The big ideas of UbD
UbD big idea
Why
important?
If not…
‘Backward’
Design
Plans need to be
well aligned to be
effective
Aimless activity
& coverage
Understanding:
Transfer
It is the essence of
understanding and
the point of
schooling
Students fail to apply,
poor results on tests
Understanding:
via big ideas
that’s how transfer
happens, makes
learning more
connected
Learning is fragmented,
more difficult,
less engaging
KEY: 3 Stages of
(“Backward”) Design
1. Identify desired accomplishments
2. Determine acceptable evidence
3. Plan learning experiences
& instruction
What we typically (incorrectly)
do:
Identify content
Without checking for
alignment
Brainstorm activities & methods
Without checking for
alignment
Come up with an assessment
Stage 1 Design Questions
• What are the long-term transfer goals? In the end,
students should be able, on their own, to...(Big Ideas)
• What are the desired (enduring) understandings?
(What misunderstandings must be avoided,
overcome?)
• What are the essential questions to be continually
explored?
• What knowledge & skill should they leave with?
Stage 2 Design Questions
• What evidence for assessment (of skills and
knowledge) is required by our Stage 1 goals?
• What performances are indicative of
understanding - transfer of learning and
understanding of content via big ideas?
• What other evidence is required by the goals?
• What scoring rubrics/criteria/indicators will be used
to assess student work against the goals?
Stage 2: Assessment
• The analytic challenge is to identify the ULTIMATE
tasks embodying the Standard - reflecting the kind of
accomplishment the Standard envisions - and other
long-term goals
– What real-world important tasks epitomize the Standard?
– What projects should a student who has met the Standard be
able to do well?
– What challenges in the world should students be prepared to
handle and accomplish?
Stage 3 - design Qs
If those are the desired STAGE 1 goals and STAGE 2 performance tasks . . .
• What do students need to acquire?
• What inquiries and meaning making must they actively be made to engage
in?
• What transfer must they practice and get feedback on?
• What formative assessments are essential for feedback, adjustment,
meeting goals?
• What sequence is optimal for engagement and success?
• How will the work be differentiated - without sacrificing goals - to optimize
success of all?
WHERETO
• Guidelines for Stage 3 learning design
– Where is the work headed (learning goals, relevance)?
– Hook and hold the learner (inquiry, research, problem solving,
experimentation)
– Equip with key learning & experience (experiential and inductive learning,
direct instruction, homework and other)
– Rethink and revise thinking/work (rehearse, refine)
– Evaluate your progress (self-reflection, feedback)
– Tailored to personal need, interest, profile (differentiation)
– Organized for optimal learning (sequencing)
Stage 3 Design
• Determine what needs to be uncovered
vs. covered
• Test design against WHERETO
• How will students demonstrate learning
and understanding? (6 Facets or
Bloom’s)
• Diagnostic and formative assessments—
preassessment (summative is Stage 2)
Unit Design Cycles
In-class
observations
Analysis of
formative
student work
Adjust, as
needed
Student
feedback what works,
what doesn’t
DESIGN, based on:
• Goals/Standards
• Performance gaps
Pre-assess, tweak
Teach it
with revisions,
as needed
Analysis of
summative
student work
Draft:
• Stage 1
• Stage 2
• Stage 3
Design it
Unit self-assessed against
UbD design standards
Peer and/or
Expert review
Misconception Alert
!
•No one expects such “recipes” and
“cooking” every day
The aim is “gourmet” unit design work smarter, not harder: keep adding each
year to a database of units:
Next Steps . . .
• Refer to the handouts (UbD Stages in a Nutshell, stage
checklists, Observable Indicators of Teaching for
Understanding, UbD Roadmap)
• Use the wikispace (school homepage then click on UbD)
• Try using essential questions next week
• Design (a) model unit(s) individually or as grade level
teams within a subject area
Next cont’d . . .
• Peer review those units informally or formally
• Consult with the UbD trainers
• Pilot those units
• Use the unit to provide data for your data team
• Request follow up work/consultation time individually, as
grade level, cross school grade level/subject area