Beyond Beyond Knowledge, Facts, Knowledge, Facts,

and Skillsand SkillsTeaching for Understanding Teaching for Understanding

through Curriculum through Curriculum MappingMapping

If you always do what If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.always gotten.

Learners understand when Learners understand when they can…they can…

Find examples and evidenceFind examples and evidence GeneralizeGeneralize Apply and use knowledge in new situationsApply and use knowledge in new situations Interpret and provide meaningInterpret and provide meaning Make analogiesMake analogies Look at an issue from different points of Look at an issue from different points of

viewview Represent the topic in new waysRepresent the topic in new ways Show empathyShow empathy Reveal self-understandingReveal self-understanding

““Education is that Education is that which remains after which remains after we’ve forgotten we’ve forgotten everything we everything we learned.”learned.”

B.F. SkinnerB.F. Skinner

A curriculum of A curriculum of ideas and concepts ideas and concepts and thoughts,and thoughts,

Not a curriculum of Not a curriculum of topics, skills, facts, topics, skills, facts, and knowledgeand knowledge

Working toward…Working toward…

Enduring UnderstandingsEnduring Understandings

It’s a paradox in our It’s a paradox in our educational system that a educational system that a student can make all A’s and student can make all A’s and still not understand a still not understand a principle, concept, or idea.principle, concept, or idea.

“ “A person who A person who understands understands something is capable something is capable of going beyond the of going beyond the information given.”information given.”

Jerome Bruner, 1973Jerome Bruner, 1973

In Teaching for In Teaching for Understanding, facts…Understanding, facts…

Provide a critical foundation for Provide a critical foundation for content knowledgecontent knowledge

Are tools for gaining insight into Are tools for gaining insight into conceptual ideas and for developing conceptual ideas and for developing understandingunderstanding

Support big idea focusSupport big idea focus Are vehicles for students to apply Are vehicles for students to apply

new knowledge to past knowledge new knowledge to past knowledge as they integrate thinking around as they integrate thinking around bigger ideas that transfer across bigger ideas that transfer across time and culture.time and culture.

“ “The frameworks of The frameworks of meaning almost work like meaning almost work like Velcro—facts can go back Velcro—facts can go back and re-attach. And the and re-attach. And the facts become more facts become more memorable because they memorable because they have a purpose and a have a purpose and a context.”context.” Carol Ann TomlinsonCarol Ann Tomlinson

Concepts/UnderstandingsConcepts/Understandings

Broad-based ideas around which Broad-based ideas around which curriculum is organizedcurriculum is organized

Provide conceptual lens through which Provide conceptual lens through which to study or frame topicsto study or frame topics

Mental constructsMental constructs Timeless and universalTimeless and universal Broad and abstractBroad and abstract One or two wordsOne or two words Categorize a variety of examplesCategorize a variety of examples Go way beyond topicsGo way beyond topics Transcend disciplines--macro conceptsTranscend disciplines--macro concepts

Examples of Examples of Concepts/UnderstandingsConcepts/Understandings

ChangeChange PatternsPatterns PowerPower EquilibriumEquilibrium SystemsSystems RevolutionRevolution CultureCulture InterdependenceInterdependence

Conflict/Conflict/CooperationCooperation

PerceptionPerception OrderOrder InnovationInnovation CyclesCycles TimeTime

Concept-based LearningConcept-based LearningConcept-BasedConcept-Based Focus on DOINGFocus on DOING Active application of Active application of

knowledgeknowledge Generalization from factsGeneralization from facts Expected to remember big Expected to remember big

picture ideaspicture ideas Fewer, more significant Fewer, more significant

topicstopics

Active involvementActive involvement Teach to transfer knowledge Teach to transfer knowledge

across time and disciplineacross time and discipline

Knowledge-BasedKnowledge-Based Focus on KNOWING Focus on KNOWING Recall of informationRecall of information Information in isolationInformation in isolation Expected to remember Expected to remember

knowledge, facts, skillsknowledge, facts, skills Focus on covering Focus on covering

many topicsmany topics Passive reception of Passive reception of

infoinfo Memorization of factsMemorization of facts

Concept-based LearningConcept-based Learning

Concept-BasedConcept-Based Significant key Significant key

principlesprinciples Textbook is resource and Textbook is resource and

referencereference Integration of disciplinesIntegration of disciplines

Knowledge-BasedKnowledge-Based Insignificant factsInsignificant facts Textbook is course Textbook is course

syllabussyllabus Separation of Separation of

disciplines disciplines

Why is teaching for Why is teaching for understanding essential?understanding essential?

Knowledge is expanding exponentially. Knowledge is expanding exponentially. Students must learn the skills of Students must learn the skills of assessing multiple data sources and assessing multiple data sources and applying skills of creative, critical, and applying skills of creative, critical, and integrated thinking to assimilate, sort, integrated thinking to assimilate, sort, and pattern information.and pattern information.

In a world of rapid change and global In a world of rapid change and global interaction, citizens need conceptual interaction, citizens need conceptual thinking abilities to understand thinking abilities to understand increasingly complex social, political, increasingly complex social, political, and economic relationships.and economic relationships.

Why don’t students Why don’t students understand?understand?

““The findings of the research over the past The findings of the research over the past 20-30 years are quite compelling: students 20-30 years are quite compelling: students do not understand in the most basic sense of do not understand in the most basic sense of that term. They lack the capacity to take that term. They lack the capacity to take knowledge learned in one setting and apply it knowledge learned in one setting and apply it appropriately in a different setting.” Gardnerappropriately in a different setting.” Gardner

““We’ve got to do fewer things in school. The We’ve got to do fewer things in school. The greatest enemy of understanding is greatest enemy of understanding is coverage.” Gardnercoverage.” Gardner

How do we assess How do we assess understanding?understanding?

Performances of understanding which assess Performances of understanding which assess student’s ability to use factual content to student’s ability to use factual content to support conceptual understandingsupport conceptual understanding

Paper and pencil tests--generally inadequatePaper and pencil tests--generally inadequate Tasks which require application of Tasks which require application of

knowledge, facts, and skills in new, knowledge, facts, and skills in new, unfamiliar situationsunfamiliar situations

Authentic, real-world tasksAuthentic, real-world tasks Tasks modeled after how professionals Tasks modeled after how professionals

perform their workperform their work

Enduring UnderstandingsEnduring Understandings

Major concepts and ideas that Major concepts and ideas that anchor a unit or courseanchor a unit or course

Universal generalizations, big ideas Universal generalizations, big ideas that students will remember long that students will remember long after they’ve forgotten detailsafter they’ve forgotten details

Focus on concepts, principles, and Focus on concepts, principles, and processes that apply to new processes that apply to new situations within and beyond a situations within and beyond a subjectsubject

Enduring Understandings…Enduring Understandings…

Are linchpin ideasAre linchpin ideas Have lasting valueHave lasting value Are “big picture” ideasAre “big picture” ideas Have great potential for engaging Have great potential for engaging

studentsstudents Lie at the heart of a discipline Lie at the heart of a discipline Are essential for authentic learning Are essential for authentic learning

experiencesexperiences

Examples…Examples…

Traditions reflect beliefs, values, and Traditions reflect beliefs, values, and heritage of a culture.heritage of a culture.

Sometimes the best mathematical Sometimes the best mathematical answer is not the best solution to answer is not the best solution to real-world problems.real-world problems.

Man often exploits the environment for Man often exploits the environment for material gains.material gains.

There are parallels to life in the US today There are parallels to life in the US today to life in various periods in US history.to life in various periods in US history.

A society is shaped by people from A society is shaped by people from different cultures who make up that different cultures who make up that society.society.

Historical events often mold specific Historical events often mold specific character and personality traits among character and personality traits among those individuals who experience them; those individuals who experience them; different types of events mold different different types of events mold different characters and personalities.characters and personalities.

Essential QuestionsEssential Questions Are critical global, abstract, Are critical global, abstract,

overarching questions that drive overarching questions that drive teaching and learning within a unit teaching and learning within a unit of study.of study.

Press students to think beyond what Press students to think beyond what they already know.they already know.

Are the focus of learning and central Are the focus of learning and central questions of inquiry.questions of inquiry.

Function of Essential Function of Essential QuestionsQuestions

To point to key To point to key inquiries and core inquiries and core ideas of a disciplineideas of a discipline

To create a focus for a To create a focus for a unitunit

To force students To force students beyond learning of beyond learning of facts to a level of facts to a level of conceptual conceptual understandingunderstanding

To help build schema To help build schema for transferfor transfer

To point clearly and To point clearly and explicitly toward explicitly toward big ideasbig ideas

To reveal richness To reveal richness and complexity of and complexity of subjectsubject

To challenge To challenge thinking beyond thinking beyond factsfacts

To engage students To engage students in examining what’s in examining what’s really importantreally important

Function of Essential Function of Essential QuestionsQuestions

To enhance, To enhance, encourage, and encourage, and enable cross-enable cross-discipline discipline connectionsconnections

To allow for To allow for inductive teachinginductive teaching

To aid and To aid and encourage thinking encourage thinking at high levelsat high levels

To tell what To tell what students should students should learn from what learn from what they’re doing.they’re doing.

To take thinking to To take thinking to the level of the level of conceptual conceptual understandingunderstanding

To build knowledge To build knowledge for transferfor transfer

What do essential questions What do essential questions look like?look like?

They cannot be They cannot be answered answered satisfactorily in one satisfactorily in one sentence.sentence.

They are concept-They are concept-based, not fact-based, not fact-based.based.

They are open-ended.They are open-ended. They are multi-They are multi-

layered.layered.

They may serve to They may serve to organize an entire organize an entire year’s curriculum.year’s curriculum.

They are universal, They are universal, global, and global, and abstract.abstract.

There are usually 2 There are usually 2 to 5 per unit.to 5 per unit.

They may be They may be difficult, complex, difficult, complex, and challenging.and challenging.

How should we use essential How should we use essential questions in our classrooms?questions in our classrooms?

Post in classroom, on parent Post in classroom, on parent information about unit, on information about unit, on handouts, and in student handouts, and in student notebooks.notebooks.

Organize notes and unit Organize notes and unit information around them.information around them.

Let them guide discussions, Let them guide discussions, instruction, and investigations.instruction, and investigations.

Refer to them repeatedly.Refer to them repeatedly. Ask them over and over.Ask them over and over. Connect essential questions Connect essential questions

with curriculum maps.with curriculum maps. Share your essential Share your essential

questions with other faculty questions with other faculty members.members.

Essential Question Essential Question ExamplesExamples

How do events and experiences influence the How do events and experiences influence the development of character? (biographies)development of character? (biographies)

Is behavior more strongly influenced by nature or Is behavior more strongly influenced by nature or nurture? (genetics)nurture? (genetics)

Who are heroes in American Literature, and what Who are heroes in American Literature, and what insights do we gain into American culture through these insights do we gain into American culture through these characters?characters?

What do the best problem solvers do?What do the best problem solvers do? What does it mean to reason mathematically?What does it mean to reason mathematically? How do humans communicate?How do humans communicate? What can patterns reveal?What can patterns reveal? How can data lie or mislead?How can data lie or mislead? What is the ideal role of our government?What is the ideal role of our government? Who is an American?Who is an American? Must a story have a moral, heroes, and villains?Must a story have a moral, heroes, and villains? Who is a friend?Who is a friend? Is U.S. history a history of progress?Is U.S. history a history of progress?

What character traits were most highly What character traits were most highly prized by Americans in the 18th, 19th, prized by Americans in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries? How are they alike and 20th centuries? How are they alike or different in different time periods? or different in different time periods? How did these traits shape historical How did these traits shape historical events? events?

How did historical events shape these How did historical events shape these traits? How do the art, literature, and traits? How do the art, literature, and music of each century reflect these traits?music of each century reflect these traits?

What is the American dream and how has What is the American dream and how has it changed in different periods of it changed in different periods of American history? What individuals have American history? What individuals have personified the American dream?personified the American dream?

As you talk to your peers:As you talk to your peers:

Use the COS and Curriculum Maps Use the COS and Curriculum Maps created by your peers to guide your created by your peers to guide your planning.planning.

Create a broad vertical map that reflects Create a broad vertical map that reflects the content you want your students to the content you want your students to know, understand, and be able to do.know, understand, and be able to do.

Identify for yourself the enduring Identify for yourself the enduring understanding your students will grasp.understanding your students will grasp.

Create essential questions (2-5) for each Create essential questions (2-5) for each concept.concept.

Concept-Based Curriculum and Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction: Teaching Beyond Instruction: Teaching Beyond the Factsthe Facts

Understanding by DesignUnderstanding by Design Mapping the Big PictureMapping the Big Picture

ResourcesResources