Week 2 Assignment #3

 Understanding by Design and Backward design 

After watching the videos by Grant Wiggins I have a deeper understanding of Backward Design and Understanding by Design.  Understanding by Design consists of the steps taken to prepare for how content is going to be taught. It is not the act of teaching, but a layout of how you wish to teach a particular topic. Understanding by Design encompasses the long and short term goals within the desired curriculum.  

Backward Design is a concept of teaching curriculum by first identifying and making clear what goals you wish your students to achieve. The next step of backward design is assessing how you are going to facilitate your students to achieve these goals.  The final step of backward design incorporates all the learning materials and activities that are going to allow for the learning to occur.  

Backward design begins with the end goal in mind. This concept is referred to as backward design because the planning process starts with what you want the students to understand at the end of the lesson. Once that is identified,the teacher can judge how their students will get to an understanding of concept or goal.  The final piece of backward design is all the activities and learning experiences that will help show the teacher that the students understand the concept.