Backward+Design

=**Description of the Approach**= Traditional curriculum design begins with identifying content. Once content is identified, activities are planned to teach and reinforce the content. Finally, assessments are developed to evaluate what the students learned. Wiggins and Tighe suggests that this method of curriculum design is ineffective.

According to Wiggins and Tighe, Backward Design is a process that should begin at the end. Educators should first determine what students should know by the end of a unit. Next, decide on the proper assessments, which could include discussions, quizzes, tests, projects, journaling, and any other formal or informal form of assessment. Finally, plan learning activities and instruction that will assist students with achieving the desired goals and objectives for the unit.

Overall, Backward Design is difficult to implement, initially, because it is very different from what educators are used to practicing. However, it is an effective approach to curriculum design. Why? Students know Where the unit is going (the big ideas), teachers use a Hook to spark student curiosity, they Equip and Enable students through Experiences and Explorations, students Rethink, Reflect, and Revise their understandings throughout the learning, teachers Evaluate and give feedback, lessons are Tailored to the needs, talents, interests, and abilities of the students, and lessons and activities are Organized (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, p. 207).

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). //Understanding by design (expanded second edition)//. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.

= **Information Resources** =

**Book**
Understanding by Design by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design (Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe, 2006)

**YouTube Video**
Backward Design EDC

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**Website**

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= **Discussion Board** =

=What are strategies and Ideas for implementation?=


 * One strategy for implementing Backward Design at the school or district level is to provide support through offering professional development opportunities that will foster a clear understanding of this form of curriculum design.
 * The UbD strategy that we use for our foreign language curriculum has worked well. We began with a clear goal of what vocabulary and structural content would be assessed, then we designed a three-part assessement strategy (an Integrated Performance Assessment), and finally, we designed our instructional units and lessons. (Kelly N.)