Objectives

 Define backward design

 Explain the advantages of backward planning
 Describe the three design principles
 Provide examples of how you would use backward design
Activate Prior Knowledge

Reflect on your teaching.

 Do you teach lesson by lesson in the teacher’s manual?

 Do you know the end goal of your instruction for the unit?
 Do you run out of time to teach a specific concept?
 Does your assessment match what you taught?
What is Backward Design?

 “A specific process for planning units of study. You

begin by deciding what you want the final results of
your instruction to be, and then you plan backwards to
figure out how to get there” (Isecke & Conklin, 2011,
p.21)

 It is also referred to as Understanding by Design

(UbD), backward planning, backward mapping
Why do you need to know this?

 Teachers: You want your students to

understand the big picture, the relevance
of what they are learning, and to organize
it into a meaningful way.

 Instructional Designer: You want to

design instruction that aligns with the
goal.
Vacation Example

 You want to go to Hawaii and have an

adventurous time. So now that you know
your destination, you have to go back
and plan your activities, what to pack,
and places to eat.

 Similarly, the backward design process

you start with the desired results. Then
you plan the assessment and instruction.
Three Stages of Backward Design

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3

Plan
Identify
Determine the Learning
Desired Assessment Experiences
Results Evidence and
Instructions
Stage 1: Identify Desired Results

Ask yourself:

 What are the “big ideas” for this unit?

 What is the essential question?
 How does this align with the Common
Core State Standards or learning targets?
 Examples: Fables Unit
 Big Idea-understand how authors write
stories in order for the students to create
their own fable
 Essential Questions: What makes a story
a fable?
 Standard: Understand the central
message and literary elements in fables
Stage 2: Determine the Assessment Evidence

Ask yourself:

 How will the students demonstrate what

they learned?
 How will I know the students met the
learning targets or standards?
 What type of assessments will give me the
most valuable information about what my
students are able to do?
 How will I provide student feedback?
 Examples of Assessments:
 Formative, summative, authentic, progress
monitoring,
Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences and Instructions

Ask yourself:

 What instructional methods will I use to

engage my students?
 Are the students involved in constructing
their own meaning about the big idea?
 Are the activities relevant and
motivating?
 Will they be able to apply what they
learned to the real world?
 Examples:
 small group discussions, project-based
learning, inquiry-based assignments
Application

 Think of a standard or big idea that you want

students to know and be able to do.

 Now use the backward design model to plan

that unit using all three stages.

 Was this process different than what you are

used to?

 In your opinion, what are the advantages and

disadvantages of using this framework to plan
your instruction?

15/12/2018
 References
Graphic organizer [Digital image]. (2017). Retrieved from https://pxhere.com/en/photo/837347

Hexagon [Digital image]. (2017). Retrieved from

https://pixabay.com/en/industry-industry-4-network-points-2630319

Isecke, H., & Conklin, W. (2011). Backwards planning. Huntington Beach, CA: Shell Education.

Kdvandeventer (Photographer). (2012). Napali coast kauai [digital image]. Retrieved from

https://pixabay.com/en/napali-coast-kauai-nawiliwili-91676/
 References
Poster [Digital image]. (2017). Retrieved from https://pxhere.com/en/photo/722956

Terovesalainen(Photographer). (2017). Lightbulb [digital image]. Retrieved from

https://pixabay.com/en/thought-idea-innovation-imagination-2123970/

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2008). Put understanding first. Educational Leadership, 65(8), 36-41.

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by design. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill

Prentice Hall.