| Backwards Design at Riverbend |
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What Is Backwards Design?
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Backwards design (or backward design) is an instructional design method invented by Wiggins and McTighe and is part of their larger Understanding by Design framework.
“ Backward design begins with the end in mind: What enduring understandings do I want my students to develop?”. It is particularly suited for teacher designers who think in terms of what they wish to achieve.
The model has 3 stages:
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?”
2. 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?”
3. Plan learning experiences and instruction. This includes:
- definition of knowledge (know-that), skills and procedures (know-how) students ought to master
- definition of materials
- definition of learning /teaching activities (scenarios).
Wiggins and McTighe insist a lot on enduring understandings and that go beyond simple facts and skills to include larger concepts, principles or processes.
Source: http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Backwards_design
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What resources are available to help teachers create UbD units at Riverbend?
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| The following books and instructional materials are available for loan from Mrs. Wittig. |
| Books |
Backwards Design/Understanding by Design |
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Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design (Connecting Content and Kids) by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe (Paperback - May 2006) |
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Understanding by Design, Expanded 2nd Edition by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe (Paperback - April 1, 2005)
Excerpts from the book are available at http://books.google.com/books?id=N2EfKlyUN4QC
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Young Investigators: The Project Approach in the Early Years by Judy Harris Helm and Lilian Katz. (Paperback. 2001) |
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Also visit our Differentiation webpage for more books that will help you create UbD units. |
| Internet Sites |
Listed below are links to some useful UbD instruction Internet sites to get you started. |
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• http://www.grantwiggins.org/ubd.html |
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• http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Backwards_design |
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• http://digitalliteracy.mwg.org/documents/process.pdf |
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• http://pixel.fhda.edu/id/six_facets.html |
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• http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/instruction/ela/6-12/BackwardDesign/Overview.htm |
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• pdf of a slide show: Understanding by Design: Wiggins & McTighe:A Brief Introduction presented by Center for Technology & School Change Teachers College, Columbia University, Ellen B. Meier, Ed. D., Co-Director
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• Alaska Project-Based Learning Expert Helena Fagan Insists That Good Projects Are Designed "Backward"—That Is, What Do We Want Kids To Know When They're Done? |
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• Digtal Literacy Backwards Design template |
| Staff |
The following personnel and groups are poised and ready (or are in the process of getting ready) to help classroom teachers implement UbD: |
| Extended Learning Teacher |
General orientation to Understanding by Design, presented during PLC/IST September 12, 2008. |
| IST Team |
In addition, each elementary school has a cadre of five teachers who have had common training by the fine trainers from University of Santa Cruz New Teacher Center. The ESL and EL teachers, Literacy Leader, one special education and classroom teacher were trained in mentoring and analysis of student work, as well as RTI (Response to Intervention). In further training sessions, Riverbend's IST Team had the opportunity to figure out how their work would fit in best with the current structures in our building (Professional Learning Communities and SCOTS). Riverbend's NTC trained group consists of : Sheryl Wittig (EL), Jan Faure (ESL), Karen Doxey (LL), Doug Badilla (Sp.Ed.), and Brenda Weaver. |
| JSD Curricular Connections |
Listed below will be links to lessons, units, and other resources differentiated to meet the specific goals and objectives of the Juneau School District curricula. This is a huge work in progress that we are just starting . If there is anything that you would like addressed sooner than later, PLEASE let me (Sheryl Wittig) know, and we will work on that component sooner than others. |
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