{"id":4938,"date":"2014-01-14T22:50:53","date_gmt":"2014-01-15T03:50:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.carnaghan.com\/?p=4938"},"modified":"2018-02-11T19:34:34","modified_gmt":"2018-02-12T00:34:34","slug":"backwards-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carnaghan.com\/backwards-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Backwards Design"},"content":{"rendered":"

Backwards design is a methodology used to develop curriculum, which promotes the identification of learning results at the start of the design process.\u00a0 Wiggins and McTighe defined this term as part of their Understanding by Design (UbD) framework.\u00a0 Backwards design is not a new concept, it has been around for a long time and this paper explores some of the underlying research behind Wiggins and McTighe\u2019s work.\u00a0 Backwards design promotes a focus on teaching for understanding and learning, as well as designing the curriculum in way that meets learning goals while aligning results with state requirements.\u00a0 (McTighe & Wiggins, 2012).\u00a0 Often within education, learning goals are set first, before considering the assessment strategies that will be used to measure students\u2019 understanding.\u00a0 Without considering the results that are expected of a student, the chances of goals and assessment aligning with required results, or outputs are greatly diminished.<\/p>\n

The backwards design approach is compatible with other educational models including Expeditionary Learning (EL), which is detailed in a separate qualifying exam paper.\u00a0 This paper explores the concept of backwards design within the larger UbD framework and examines real life models where its application has yielded successful results.\u00a0 The relationship between Expeditionary Learning and the backwards design approach is also discussed along with the importance of curriculum mapping.\u00a0 Some of the concepts that have been covered in more depth in the curriculum mapping qualifying exam question will be referenced in order to solidify their relationship with Understanding by Design.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Understanding by Design (UbD)<\/h2>\n

Understanding by Design (UbD) is a planning Framework developed by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe.\u00a0 The idea behind UbD is that understanding should not happen by accident, it should be designed or planned into the curriculum.\u00a0 The framework itself advocates for keeping long-term goals (student understanding) within view, while using the right blend of content, instruction and interaction to engage learners.\u00a0 Long term educational goals should be a part of the short term day-to-day lesson planning for the classroom.\u00a0 According to Grant Wiggins, there are certain design tools that can help teachers more likely reach their educational goals, regardless of their student population and other constraints.\u00a0 These tools flow from a basic design strategy called backwards design.\u00a0 Wiggins makes it very clear that backwards design refers to a backwards design approach to goals, not content.\u00a0 The end result should not be to ensure that their students covered all assigned content within the classroom, but to instead provide students with content and learning experiences they can use and apply.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Backwards Design<\/h3>\n

Backwards design is an educational methodology that promotes results<\/em>-focused design in place of content<\/em>-focused design.\u00a0 Content-focused design can be described as a process where a particular topic may be chosen to base a lesson on.\u00a0 Wiggins and McTigue (2005) used an example to describe this concept.\u00a0 Imagine a teacher bases a lesson on racial prejudice.\u00a0 A resource is then chosen, \u2018To Kill a Mockingbird\u2019, and then specific instructional methods are based on this resource and topic.\u00a0 These methods could include for example a Socratic seminar to discuss the book with cooperative groups to analyze stereotypical images in films and on television.\u00a0 The overall hope is to thereby cause learning and at the same time meet certain common core or state requirements for English language \/ arts.\u00a0 Assessment is then baked into this process in the form of a few essay questions for assessing the student\u2019s understanding of the book.<\/p>\n

This approach is common within the school system and some may question what could be wrong with planning this way.\u00a0 In order to better understand the root problem, we need to take a step back and ask ourselves why we are asking the student to read this particular novel to begin with.\u00a0 What is it we are expecting the student to understand and to be able to apply in relation to the subject of racial prejudice?\u00a0 Does the student see the purpose in this resource and does it tie into the overall learning goals beyond the book?\u00a0 If the goals are met in this situation, it wouldn\u2019t have been by design, but by chance.\u00a0 The fact that the overall goal was vague to begin with in terms of specific understandings the students were to acquire, causes further problems.\u00a0 Wiggins and McTigue label this as an approach more \u201cby hope\u201d than \u201cby design\u201d.\u00a0 By simply \u201cthrowing some content at the wall and hoping it will stick\u201d will ultimately lead to failure.<\/p>\n

Another set of problems are common throughout K-12 education.\u00a0 These include activity-oriented design and coverage, also known as the twin sins of design.\u00a0 Activity-oriented design refers to the flawed approach of designing learning experiences by crafting engaging activities, without considering the overall educational goals.\u00a0 Wiggins and McTighe refer to this type of design as \u2018hands-on without being minds-on\u2019.\u00a0 Coverage refers to the misguided approach of assigning complete textbooks, or entire sets of lecture material in an effort to cover all the factual material within a specified period of time.\u00a0 This is common in K-12 schools, but also particularly prevalent within higher education institutions.<\/p>\n

Content-driven design and the twin sins should be avoided and instead results-driven design should be promoted within the classroom.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Results-driven design drives the backwards design methodology, which first subscribes to identifying desired results of learning, and then determines acceptable evidence (assessment).\u00a0 Finally after both of these have been completed the learning experiences are planned out.<\/p>\n

\"Backwards<\/a><\/p>\n

Figure 1: Backwards Design, Wiggins and McTigue (2005)<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/a>1. Identify Desired Results<\/h4>\n

In the first stage of backwards design should involve to review the overall state common core requirements and to determine what it is that the student should be able to know, understand and be able to do in the end.\u00a0 During this stage of design, it should be decided what concepts are important as well as what enduring understandings are desired from the student.\u00a0 The main constraint during this stage is that teachers typically have more content than can be reasonably covered in a specific amount of time.\u00a0 Therefore clarity of prioritization and careful choices must be made.<\/p>\n

<\/a>2. Determine Acceptable Evidence<\/h4>\n

Determining acceptable evidence ensures that we know if the student has achieved the desired results.\u00a0 The process of determining acceptable evidence encourages the curriculum planner and teacher to first think like an assessor before moving forward and designing specific units and lessons.\u00a0 This ensures that careful thought is given at the beginning on how it will be determined that students have attained the desired knowledge.\u00a0 Wiggins & McTighe (2005).\u00a0 During this phase of backwards design the following questions must be considered.\u00a0 How will we know students have achieved the desired results?\u00a0 What will we accept as evidence of student understanding and proficiency?\u00a0 In the end, students with full understanding should be able to demonstrate what Wiggins and McTighe refer to as the six facets of understanding:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. explain<\/strong> concepts in their own words<\/li>\n
  2. interpret<\/strong> by making sense of data, text and experiences,<\/li>\n
  3. apply<\/strong> by effectively using and adapting what they know in new and complex contexts<\/li>\n
  4. demonstrate perspective<\/strong> by seeing the big picture and recognizing different points of view<\/li>\n
  5. display empathy<\/strong> by perceiving sensitivity and walking in someone else\u2019s shoes<\/li>\n
  6. have self-knowledge<\/strong> by showing mega-cognitive awareness, using productive habits of mind, and reflecting on the meaning of learning and experience<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Not all six facets are typically used together in every assessment, however they provide a guide for measurement when considering acceptable evidence.<\/p>\n

    <\/a>3. Plan Learning Experiences<\/h4>\n

    After the desired results have been identified and acceptable evidence and assessments have been determined, the process of planning the individual learning experiences can begin.\u00a0 This is counter to many traditional methods of developing lessons and curriculum within education, however it is essential in order to ensure that results-driven learning happens within the classroom.\u00a0 At this stage, several things need to be addressed.\u00a0 First of all the teacher or curriculum designer must consider what enabling knowledge and skills the students will need in order to perform effectively and achieve the desired results.\u00a0 Secondly, the activities that will equip students with the needed knowledge and skills must be determined.\u00a0 What will need to be taught and coached?\u00a0 And finally the material and resources that are best suited to accomplish these goals need to be identified.<\/p>\n

    <\/a>Supporting Research<\/h3>\n

    Wiggins and McTighe built the UbD framework with the help of previous research in the field of cognitive psychology.\u00a0 A readable synthesis of cognitive psychology and its impact on education was published in the book How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience and School (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2002).\u00a0 This recent publication of the National Research Council summarized the past 30 years of research in learning and cognition.\u00a0 It offered new conceptions of the learning process and explained how skill and understanding in key subjects were most effectively acquired.\u00a0 A listing of the key findings from this publication that are directly relevant to UbD are listed below:<\/p>\n