Demystifying Understanding by Design: A Beginner’s Guide

Introduction

As a beginner in the field of education, Understanding by Design (UbD) may sound like a complex term that you have never heard of before. However, even as a beginner, UbD can provide a solid framework for creating effective lesson plans and curriculum design.

In this article, we will unravel the complexity behind UbD and help you understand the basics of UbD. We will discuss its purpose, key concepts, and how it can benefit you as an educator.

What is Understanding by Design (UbD)?

UbD is an educational framework created by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe. The framework is designed to focus on teaching for understanding, which means that learners should be able to transfer their knowledge and skills to new situations.

The primary goal of UbD is to help teachers understand how to design curriculum or lesson plans that lead to student understanding. When designing for understanding, the focus is not on activities, but on the desired results of learning.

The Key Concepts of UbD

To understand how to create an effective UbD lesson or curriculum, we must first understand its key concepts. The following are the essential elements of UbD:

• Backward Design: UbD is a backward design process. This means that the teacher works backward from the desired learning outcomes to create lesson plans that allow for the acquisition of those outcomes.
• Alignment: UbD requires that all elements of the lesson or curriculum are aligned with the desired learning outcomes.
• Assessment: UbD emphasizes the importance of assessment in the learning process. The assessment should be aligned with the learning outcomes and should allow for students to demonstrate their understanding.

How Can UbD Benefit You as an Educator?

There are many benefits to using the UbD framework, including:

• Clarity: UbD helps ensure that all lesson plans and curriculums have a clear focus on the learning outcomes.
• Student-Centered: UbD makes teaching student-centered by designing activities and assessments that focus on understanding and transfer of that understanding.
• Maximizes Learning: UbD helps ensure that all aspects of a lesson or curriculum are aligned with the desired learning outcomes.

Examples of Using UbD in the Classroom

Let’s take a look at an example lesson plan created using the UbD framework:

• Desired learning outcome: Students will understand the concept of climate change and its impact on ecosystems.
• Assessment: Students will create a presentation on the impact of climate change on a particular ecosystem.
• Activities: Students will research the effects of climate change on ecosystems and create a presentation on their findings.

Conclusion

UbD is an effective framework for creating learning experiences that lead to understanding. By understanding its key concepts and using it in the classroom, teachers can help students develop transferable knowledge and skills.

Remember, UbD is a backward design process that emphasizes alignment and assessment. By focusing on these elements and creating student-centered learning opportunities, educators can maximize learning outcomes in the classroom.