Chapter 3: Gaining Clarity on our Goals

            It is certain that when we plan, we have an objective, but what happen in this process? Why we can plan but we cannot do everything?
In this chapter,Wiggins and Mc Tighe tell us about the difficulties in design,they call them,the twin sins, the first one has to do with the aimless of content and the other one has to  do with the isolated and desconected activities that don't help to students' learning process.
             When we plan, we have to decide what to teach,what to leave out,what to emphasize, and what to minimize only if there are agreedbupon priorities related to exit-level objectives (W. and Mc T).I think that often it is difficult to carry on, because we need a lot of time to analize every single class and think what  is the best way for that particular class.
              Also they talk about the differences between Understanding and Knowledge, the first one is define as a constructivist result of attempts by learners to make sense of the work and lessons,using reflection, performance and inquiry.On the other hand Knowledge is described as a summary of facts and concepts that are gained from learning and teaching activities.
              According to the authors, there are three common problems when attempting to ue the standars for educational planing, one of them is the overload problem, it has to do with the contents and time,there is too much content to present and there is not enough time to teach it, so we have to select, and think what is the best way to do it. the second one is called the Goldilocks problem, this has to do with too big standards and this doesn't help to teachers and students' learning process and finally the last one has to do with no clear instructions and information on a same theme, so teachers can interpret in a different way according their own appreciation.
              As a conclusion I can say that there is no a single way to design our plan, there is no the only one, it is related to students necessity, so goals can vary.

Understanding by Design Chapter 1: Backward Design

              Design is not an easy work,as teachers, we are constantly designing, planning and preparing our work,which is focus on our students.As designers, we have to be involved of our audience, that is to say, the students.When we design, we have to consider the diverse student interests,developmental level,large classes and previous achievements must always shape our thinking about the learning activities, assignments and assessments. As teachers we cannot teach what we want just because it is our choice. We have to follow some instututional standars or the national curriculum.In both cases, it is supposed to know what the students need, should know and be able to do.
               According to Grant Wiggins and Jay Mc Tighe in Understanding by Design, there are three -stage approach to planning, they call them "backward design".
First; Identify desired results: What students should know,be able to do and understand. I this stage we have to consider our purpose or objective, and what  we can really do during that period.
Second; determine acceptable evidence: In this stage we have to know if students have achieved the desired results, we need to have evidence that it works and it can be apply to our students.
Third; Plan learning experiences and instruction: In this stage, when we have the evidence and we have already  identified the results, now we can think in the most appropiate instructional activity.
               Finally as a  conclusion,desing is not easy, we have to pay attention  to many things before planning,we have to be clear in what to teach and how to teach it,knowing the three stage that I explain before,and obviously there is no just one way to do it, it always depends on our students.


Marcela. 

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Como funciona esta cosa ah?