Understanding by Design?

Question

Had a few training sessions on this and am wondering if there are teachers out there who have tried this in their own classes. I am rather sceptical about its success if this is imposed on kids between the ages of 6-8. What's your view?

Answer 1

It's not so much a teaching method as a planning method. It's entirely logical. Rather than base your learning goals on the lessons, you base your lessons on the learning goals. Start with what you want the students to learn, figure out how you'll identify whether or not they've learned it, and then design the lessons. UbD also asks educators to prioritize learning goals in terms of enduring understandings. Teachers identify the most important information that students need to take with them and remember fifty years down the road, and build their units and lessons around those enduring understandings. Rather than expect students to memorize minute details like, "The Loyalists migrated to Louisiana in 1783", a teacher should expect that students understand the difficulties faced by refugees and the receiving communities when large populations move.

I don't really see how this wouldn't work with ANY students of any age!

Answer 2

Here's a way to find out what the effectiveness of the method is: ask for citationns of controlled studies of the methods outcomes.

I'm not familiar with this particular teaching method--but if its like most of the ones floating around out there, you'll find there are no scientific studies--just someone's opinion. But fair warning--when you ask for actual evidence, you are likely to get a hostile response--the purveyors of these fads don't like being asked to back up their claims.

But give it a fair chance--some of these methodologies actually are good. Although every good one I've ever seen is essentially a restatement of methods that have been around for decades.

Answer 3

yes
I`m using this and it works!
in Psychology there are tests just like that that help you find somebody`s personality!