We started with the difference between backward (adjective) and backwards (adverb). Then we got onto the actual focus of the presession. It was very useful.
Backward design that you are designing backwards.
Course design is like soccer/football
Clear goal
Simple, but not easy
Kicking ball into net is really complex
Teach people how to play soccer, varying levels of difficulty
Look at it from player, spectator
Begin with the end in mind. –Stephen Covey
How do we measure success?
How will we measure success?
That is backward design.
Choose textbook ? lecture over book ? use visual aids ? powerpoint ? test
Then send them out assuming they know exactly what to do.
Content ? activities ? assessment
Design with a clear objective in mind… measurable objectives.
How will we measure and assess their learning?
Target identified, acceptable evidence THEN choose learning activities
Identify desired results (essential questions) ? determine acceptable evidence ? plan learning experiences and instruction
Teaching to the test is GREAT, if it is a good measure of what the students should know/believe…
Id desired results:
Big ideas?
Specific understandings?
Predictable misunderstandings? –point of word count…
Essential questions? How do we make it intriguing? How do we make it seem relevant?
Determine acceptable evidence:
Performance tasks? –changing oil, not leaving any parts over
Evaluation criteria? –solid rubric
Student reflection? –help them look back on what they’ve learned, apply knowledge and tie it together
Other evidence? –quizzes for retrieval practice, cumulative exams…
Plan learning experiences and instruction:
Content consumption
Small group discussion
Direct observation
Hands-on interaction
Virtual interaction
Design and prototype
Try and fail. Try and fail. You learn something from it. It’s a learning activity.
Introduction? find examples of good introductions (from student papers?)
What do we really want them to do/know?
Thesis on Facebook…
In doing backward design, we need to think like an assessor.
B&P= come up with what I really care about them learning—that writing/communication is essential for any job and the better writers they are, the better they can do their jobs (and live their lives—writing clearly is important for many other out-of-job experiences…)
Then start with examples of when/where/how that is true.
Back this up with case study experiences/quizzes that are about how to use the information in the chapters.
Connect the writing they are doing with the end of being better x’ers, which is their goal.
Linguistics = idea will be to introduce them to linguistics and all the different aspects of what that means and how these very different areas could impact/improve their lives
Spend more time on the interesting stories and apply those through the work we are doing.
How can linguistics improve their writing? Their teaching? Their reading? Their personal lives? Their care for their children? For their parents?
112 = understanding what credible, educated arguments are—proof = writing credible, educated arguments on variety of topics
stress that
003 = writing skills needed for everything…
We are presupposing some amount of motivation.
How have you made goals for this class?
As a presenter, be positive about our students’ motivation.
I supposed there were things you were willing/able to change.