Understanding By Design With Blended learning and E-Portfolios

Creating significant learning environments requires creating significant learning experiences. The significant learning environment should be learner-centered with inquiry, collaboration, digital learning, COVA, accountable talk, and more. The significant learning plan turns talk into action. It is important to have a plan that aligns outcomes, activities, and assessments and takes CSLE into account so that learners are able to learn authentically and make connections in order to ACTUALLY learn in a meaningful way. In the 21st century, educators are responsible for helping their students develop 21st-century skills such as collaboration, communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and innovation as students need to be prepared to be lifelong learners and learn HOW to learn. This works with my innovation plan because students will use ePortfolios in a blended learning environment to show their connections, reflections, and give evidence of skill development. The significant learning plan prepares students for lifelong learning.

Based on my 3 column table, I looked at one learning outcome and dug deeper into it to create a specific plan referred to as an Understanding by Design Template, or UbD Template (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). Completing the UbD Template took the outcomes from the 3 column table a step further by showing exactly how those goals would be reached through 3 stages – desired results, assessment evidence, and learning plan. 

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Comparison Chart
3 Column Table vs UbD

An alternative taxonomy to Bloom is Dee Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning. This is a non-hierarchical taxonomy that focuses on the interaction of six dimensions of significant learning: Foundational, Application, Integration, Human Dimension, Caring, and Learning How to Learn. Working through these dimensions with my PLC, we wrote a 3 Column Table for our innovation plans that starts with a “Big Hairy Audacious Goal” and demonstrates project based outcomes.  I was then able to transfer those ideas to a plan for my classroom. Fink’s Taxonomy is really a picture of my learning theory. 

Another design plan my PLC worked on together is based on the work of Wiggins and McTighe using Understanding by Design (2005). Our UbD template provides a much more detailed framework with a consideration of standards, while still allowing room for project based learning. The UbD focuses on 3 Stages of Learning: Desired Results, Assessment Evidence, and Learning Evidence.  

Although there are some very clear differences between to the two designs, they both serve their own purpose in creating a significant learning environment for our learners. Using the appropriate template in correlation with my innovation plan will continue to build self-directed learners with authentic learning opportunities.

References

  • Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed. 30th anniversary ed. New York: Continuum.
  • Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (expanded second ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.