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Topic: Keys to Understanding
(Live)
Enduring
Understanding
Quality instruction today differs from the didactic instructional approach
that has served education for past decades. Through effective use of
technology and systems thinking, educators can function as a learning
organization that focuses on continuous improvement through the effective
development, alignment, delivery and management of curriculum.
Essential Question
- How does Backward Design differ from typical instructional
practices, and how can it improve planning, instruction and
assessment?
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Where are we headed? Your Mentor has prepared to lead your cohort
through a comprehensive study of curriculum and instruction issues. He/she
will lead your group through a review of the overview, assignments, class
formats and grading criteria. If you have paid for the textbooks, they should be available from your Mentor.
Use Microsoft Word or any other word processor to answer the following questions. If you have a
participant portfolio you can add this document to it.
- Write a brief educational biography.
- Think of a time when you had a high-quality learning experience.
What happened?
- What did you learn? What did you find interesting about it? What
motivated you?
- What and who do you think made it powerful?
 As we begin to explore the concept of quality in education, it is
necessary for us to confront our existing mental models of quality
instruction. These mental models are formed when we make connections
between our previous experiences and our assumptions. Click on the icon
beside this activity and review the definition of Mental Models.
 In
the Introduction of Understanding by Design, the authors present
four vignettes. As you read each one, you will be viewing these
illustrations through your own mental models of what does and does not
create quality learning experiences. Read the four vignettes found in the
Introduction of Understanding By Design pp1-2. Discuss any
similarities you see between the four vignettes and lessons you have
observed being taught at your campus. Discuss the concepts presented in
the remainder of Chapter 1 and think about the "Enduring
Understanding" students in your classes need to grasp. Share those
"Enduring Understandings" with your classmates.
 This
activity is designed to assist your group in developing a shared vision of
the areas for curriculum improvement your district or campus should focus
on.
The cohort should form four groups. Each group will take one of the four
filters listed on pg. 10-11 of Understanding by Design. Each group
will read the brief text then discuss the associated questions and issues
below. Click on a filter below to see the discussion questions. After allowing
about 15 minutes for discussion, each group will select a spokesman to
briefly share the main points about each filter and highlights from their
group discussion.
 "To begin with the
end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination.
It means to know where you are going so that you better understand where
you are now so that the steps you take are always in the right
direction."
~ Stephen Covey
As you will see later in this solution, many of the ideas that are
currently being embraced by business and industry are also being proposed
for education. The concept of backward design is very similar to one of
Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Successful People.
Beginning with the end in mind is a concept that can be applied to
personal mastery as well as corporate improvement. From your study of the
first three chapters of Understanding by Design, share your
insights as to how beginning with the end in mind, or the backward design
process, differs from traditional instructional planning. Discuss the
concepts from the text that you thought were the most interesting.
During this class you will begin designing a six week unit.
Your unit will follow the backward design
process proposed by Wiggins and McTighe. It will focus on leading your
students to a genuine understanding, not simple recall of information and
facts. During this class you will analyze and apply enduring
understandings, essential questions, and the six facets of understanding
as you begin to develop your six-weeks framework (unit).
Use the 'Audio' and/or 'Transcript' links below. If needed, download Real
Media Player now.
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"It
was exciting to see students research each of the enduring
understandings from whichever period of history they were
studying..." |
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Audio |
Transcript |
Work with a partner to review a good
example of how an interdisciplinary Ninth grade English and U.S.
History unit is framed around an Enduring Understanding. Notice how the
anchored texts and assessed indicators are built upon the Enduring
Understanding. Now look at look at some of the Enduring Understandings
from an elementary Health
Education Curriculum Guide. Go to page five of the pdf and review the
EU's and Essential Questions. Do you think that these EU's truly represent
what Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins had in mind for Enduring
Understandings? Discuss with your partner.
After reviewing the Web site and the
curriculum guide with a partner, your Mentor will lead a
discussion about Enduring Understandings. Share your thoughts about the
following:
- Review the chart
on page 15 of Understanding by Design and the sample enduring
understanding, then review the filters for Selecting Understandings
Figure 2.1 found on page 23. Write an enduring understanding for a
subject you are currently teaching then share it with your cohort. After cohort members have begun
sharing sample
enduring understandings, your Mentor will lead a discussion on whether
or not each submission is consistent with the definition of an
enduring understanding. During the discussion, assist your peers by
making suggestions to modify, if necessary, their submissions so that
each submission meets the following criterion: Enduring Understanding
– anchors a unit of study and provides a rationale for studying the
unit. It is enduring because it represents the big ideas we want
students to get inside of and retain after they have forgotten many of
the details. It provides a larger purpose for learning the targeted
content, and answers the question, "Why is this topic worth
studying?"
- Share any experiences you may have had in your teaching where you
believed you were clearly addressing enduring understandings. The
teachers that created the Web site for the History Museum and Gallery
struggled at first with the concept of enduring understandings. Can
you relate to their confusion, or is this a concept you embrace and
regularly practice in your teaching? Do you believe there are any
subjects that do not lend themselves to a focus on enduring
understandings? Which subjects, and why?
- How might a clear focus on enduring understandings help students
answer the question, "Why do I have to learn this?"
- Wouldn’t it be interesting for students and parents to see a
comprehensive list of enduring understandings that will be addressed
during a year’s study? Currently is any type of information like
this being provided to your students and parents?
Discuss with your
Mentor Figure 2.2 -- Tips for Using Essential Questions and Figure 2.3 -- Sample
Essential and Unit Questions found on page 29 and 31 of Understanding
by Design. Think of at least one essential question that could lead to
the enduring understanding you stated earlier. Refer back to the text for
direction as you and your cohort discuss what makes a good essential
question. Go back and edit your enduring
understanding to include at least one essential question. Your finished
product may look similar to this example:
- Enduring Understanding – Technology is often a two edged sword
used for progress and destruction.
- Essential Question – How did the production of advanced technology
(e.g. the atomic bomb) influence the end of World War II?
 Your cohort should
break into six groups. Each group will take one of the six facets of
understanding and will review as a group the material on that facet
provided in Chapter 4 of Understanding by Design. After a 15 minute
planning period, each group should be prepared to perform a brief
presentation (under five minutes) that describes and interprets the facet for
other cohort members. To assist in future recall of the facets, and as an
aid for visual learners, each group should design or develop a logo, an icon,
or mnemonic device that
represents some of the major concepts associated with the facet. Each
group should also include a few examples from their teaching in which the
facet could be used. You will notice a new graphic icon beside many of the
class activities throughout the remainder of this solution. In an effort to
model the six facets of understanding, the designers for this solution have
labeled many of the activities with the facet of understanding that is
being addressed.
 Click on the icon for a brief description of the facet.
Now that you have experienced writing an enduring understanding and
essential questions, you need to turn your attention to writing them for a
specific unit. Identify one six-week period for which you will develop a
comprehensive unit using the concepts from Understanding by Design.
Think of a six-week block of
time in which your teaching covers a topic you are really interested in.
Since you will be dedicating a lot of time to refining
this unit, make sure it is in a topic that either interests you or is a
needed topic for raising student test scores. Your first task will be to
identify the enduring understanding and essential questions you will
address in your planning.
Use this time to make sure you are clear on enduring understandings and
essential questions. Your peers and Mentor are available to assist you in
your preliminary planning. In later classes you will add additional
components to the Six-Week Framework, and you will present your framework
to your peers and Mentor in a brief oral presentation during the last class for this solution. For now, just focus on writing enduring
understandings and essential questions.
Your Six-Week Framework will include the
five main components listed below.
This Six-Week Framework will be combined with your Curriculum Maps for the
year and your Assessment Blueprint to produce a complete curriculum plan.
Take a few minutes and review the Sample
Six Weeks Framework to help ground your thinking as you begin work on
your framework.
- Summary – brief summary of the unit including:
Grade level:
Timeframe: rough estimate of days
Discipline:
Subject:
Calendar: Begin and end dates or six week designation
- Enduring Understanding
- Essential Questions
- Internet Resource Links
- WHERE
- Where is the unit going?
- Hook the student
- Equip the student, explore the subject
- Rethink and revise opportunities
- Evaluate performance and progress
Your Mentor will guide your cohort members through a reflection on
topics and concepts presented during this class. You will then be given an
opportunity to provide feedback
about your
learning experience by rating the usefulness of Learning Events in helping
you address the Essential Questions for this class. Go to Feedback to complete the Class
1 Feedback Loop.
Read
chapters 1-4 in Understanding By Design.
© Quality Learning 2002
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