Significant Learning Plan with UbD
Teaching with the end in mind has been taught to me, ever since I started looking into teaching as a career. Not knowing where you are directing your students, is like driving at top speed down the road with no idea on how to get to the destination. You are making really good time, but you are not really going anywhere. The same is true in teaching. The backward design of planning is described in the book Understanding by Design (UbD), by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe (2005). Based on this book I have created a course, starting with the end in mind.
This type of course planning is similar to Fink's, but with the focus on a three stage process; identifying desired results, determining acceptable evidence, and finally planning learning experiences (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). I can see both types of course design to be practical in course planning. Where Fink's plan is focused on the broader scope of knowledge types (2003), UbD focus is on the specifics of knowledge and skills of the learner. I see Fink's as a road map to your destination and UbD as the planned stops along the way. I believe that I will use both for my innovation plan. As the end destination, effective use of iPads in classrooms is a goal, but there is a journey and events that will occur during that journey.
Below is my backward designed plan using the Understanding by Design plan to Create Reflective Digital Learning Experiences. The focus of the plan is for teachers to learn how to increase the reflective learning experience for their students. As this is plan is set in a 1:1 iPad school and the goal of the innovation plan is to increase the use of the iPads, the plan references heavily on the use of iPads to complete the course. It is more important for the focus to be placed on the learning objective and not the technology tool. However, as the goal is for the teachers to get a better understanding of the iPad's use in the classroom, I have designed my course in such a manner. While teachers are completing the planned course, repeated reminders of focus on the learning objective and not the technology will be reinforced.
References
Fink, L. D. (2003) Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Wiggins, G. P. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design, expanded 2nd edition. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
