Apr 09 2008
Course Design Resources
Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe provide helpful course design strategies in Understanding by Design. One of the most compelling portions of their work is their presentation of backwards design, a process that forefronts the results we want students to achieve and then works backwards through acceptable evidence that students have achieved those results and through learning experiences and instruction that support students’ progress.
Backwards Design – Enduring Understanding
Wiggins and McTighe begin backwards design by asking faculty to consider what students should develop an enduring understanding of, what is important for students to know and do, and what is worth knowing. The first worksheet in this packet is designed to help you consider these categories for English 110.
Backwards Design – Acceptable Evidence of Learning
The next step in backwards design is determining acceptable evidence. How do we know that students have met the objectives or achieved our desired results? The second worksheet in this packet is designed to help you brainstorm assignments and classroom activities that might provide evidence that students have met learning outcomes.
Backwards Design – Learning Experiences and Instruction
Finally, Wiggins and McTighe encourage teachers to brainstorm what learning experiences and instruction students will need to successfully progress towards the desired outcomes. For instance, what do we need to teach students about source use and what types of practice can we provide them in order to help them prepare to synthesize research to support an argument? The third worksheet focuses on learning experiences.
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Shared Outcomes for English 110 (Objectives & Experiences)
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Worth being familiar with… |
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Important to know and do… |
Writing to persuade by analyzing, interpreting, researching, synthesizing, and evaluating a wide variety of sources |
Writing to academic audiences, writing to non-academic audiences, and writing for one’s own purposes Writing on the spot (determining the audience and purpose of given writing situations) Opportunities for oral presentation of their work/writing |
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Enduring understanding… |
A more sophisticated writing process—including invention, peer responding, revising and editing—that results in a clear, effective, well edited public piece. |
A more sophisticated understanding of the relationship of purpose, audience, and voice, and an awareness that writing expectations and conventions vary within the academy and in professional and public discourse. |
An appreciation for the capacity of writing to change oneself and the world. |
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Designing Your Course: Determine Acceptable Evidence
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Shared Outcomes/ Learning Goals |
A more sophisticated writing process—including invention, peer responding, revising and editing—that results in a clear, effective, well edited public piece. |
A more sophisticated understanding of the relationship of purpose, audience, and voice, and an awareness that writing expectations and conventions vary within the academy and in professional and public discourse. |
An appreciation for the capacity of writing to change oneself and the world. |
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Acceptable Evidence (Assignments, Projects, Graded Activities, etc.)
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Designing Your Course: Determine Acceptable Evidence – Example
This example reflects Jessie’s backwards course design, integrating the environmental sustainability initiative while remaining focused on the English 110 objectives.
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Shared Outcomes/ Learning Goals |
A more sophisticated writing process—including invention, peer responding, revising and editing—that results in a clear, effective, well edited public piece. |
A more sophisticated understanding of the relationship of purpose, audience, and voice, and an awareness that writing expectations and conventions vary within the academy and in professional and public discourse. |
An appreciation for the capacity of writing to change oneself and the world. |
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Acceptable Evidence (Assignments, Projects, Graded Activities, etc.)
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Designing Your Course: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction
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Objective 2 or Specific Assignment: | Objective 3 or Specific Assignment: | |
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What knowledge and skills will students need to participate in class activities? To master course content?
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What activities will equip students with the needed knowledge and skills?
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What experiences will help students meet the learning objectives?
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Designing Your Course: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction – Example
This example reflects Jessie’s backwards course design, integrating the environmental sustainability initiative while remaining focused on the English 110 objectives.
| Objective 1 or Specific Assignment: Self-managed writing process
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Objective 2 or Specific Assignment: Multi-genre project – rhetorical situations | Objective 3 or Specific Assignment: Capacity of writing – proposal assignment | |
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What knowledge and skills will students need to participate in class activities? To master course content?
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What activities will equip students with the needed knowledge and skills?
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What experiences will help students meet the learning objectives?
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Tags: course design