»Backward Design

Step 1: Identify Desired Results

Start by identifying the goals or outcomes of the course – the end results. Consider the following questions:

• What should students hear, read, view, explore or otherwise encounter?
• What knowledge and skills should students master?
• What big ideas and important understandings should students retain?

Once we have identified what we want students to learn, we can determine how that learning will be measured.

Step 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence

How will we know if the students have achieved the desired outcomes? What kinds of evidence are acceptable as evidence of students’ understanding and proficiency? In this step, we need to consider the assessment evidence we need to document that the desired learning has been achieved. It is important to consider a wide range of assessment methods and ensure that they match the learning goals. Assessment methods can include:

• Papers
• Short-answer quizzes
• Free-response questions
• Homework assignments
• Lab projects
• Practice problems
• Group projects
• And many more

Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

Now that we have identified the desirable results and appropriate assessment tools, we can begin to plan instructional activities. Consider the following questions when planning these activities:

• What enabling knowledge (facts, concepts, principles) and skills (processes, procedures, strategies) will students need in order to perform effectively and achieve desired results?
• What activities will equip students with the needed knowledge and skills?
• What will need to be taught and coached, and how should it best be taught, in light of performance goals?
• What materials and resources are best suited to accomplish these goals?

A range of instructional strategies can be used, including:

• Group discussions
• Interactive lectures and think-pair-shares
• Flipped classroom
• Team-based and project-based learning
• Guided note-taking
• Guided inquiry for problem-solving

As you begin to design your course, try to implement these steps and strategies to create a more learner-centered, engaging course that results in effective assessments and learning activities that help students achieve the course outcomes.