ENGAGE at CCA: Studio Thinking in Practice
Establishing Understanding Goals Worksheet
OVERVIEW
Creating explicit understanding goals (similar to learning objectives) is key to creating a
clear and connected curriculum. Understanding goals should explicitly specify what is
important for students to understand, should be memorable, and should be shared with
students as simple questions. Classroom strategies for delivering instruction and
assignments for students that are intended to demonstrate understanding should map
directly to your understanding goals. Assessments should involve a mix of informal (e.g.,
group discussions, written reflections, written self-assessments) and formal methods
(e.g., papers, presentations and tests scored according to publicly agreed upon criteria)
and should happen throughout the course from beginning to end.
ACADEMIC LEARNING
What are the academic understanding goals for the project, including concepts, genres,
and skills that you want students to learn?
1.
2.
3.
Questions/Notes:
STUDIO LEARNING
What are the studio understanding goals, including knowledge of art materials, methods
of creating, designing, critiquing and exhibiting works (art, design projects, texts)?
1.
2.
3.
Questions/Notes:
Adapted from Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, Service-Learning Course Design
Workbook, Summer 2001
1
ENGAGE at CCA: Studio Thinking in Practice
Establishing Understanding Goals Worksheet
COLLABORATIVE/COMMUNITYLEARNING
What are the specific collaborative and/or community understanding goals (i.e., civic, political,
socially responsible, diversity, and/or leadership)? What might your students learn by engaging
with each other that they would not otherwise learn?
1. How can we work collaboratively with others?
2. How can we learn about other groups and cultures (diversity)?
3. How can we appreciate the role arts play in democratic thinking?
4.
5.
6.
Questions/Notes:
INTER- and INTRA- PERSONAL LEARNING
What are the inter- and intra-personal understanding goals for your course? Circle all
that apply and write more:
1.
2.
3.
4.
How can we explore personal values and ideology?
How can we learn about self? How can we learn about others?
How can we strengthen communication skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing)?
How can we develop attitudes of appreciation, awe, and wonder?
5.
6.
7.
Questions/Notes:
Please email your completed form to: Ann Wettrich awettrich@cca.edu
And Tana Johnson tanajohnson@cca.edu by January 5th
Please post your understanding goals to your blog.
Adapted from Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, Service-Learning Course Design
Workbook, Summer 2001
2