Planning for Learning

Regardless of our teaching strengths, preferred style, or habits. Backward design requires that we put to the test any learning activity, against the particulars of Stages 1 and 2 (p.192). We often skip all the way to Stage 3 i.e. planning activities and assessments. The authors argue instead that any type of instruction, like any other aspect of the learning experience, needs to lead to desired understandings.

With respect to the authors’ acronym WHERETO, I  think this aid would work better if the elements were abridged and began with the letter they represent. It would be clearer if rephrased. “W — WHERE are you heading and WHY?” Most students do not know where a lesson or unit is headed in terms of the learning outcomes. It will be advisable to tell students what the desired goals are so they have them in mind.

A review of the literature reveals that the advent of technology has made possible to emerging students' interests and needs, in a “just in time” way. Students can go to a Web site when key information is needed, so that class time can be better spent on a teacher-facilitated inquiry and coaching of performance.

Crafting Understandings

Chapter 6 outlines the ways in which understandings can be distinguished.  Some features are:  important inference and durable learning beyond a specific topic.   The authors claim that understanding requires that students have to propose, test, question, criticize and verify. By doing these students can draw the inference accurately.

It is said that many skills are successfully mastered when they become part of a fluent and flexible repertoire (p.129).  The cornerstone of this notion is the ability to judge which skill can be used to be able to understand the meaning that is between the lines. Here is where UbD can be considered a tool to focus our attention to develop a skill through the so called desired understandings i.e. the student should understand the underlying concepts of a particular skill.

To conclude, when planning the desired results we have to frame understanding not only to restate the topic but also to transfer it to other situations.