
INTERPRETtell meaningful storiesoffer apt translationsprovide a revealing historical or personal dimension to ideas and eventsmake subjects personal or accessible through images, anecdotes, analogies, and models
APPLYuse and adapt knowledge in diverse contexts
HAVE PERSPECTIVEsee and hear points of view through critical eyes and earssee the big picture
EMPATHIZEfind value in what others might find odd, alien, or implausibleperceive sensitively on the basis of prior indirect experience
HAVE SELF-KNOWLEDGEperceive the personal style, prejudices, projections, and habits of mind that both shape and impede our own understandingbe are aware of what one does not understand and why understanding is so hard
Criteria for the Six Facets of Understanding
Explanation ACCURATEInterpretation MEANINGFULApplication EFFECTIVEPerspective CREDIBLEEmpathy SENSITIVESelf-knowledge SELF-AWARE
The Design Approach
The Big Picture
S T A G E 1DESIGN QUESTION
DESIGN CONSIDERATION
DESIGN CRITERIA
DESIGN ACCOMPLISHMENT
What is worthy & requiring of understanding?National & international standards - Teacher expertiseEnduring ideas – Opportunities for authentic, discipline-based work – Uncoverage – EngagingUnit framed around enduring understandings and essential questions
S T A G E 2DESIGN QUESTION
DESIGN CONSIDERATION
DESIGN CRITERIA
DESIGN ACCOMPLISHMENT
What is evidence of understanding?Six facets of understanding – Continuum of assessment typesValid – Reliable – Sufficient – Authentic work – Feasible – Student-friendly Unit anchored in credible and educationally vital evidence of the desired understandings
S T A G E 3DESIGN QUESTION
DESIGN CONSIDERATION
DESIGN CRITERIA
DESIGN ACCOMPLISHMENT
What learning experiences and teaching promote understanding, interest and excellence?Research-based repertoire of learning & teaching strategies – Essential & enabling knowledge & skillsHook the students – Explore & equip – Rethink & revise – Exhibit & evaluateCoherent learning experiences & teaching that will evoke & develop desired understandings, promote interest, & make excellent performance more likely
Desing helps us to understand:What is worthy of understanding in a unitWhat counts as evidence that students really understand and can use what we are teaching themWhat knowledge and skills we must teach to enable them to apply their knowledge in meaningful ways
Thank you!