 Understanding by Design Using Backwards Design Principles to Create Standards-Based Units Welcome! We’re glad you’re here…

Today’s Objectives  Learn and apply Understanding by Design (UbD) elements and principles  Be able to create Stage 2 parts of your units  Be prepared to create Stage 3 on your own  Closure

Setting the Purpose  Frontloading what you need to know and be able to do  Developing a strong understanding of the intentional focus on Design  Building your confidence with the literature connected our Standards- Based work

UbD Overview - The 3 Stages of Design 1. Identify desired results 2. Determine acceptable evidence 3. Plan Learning Experiences

Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence  What “preponderance of evidence” would show that students have achieved the desired understanding, knowledge, and skill?

Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence  “Think like an assessor, not an activity designer”  The goal is valid and reliable evidence for Stage 1: What do the standards and desired results imply for evidence?

Two Different Approaches Thinking Like an Assessor  What would be sufficient and revealing evidence of understanding?  What performance tasks must anchor the unit and focus the instructional work?  How will I be able to distinguish between those who really understand and those who don’t (though they may seem to?)  Against what criteria will I distinguish work?  What misunderstandings are likely? How will I check for those? Thinking Like an Activity Designer  What would be interesting and engaging activities on this topic?  What resources and materials are available on this topic?  What will students be doing in and out of class? What assignments will be given?  How will I give students a grade (and justify it to their parents)?  Did the activities work? Why or why not?

Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence Validity involves asking:  Can we infer from the evidence provided by the assessment to the standard(s)? Is this the right kind of evidence for making inferences needed?  How far can we generalize from the (inherently implied sample of evidence?)

Key Validity Questions 1. Could the performance be accomplished (or the test be passed) without in-depth understanding? 2. Could specific performance be poor, but the student still understand the ideas in question?

Deconstructing a Flawed Model  Which elements are not aligned?  What might be some ways to improve the validity of this design?

Assessing Understanding  How is understanding assessed in light of the Depth of Knowledge?

 Depth of Knowledge

Linking DOK with Assessment  What performance tasks and other evidence might provide evidence of deep understanding?

 Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence