By Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/103055.aspx
Nick Tschuor and Braeden Day
Introduction:
"To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination"
This is a quote given at the beginning of our reading. These words explain what "Understanding by Design" is all about. If you refer to the link provided and read the four vignettes provided by the authors you will see stories of students completing hands on activities and taking tests with little understanding and learning taking place. An example shows 3rd grade students completing lessons on apples with several great hands on activities but very little standards based content.
The twin sins of design
In the examples provided by the author you will find a trend of no explicit big ideas guiding the teaching and no plan for ensuring these students are learning the concepts of the lessons. The authors provide two sins of design they call activity-focused teaching and coverage-focused teaching. They state that these are typical in the instructional design in schools. This section is basically stating that there is no clear learning with lots of hands-on activities.
What this book is about
This book focuses on the developing and deepening the understanding of important ideas. So often teachers are able to reach the students who already come to us able to articulate and understand but cannot reach those who are not. The book attempts to explain how teachers can reach all students by the design of their course. This includes clarifying what student understanding is by exploring the means they call "good design".
Key Terms
· Big ideas- Concept, them, or issue that gives meaning and connection to discrete facts and skills
· Curriculum and Assessment- The specific blueprint for learning that is derived from desired results and make it more likely that students achieve these desired results. Curriculum is the "course to be run given a desired end point" and assessment is "the act of determining the extent to which the desired results have been achieved".
· Desired Results- What the students should know upon completion of a unit. These remind us that we may have to adjust our teaching along the way to ensure students meet these results
· Understanding- Making connections and binding together our knowledge onto something that makes sense of things
What the book ISN'T about
· This isn't a program. It is a way of thinking more purposefully and carefully about how we design our classes that uses understanding as a goal.
· It isn't a philosophy of education.
· This isn't about instructional strategies it focuses more upon the planning of your class.
· Focuses more upon units rather than individual lessons.
· The authors don't believe every facet of schooling should be geared towards understanding but rather some teaching may be aimed towards the acquisition of skills.
Cautions and Comments
The authors warn that educators may find that their previous perception of student understanding is not what they thought. They suggest you may be disturbed by how hard it is to plan for understanding and assessment. It is also stated that it is very easy to lose sight of goals for understanding while planning, teaching, and evaluating your students work.
Another warning provided is that educators should focus on using skills wisely rather than just using them. The authors provide an example of the interaction between the reader and the text. The students need to understand that "reading is only decoding" and teachers should realize that reading does not alone yield meaning.
The last warning provided is that teachers may find the preconceived idea that design for understanding isn't compatible with established content standards is actually false. They suggest that most content standards provide big ideas that are meant to be understood not just covered.
Chapter 2: Understanding Understanding
Teachers seek understanding but as teachers do we understand this goal?
Bloom's Taxonomy – Was written in 1956 to due to common problems in testing.
Understanding and knowing are two separate ideas, for example, "Well, he knows a lot of math, but he doesn't really understand its basis."
Many state standards acknowledge understanding and knowledge as to separate identities. Errors that are made commonly are using terms for knowledge and understanding interchangeably, meaning the same thing.
Figure 2.1. Knowledge versus Understanding
Knowledge
Understanding
§ The facts
§ A body of coherent facts
§ Verifiable claims
§ Right or wrong
§ I know something to be true
§ I respond on cue with what I know
§ The meaning of the facts
§ The "theory" that provides coherence and meaning to those facts
§ Fallible, in-process theories
§ A matter of degree or sophistication
§ I understand why it is, what makes it knowledge
§ I judge when to and when not us what I know
Transferability
Knowing information can be seen as being able to regurgitate information or facts. Understanding requires one to be able transfer and apply what is learned to new situations. "The ability to transfer our knowledge and skill effectively involves the capacity to take what we know and use it creatively, flexibly, fluently, indifferent settings or problems, on our own."
The Expert Blind Spot
Many educators think by covering vast amounts of material means more understanding, but this is not true. This strategy causes the learner to be easily confused and forget facts. In some cases it causes the learner to be turned off and reluctant to recall previously learned information.
The Evidence of Understanding
When looking at understanding, it is seen as digging below the surface to reach core goals. This does not happen all at once and it takes time. Bloom's taxonomy separates learning into different objectives of assessment.
To obtain evidence educators have to design assessment to target understanding.
Assessments should:
· Evoke transferability
· Show creativity and flexibility
· Show students capacity to use knowledge thoughtfully and effectively in diverse situations.
Student misunderstanding and what we can learn from it
"Evidence of misunderstanding is incredibly valuable to teachers."
-Misunderstanding is not ignorance
-Many teachers feel threatened or irritated by it
-This causes educators to fall into the Expert Blind Spot
Questions for thought:
1. How to you check for understanding in your classroom? What types of assessment do you use and do you feel that they are effective?
2. What do you do in your teaching to ensure your students understand the material you are presenting to them?
Julie K.’s Response to Grant & Jay’s Post:
ReplyDelete1. To check for understanding in my classroom, I use a lot of informal assessment. For instance, a quick way for me to see if students understand the new Spanish vocabulary is to have the students play “Simon Dice” with their eyes closed, so that they cannot cheat off of their neighbors. If Simon tells the students, in Spanish, to touch their nose, and half of the class touches their head, the students obviously need more work on the words. I can also call on students to answer questions in class. In doing so, I tend to know which students are the smart ones, and which ones are average ones. If the smart students cannot answer my questions, I know that the average and below average students definitely are not comprehending the material. Considering that I am only with the students for 30 minutes a day, of which only about 22 minutes is used for instruction, these methods prove to be effective ways of checking for understanding in my classroom.
2. To ensure that my students understand the material that I am presenting to them, I use the previously stated methods of checking for understanding. I do not think that there is one method that works to make sure that every student understands everything that I am teaching 100% of the time. All I can do is try my best to ensure that the majority of the students understand what I am teaching. If I notice that they do not comprehend the material, I go back and review it, using a different strategy than the one I used to teach it to hem in the first place, and then reevaluate it to see if they have learned it.
In 8th grade keyboarding, I check for student unerstanding on a daily basis by grading the student activities. I then determine if I need to reteach any material before the final assessment (chapter test). In my "lecture" style classes, I start the class by asking questions from the previous day. I think a lot of our "checking for understanding" depends on the students in the class and how much they participate.
ReplyDeleteIn my accounting class we are constantly assessing understanding throughout each chapter. I teach the chapter and we do the "work together problems" I then have the students do "application problems" which I check immediately and they make any changes necessary before moving on to the next project which a grade is taken.
ReplyDeleteTo check for student understanding I use many methods. The student objective is written on the board everyday. At the end of class I use informal assessment. I use questions and answers, response cards, and exit slips. When using response cards I ask a yes or no question and the students either hold up a red card for no or a green card for yes. I always tell them it is ok if you are wrong, leave your card up so I know what things I need to go over again. I choose my assessment method based on what the objective of the day was, if it was a higher order thinking objective I would more likely use questions and answers, but if it is something new that would be a lower order thinking thinking objective I would use response cards or exit slips. I also use rubrics for performance assessments and homework assignments. Common assessments are used at the end of each unit.
ReplyDeleteIn my DCT class it is all project based. They are given projects with the end in mind and then they must use the directions and guided assistance from me to get to the end (what is graded). Sometimes after working in a program for a period I have them do a production test based on what they have been learning. On their production tests I do not offer any assistance and then I know if they actually "got it". If not, then I go back and re-teach what was troublesome.
ReplyDeleteagiordano: I really like the green card/red card idea. What grade level/course do you teach? I was in a program where we had red and green SOLO plastic cups at our table. When we were done with a project/assignment/question we would have the green cup on top. If we were still working we had the red cup. Same type of idea and it worked very well.
ReplyDeleteI use a lot of hands-on projects where students have to put to use what we have learned in class. I also like to start each class with a "Bellwork activity". As the bell rings, students are to look at the board and do a quick 5 minute activity I have posted that reviews what we did the class before. I can quickly go through these activities and make sure that students retained what we learned the class before.
ReplyDeleteAmber,
ReplyDeleteI like that you collect work everyday too. When I complete lessons with my tech students I usually provide them with a design brief packet that requires them to do something in it everyday. I tell the students I may collect it, I may not. I find that when I provide students feedback in them that the results tend to improve.
-Nick
I find it interesting to read the types and methods of assessment that everyone is using. In response to Arlena, I like your Bellwork activities. I use similar activities but call them "Brain Teasers". I find that it keeps the students busy and they find them interesting. It helps with taking attendence and getting everything out of the way before we start class. I think everyone is picking up on the meaning of understanding. A lot of people have stated they use assessment activities where the students can't see other student responses. That way they are more honest with their answers and it helps the teachers reflect on what needs more work!
ReplyDelete-Nick
Wiggins and McTighe present powerful ideas that challenge what is currently occurring in many classrooms--activity-based instruction and coverage.
ReplyDeleteThey distinguish understanding from knowledge acquisition and define understanding as having multiple "facets"; one facet is the ability to use information in NEW situations.
One type of assessment that I will use with my 8th grade social studies class in place of a typical test is an "in class" test. I will create a short test - all multuple choice or matching - and the students have to answer all the questions as best as they can. I will check them all, circling the ones that are incorrect. They can go back and change the answer so they get it correct. I vary how I do this - sometimes I will let them use their book, sometimes just their notes. It is beneficial because I can quickly gague how well they are picking up the material. They (hopefully) are able to go back and find the correct answer so they have a pretty solid grade to go in the gradebook. They can figure out what the need to work on and it is good test practice. I obvioulsy don't do this all the time, but it has been very effective.
ReplyDeleteIn the recent study of a classroom novel, I tried a couple of different assessments for understanding. We had classroom discussions of questions about the reading content; we then had an objective test over the novel. But to truly assess the students' understanding of the theme(s) in the books, they were given an in-class assignment to respond in paragraph form to three different questions from a set of eleven. I had not "spoon-fed" the themes to these students, but most responded thoughtfully to the questions. I also thought it was interesting to see which of the questions students responded to. Their responses were widespread; different questions appealed to different writers. Perhaps this is a result of students applying what they already knew to the themes found in the novel.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I didn't call this assignment a test, or "essay questions." I just called it responses to the novel. I will definitely do this more often.
That's a great idea, Myra. I often give my students a choice of several essay questions to answer on a test. I find that there are always one or two that very few people choose. That tells me that I need to concentrate more on those topics next time around.
ReplyDelete1. Usually when I check for understanding, I just call on specific students and ask probing questions. I can also usually read my students’ eyes and can tell whether or not they’re really understanding. Following some of my classes in this master’s, though, I am much more inclined to institute regular, more formal checks (in an informal way), like exit cards. I believe this is also an effective method of assessment. Currently, it appears outwardly as though I mainly use formal assessments like tests and quizzes. However, a lot of my assessment is on a continual basis informally also.
ReplyDelete2. I need to do more. I meet with students individually any moment I can and walk through practice problems with them. I actually try to ensure that there is always time in class for this exercise.
Wow! I really like a lot of these ideas!! Julie, your idea of having the kids close their eyes while you test for understanding!
ReplyDeleteAshlee, I also like your response card application and exit slip idea.
Vickie, the red and green cup idea would really help to know when everyone is done working.
Arlena and Nick, I have tried the bellwork activity, but cannot seem to find enough time between classes to get the activity on the board or overhead!
Vickie, while you are grading the in-class tests, what do your students do while you are grading their tests (even if they're short, with 30 students, it would take me at least 15 minutes!)
Myra, I always liked having choices on essay tests; I think it's a great idea! I apply this with my math students sometimes; I tell them to pick 2 problems from each section or something.
Great question, Kristen. When each student is done they raise their hand. Since the test is multiple choice or matching I grade it right at their desk and hand it back to them. If they got all of them right they turn it in. If they have any wrong they can go back and correct. Once you get going it's kind of tough to get around to each desk since the majority of the students finish around the same time. I have found that my 8th graders are pretty patient with this. They realize what I'm trying to do and know that when they turn it in they will (hopefully) have a 100% which helps with their patience!! Truthfully it has been great. I only do it a few times a year, though. Plus, you get a great workout running around the room! :)
ReplyDeleteWe discussed assessment in my journalism teaching methods class, and I was surprised that everyone in the class except me plans to use standard written assessment. I believe that students who are given written assessments will not truly learn how to conduct a thorough interview, write an accurate headline, write a compelling story or design a visually appealing front page. Students must do these things to learn them. Assessing them on written tests and quizzes will only encourage students to study what they need to pass the test or quiz but not attain the skills to complete the tasks required of a journalism student.
ReplyDeleteI did consider compromising and sometimes offering students a choice between written assessment and project-based assessment when my professor brought up the fact that there are some students who are excellent test takers but do poorly on projects. The class countered by saying that most students would choose the written assessment because it is what they are accustomed to and would take less time and thought than completing the project-based assessment.
I use a variety of methods to check for understanding. Assessments range from having the students teach the class a lesson to asking students to create movies about certain aspects of a unit. I try to avoid always doing the same thing- if I use a test one week, I might do a creative project the next. I have found that there are some students who don't like creative assignments as much as something more concrete like writing assignments or tests, but these students are rare and I think that they will eventually like creative forms of assessment once their confidence in their creativity skills strengthens. Does anyone else ever encounter these rare gems? It sometimes gets infuriating when I put lots of time into a creative assignment and they don't think it's as fun as I think it would be. Maybe that's what all work does to them!
ReplyDelete-Heather P.
Similarly to what Amber stated, I check for understanding in my computer-based classes by 1. grading their work as quickly as possible and 2. continually circulating around the room and looking at what students are doing. By looking at students' work quickly (sometimes I will just skim over it to get a feel for how they are doing, and then grade it more thoroughly later), I can guage whether they are picking things up, or whether I need to go back and re-teach. One thing that is amazing to me - lots of students will act like they know what they are doing, and not ask questions, when they are in reality, not very clear on the concepts. That is one of the main reasons I like to walk around and check up on things. Many times when I am walking by, a student will ask me something, or I notice something that I can point out to get them on track.
ReplyDeleteAs far as true "understanding" - in terms of how the authors define it - being able to apply what you have learned to novel situations, I suppose, a unit test or mid-term exam might loosely fall under that category. I don't routinely have students apply what they have learned to entirely novel problems, mostly, they are novel, but really similar problems. This just seems to be how the curriculum is set up. Something that could probably be improved upon in the future.
A way that I like to check for understanding, using an exit ticket, that may have a students explain a concept. It may have the student give a way to help them remember. It may be a problem that they write.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I don't do it on an everyday basis. With so many things being taught in a math classroom, it is difficult to reach the level of true understanding.