Thursday, January 26, 2023

Systematic Instructional Design

If you don't know where you are going,  how will you know how to get there?


This set of Readings, Watchings, Listenings, and Doings (RWLDs) will prepare you for the "Systematic Instructional Design" lecture and help you plan an interdisciplinary thematic unit of instruction.  The team assignment that we will concentrate on creating during our labs.



Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a teaching approach designed to address the needs and abilities of all learners. It is designed to eliminate the unnecessary barriers to the learning process that some people experience. This involves creating a flexible learning environment where learners engage in new material in various ways.  New information is presented to learners in multiple formats. Students are provided multiple options for demonstrating that they have learned the new material. 

The following 5-minute video provides an easy-to-understand foundation of Universal Design for Learning.



Developing Instruction Using Backwards Design

Designing instruction requires more than a good idea. It requires an educator to begin with the end in mind and then design instruction that will lead to mastery of the desired outcome. This is called Backward Design. 

Here is a video that uses the metaphor of planning a trip to describe Backward Design.


Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?  If you don't know where you will be going, you won't be able to figure out how to get there.

Backward Design is the basis for an instructional design system called Understanding by Design.

The Understanding by Design framework has 3 parts:
  1. Identify Desired Results
    • What will students know?
    • What will students be able to do?
  2. Determine Acceptable Evidence
    • What performance will meaning-making and transfer
  3. Create the Learning Plans
    • Learning Plan (instruction)
    • Learning Activities (experiences)
Bernajean Porter does a good job of explaining the aspects of Understanding by Design. Her most significant point is that starting with the "End in Mind" is just common sense.


Understanding by Design
is a framework that provides direction for unit lesson planning. It begins by identifying the desired outcomes and results and then planning to achieve them.

Putting It All Together with TPACK
Teaching and Learning through technology is much more than just using Powerpoint and Twitter. It is an integration of Technology, Pedagogy (Teaching Strategies), and Content Knowledge.  The Venn diagram below shows how each of these areas can combine and impact the others.  Certain forms of Technology can be used to support specific teaching strategies (Pedagogy).  That is the TPK intersection.  Specific forms of pedagogy are used to teach specific forms of Content Knowledge.  Ultimately the TPACK educator is interested in teaching in the "sweet spot" in the middle where all three areas are fully integrated.
    Reproduced by permission of the publisher, © 2012 by tpack.org
Read more about the TPACK model (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) which we consider a framework that identifies the knowledge teachers need to teach effectively with technology.  

You can also watch this video which provides a brief introduction to TPACK in 2 minutes. 

 
Prepare for Your Thematic Unit
Find the Thematic Unit Description project requirements in eLearning. Familiarize yourself with the expectations and resources provided for your first big project in the course.

This week's lecture describes how you can select specific Iowa Curricular Standards to use as the targets when you are designing your Thematic Unit.