Thursday, October 15, 2015
Blog #7 Backward Design and the Diverse Learner Unit
What is the value of Backward Design, what are the drawbacks, and how do you think Backward Design can play a role in your future classroom? Be sure you can make a connection between what you are learning and how you will use it in your future classes. Consult the article "Principles of Backward Design" on Moodle if you feel you need to refer to it. Blog by Sunday, Oct. 18 and respond to group mates by class time Wednesday, Oct. 21st. Remember that posting and responding on time are crucial to authentic interactions, since this is a Writing Intensive class, so stay timely with Blogs! :-)
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I think one of the values of backwards design is that it helps the students to be prepared and to know what the teachers require of them. It also helps the teacher to be organized and know what he or she will teach for a specific unit. Some drawbacks could be that some students may be overwhelmed when they see the unit planned out for the semester or even the first few weeks. They may not want to do it and already become uninterested because it is organized and they prefer a free range time to complete a unit or assignment. I think Backwards Design can play an important role in my classroom because it can keep us on track for the semester and i won't have to worry about coming up with ideas and lessons to teach when i already have everything written down. Backwards Design can also be used in my future classroom by being a guide for the students in knowing what to expect at different times throughout the unit, and for subs so they can know what to do when i am gone.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you about the values and drawbacks of backwards design, I was pretty much on the same track as you. I also agree with you on not having to worry about coming up with ideas and lessons to teach during the unit since you will already have everything figured out.
DeleteAs a student, I really like knowing what I'm going to be doing at the end. I understand why those students don't like knowing because I too can be easily overwhelmed. I didn't think about backwards design being used as an organizational aspect!
DeleteThe value of backwards design is that it allows the teacher to develop the end result, and then work backwards to create everything between which can be a lot easier than the other way around. A drawback may be that some students may not like seeing the end result before completely knowing what they will be doing in the rest of the unit. Backwards design will definitely play a role in my future classroom because I think its so much easier to create the unit when you know exactly where its headed and what you want your students to know. Making the unit plans in class now was much easier than I had first anticipated because I started with what I would want my final project to be, and what they would have to know to complete that. Then I was able to create my lesson plans based on the final project, and the day by day things we would learn in the class so that everything would be efficient.
ReplyDeleteBackwards design will definitely be used in my classroom as well! Did it take you long to create your lesson plans since you already created your final project/assessment?
DeleteI agree that as teachers we should have everything planned out and ready to go for the class, and i too will definitely use backwards design in my classroom. It was somewhat confusing for me when we had to start our lesson plans with what the final project might be because i am used to doing things in order, so that kind of threw me off.
DeleteI think that backward design is a great way to help students see what they should take away or understand at the end of a unit or lesson. When students know what their final project or assessment is they can ask questions when they know they do not understand something that they may need to know for later. Teachers can benefit from backward design because if they know what they want students to learn by the end, then they can make lesson plans or activities that will help accomplish that goal. When everyone understand what is going to be done each day or what is going to be done by the end of the unit, they will have an easier time teaching or learning because everyone shares a common goal. I will use this in my classroom for units because I will want my students to know what they will be doing and I want to make effective activities for them to learn the material. A drawback could be for apathetic kids because if they see this whole unit of things to do, they may hate some activities or topic and decide right away that they are not doing. It can also stress students out if they see the work that needs to be done and then the final project, they can become overwhelmed.
ReplyDeleteI haven't thought about how backward design can stress students out, but now that I do, you are totally right. I think that I tend to be like that as well. I also agree with you that activities must be effective in order for students to actually learn.
DeleteI never really thought that backward design could be a drawback especially when used correctly but, you raise a fair point.
DeleteA value of Backwards Design is having the end result already finished, instead writing or planning a test or project the night before. Using backwards design, especially if a teacher decides to do a project some students will already be planning and getting their "creative juices" flowing. Although some students don't like to be told what the ending project will be because they can find that overwhelming, especially if it is a long unit.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I prefer to use Backwards Design because I can focus more on how I will model or present the information to my students instead of worrying about how I am going to assess them.
I think that as a teacher one of the harder parts of doing backwards design in the classroom is dealing with those students who won't to do the final project because they may feel like they can't or may be overwhelmed. Even though the student may not like it, it is more convenient for the teacher.
DeleteI agree that some students may not like knowing the end project first, but its personally more preferable.
DeleteI agree that some students may not like knowing the end project first, but its personally more preferable.
DeleteI think that backward design is an important element to bring to the classroom because it allows for students to know exactly what is expected from them. In the case of an early childhood setting, it is still a beneficial idea because then the parents are in the loop of what their child is going to be learning about next. I do really like the concept of backward design but I am not sure that it should be used in every classroom for every single unit because we as teachers need to find ways to mix up the classrooms curriculum. So, backward design is indeed a great option, just not used all the time.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it may not need to be used for all units or classes but it is still a great option. Its not only good for students, teachers can benefit from it greatly as well.
DeleteI think you you have described backward design exactly how it needed to be because I agree.
DeleteI think backward design is important because it makes both the teacher and the students jobs easier. It helps the teacher because since the test was designed first the teacher knows what to teach to the student which is how it helps the students because the information they get from the teaching and assignments. A drawback is that some students will see how you have it planned out and do the homework last minute or they could lose the assignment schedule and fall behind because they don't want to ask for help. When I teach I will use backwards design as much as possible unless I can't because I don't want to make any unit feel forced from the beginning. To connect it to how I'm learning when I made my unit design the first thing I did was figure out what my final project was and built off that.
ReplyDeleteI also think it is really helpful to figure out what you want the final to be first, and then great lessons and activities that will help students reach the final goal.
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