Partial profile · Book Profile — full narrative profile planned
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A book that presents the 'backward design' framework for educators to create curriculum, instruction, and assessments focused on developing deep, enduring student understanding and the ability to transfer learning.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
Are you an educator frustrated by students who can 'parrot back' information for a test but can't apply it in new situations? Do you struggle with the pressure to 'cover' vast amounts of content, only to find that students forget most of it? 'Understanding by Design' provides a powerful and practical solution to these common challenges. Authors Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe introduce the revolutionary yet common-sense 'backward design' process, a three-stage framework that starts with the end in mind. Instead of beginning with textbooks and favorite activities, you'll learn to first clarify your learning goals, focusing on the 'big ideas' and enduring understandings you want students to acquire. You'll then design assessments that provide authentic evidence of that understanding, and finally, craft learning experiences that are engaging, effective, and purposefully aligned to your goals. This book will transform your approach to curriculum planning, leading to more coherent units, more engaged students, and, most importantly, learners who truly understand and can use what they've learned long after the test is over.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- An educator (teacher, curriculum designer, or administrator) who is dedicated to their students' success and wants to create meaningful, effective, and engaging learning experiences. They want to move beyond superficial content coverage to foster deep, lasting understanding that empowers students for the future.
- The problem
- Educators are overwhelmed by expansive content standards, packed textbooks, and pressure to 'cover' a vast amount of material, leading to curriculum that is a 'mile wide and an inch deep'. Students are often disengaged, forget what they've learned shortly after the test, and struggle to apply their knowledge to real-world problems. Educators feel frustrated that their hard work isn't translating into durable student learning. They feel conflicted between the desire to teach for deep understanding and the pressure to prepare students for standardized tests. They worry they are just 'teaching, testing, and hoping for the best,' without a clear sense of their impact.
- The plan
- Stage 1: Identify Desired Results. Start by clarifying your goals, focusing on the big ideas, enduring understandings, and essential questions you want students to grasp.
- Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence. Think like an assessor and decide how you will know that students have achieved the desired results. Design authentic performance tasks that require students to apply their understanding.
- Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction. Design lessons and activities using the WHERETO principles that will equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed on the assessments and achieve understanding.
- The payoff
- Educators design more coherent, purposeful, and intellectually engaging curriculum. · Students achieve deep, enduring understanding of important ideas. · Students can transfer their knowledge and skills to new situations and authentic, real-world challenges.