UbD

My growing and changing mindset in creating and developing lesson plans, course goals and assessments is becoming more clear to me each week. Last week, I developed a learning goal outline by using Fink's "A Self-Directed Guide to Designing Courses for Significant Learning" and Harapnuik's Mapping the Learning. This week I dug a little deeper in designing a unit plan for my BHAG by using the UbD outlined by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe in Understanding by Design. Fink's 3 column guided me in formulating significant learning goals in a simple straightforward template. While the UbD template had me developing a more specific unit plan to met those goals already set forth. The difference in the two methods is simplicity on designing the lesson plan with UbD template while I feel the Fink's 3 column is not as easy to follow in lining out the course lesson plans, goals, and assessments.

I have enjoyed learning, applying and now adding both of these into my teaching toolbox. And look forward to placing my "understanding" of these models in my Innovation plan for the course fall 2017. I find the UbD method an easier template to develop and follow. And I plan on using this method in developing more UbD templates for the other skills outlined in the course syllabus, student learning outcomes and my Innovation plan. The UbD templates seems to lend a clear path for health care training. While the 3 column approach works will with academic lesson planning. But will keep the 3 column on the sideline to bring into the game. Since I do teach several courses in the eye care technology program where the 3 column will provide a better approach in developing lesson plans. In comparison of the two tools; the UbD is a direct approach in developing knowledge and skills, while the 3 column direction is developing activities and assessments to met the learning goals.

References

McTighe, J., (2017). Designing tools & downloads [Supplemental material]. Retrieved from: http://jaymctighe.com/resources/downloads/

Wiggins, G.P., & McTighe, J.,(2005). Understanding by design, expanded 2nd edition. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.