Instructional Design for
Online Learning
Learning Objectives:
After this tutorial, you should be able to:
- Identify the 3 stages of Understanding by Design (UbD)
- Understand and implement the acronym WHERETO in
planning
- Implement the suggestions for planning and
assessment
- Identify why using the UbD template is optimal for
students' learning
- Identify the 3 stages of Understanding by Design (UbD)
- Understand and implement the acronym WHERETO in
planning
- Implement the suggestions for planning and
assessment
- Identify why using the UbD template is optimal for
students' learning
Understanding by Design
Understanding by Design (UbD) is a framework used to plan curriculum. It focuses on helping our students understand important ideas and transfer that learning to new situations. Understanding by Design reflects the convergence of two ideas that are dependent on each other: (1) research on learning and cognition that highlights the centrality of teaching and assessing students for understanding, and (2) a helpful and time-honored process for curriculum writing (Wiggins & McTighe, 2011).
Stage One: Desired results
The main focus of Stage 1 is to ensure that the learning goals are framed in such a way that students reflect their understanding. Research shows that students need to grasp the "big ideas" if they are to make sense of the lesson and be able to transfer that learning to new lessons and real-world situations. There are three results that Stage 1 focuses on: Transfer, Meaning, and Acquisition.
The first result is transfer, which is the long-term aim of all education. The idea is to truly understand what you have learned in one context and use it in another, such as a real-world situation. The second result is meaning. To understand an idea is a result from reflecting on and analyzing one's learning. This is achieved by asking essential questions which are on-going and guiding queries. It is all about being an active learner and digging deeper for answers. Finally, acquisition will tell us what the students know and what they will be skilled at doing (Wiggins & McTighe, 2011.)
The first result is transfer, which is the long-term aim of all education. The idea is to truly understand what you have learned in one context and use it in another, such as a real-world situation. The second result is meaning. To understand an idea is a result from reflecting on and analyzing one's learning. This is achieved by asking essential questions which are on-going and guiding queries. It is all about being an active learner and digging deeper for answers. Finally, acquisition will tell us what the students know and what they will be skilled at doing (Wiggins & McTighe, 2011.)
Stage 2: Results
Stage 2 is where we as educators need to "think like an assessor" in order to consider the needed evidence to determine whether students have achieved the identified knowledge, skills, and understandings in Stage 1 (WIggins & McTighe, 2011.) When we access for understanding we are looking for evidence that the student can show their work, and be able to justify their findings. Students should also be able to apply that learning in real-life situations. Wiggins and McTighe (2011) mention the 6 Facets of Understanding provide a helpful framework for building appropriate assessment tasks:
- Explain: the student generalizes, makes connections, has a sound theory, can put in their own words.
- Interpret: the student offers a plausible and supported account of text, data, experience.
- Apply: the student can transfer, adapt, adjust, address novel issues & problems.
- Perspective: the student can see from different points of view.
- Empathy: the student can walk in the shoes of people/characters.
- Self-understanding: the student can self-assess, see the limits of their understanding, reflect metacognitively.
Stage three: learning plan
Stage 3 is where we as educators make sure that what we teach, and how we teach aligns with the Stage 1 and Stage 2 goals. Wiggins & McTighe (2011) developed the acronym WHERETO to serve as a guide for the learning plan.
- W--Ensure that all students understand where the unit is headed, and why.
- H--Hook students in the beginning and hold their attention throughout.
- E--Equip students with necessary experiences, tools, knowledge, and know-how to meet performance goals.
- R--Provide students with numerous opportunities to rethink big ideas, reflect on progress, and revise their work.
- E--Build in opportunities for students to evaluate progress, self-assess, and self-adjust, based in formative assessments.
- T--Tailor the unit to a diverse class of learners; differentiate and personalize the learning plan--without compromising Stage 1 or Stage 2.
- O--Organize (sequence) the unit for maximum engagement and effectiveness.
Understanding by Design video Tutorial
Assessment
This is a brief quiz to assess your understanding of the material in this workshop. Please answer each question using the information you have learned about Understand by Design. Don't forget to enter your first and last name and click "submit."
references
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2011). The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units. Alexandria:
ASCD.
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2012). The Understanding by Design Guide to Advanced Concepts in Creating and
Reviewing Units. Alexandria: ASCD.
ASCD.
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2012). The Understanding by Design Guide to Advanced Concepts in Creating and
Reviewing Units. Alexandria: ASCD.
UbD template created by Dr. Sheri Stover.doc | |
File Size: | 280 kb |
File Type: | doc |