Backward Design and
its stages
Understanding by Design
Wiggins and McTighe (2004)
“To begin with the end in mind means to start with a
clear understanding of your destination. It means to
know where you’re going so that you better understand
where you are now so that the steps you take are
always in the right direction” (McTighe and
Wiggins,2004, p.1).
This three-stage
planning approach
(backward design)
makes sense. So, why
do you call it
“backward” design?
Agenda
Clarifications
Round Table UbD stage 1
by the teacher
1. Sharing stage 1 example
2. Instructions for team work
3. Start stage 1 (first term)
Round table
In the round table you will dialogue about Guiding topics
the text Backward Design and Stage 1 by
Wiggins and McTighe (2004). Your role is to 1. The role of the teacher in UbD.
share what your understand about the text
and present your doubts or parts that are
unclear to you.
2. Stage 1 Identify desired results:
The dialogue should not be used to assert
intention and the five
opinions. components.
By the end of the round table, a leader must
report common understandings and main 3. Stage 2 Determine Acceptable
doubts. Evidence: intention, types of
evidences.
4. Stage 3: Plan learning
experiences and instruction:
intention and features.
Conclusions Saturday
• Common understandings:
• Doubts
Backward Design and its stages
A role of teachers
Teachers are designers. An essential act of our
profession is the crafting of curriculum and
learning experiences to meet specified
purposes.
We are not free to teach any topic we choose
by any means, instead, we are guided by
national, state or institutional standards
that specify what students should know and be
able to do.
Thus, teachers as curriculum designers, are to think first
about the learning sought and the evidences of that
learning, and then think about we, as teachers, will do or
provide in teaching and learning activities.
What are the stages?
Where do you start PLAN LEARNING EXPERIENCES
AND INSTRUCTION
Stage three is about planning
the means to achieve the
learning goals. Here you are to
consider the necessary
teaching and learning activities
and resources to help students
DETERMINE ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE
achieve the goals.
Stage two is about the assessment
you need to evidence that students
have achieved the desired learning.
In this stage you decide through
what evaluative tasks would your
student evidence their
understandings.
IDENTIFY DESIRED RESULTS
Stage one is about clarifying the
learning you seek. In this stage
you are expected to consider
what students should know,
understand and be able to do
with the target language.
Stage zero is the analysis of the
environment and the needs.
And what are the key
elements for each
stage? PLAN LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND
INSTRUCTION
Learning plan considering WHERETO
• Know Where, Why and What
• Are Hooked
• Explore and Experience
• Rethink, rehearse, revise, refine
• Evaluate
• Tailored and Flexible
• Organized
DETERMINE ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE
(formal and informal)
• Performance tasks and rubrics
• Other evidence (observation, quizzes,
tests, observations, projects,
prompted writing or speaking,)
• Self-assessments
IDENTIFY DESIRED RESULTS
• Established goals: (content standards (national,
state, district), curriculum expectations)
• Enduring understandings
• Essential questions that guide
inquiry
• Key knowledge and skills
Stage 1- Identify desire results
Stage 1- Identify desire results
BLR #5
For next class
• Read Tips for writing objectives (Available in Campus Virtual)
• Complete the example Stage 1 with the assigned BLR
REVIEW
• Why is Backward Design given its name?
• What are the 3 stages of UbD?
• What is the purpose of stage 1?
• What are the components of stage 1?
• What is Established Goals about? How is this element developed? How are
goals written?
• What is Understandings about? How should they be presented
• What is Essential Questions about? What are their characteristics?
• What is Knowledge about?
• What is Skills about?
