The idea of a backward design appeals to the way I learn. I begin by reading the summary or conclusion of a chapter and then I go back and read from the beginning. In this way I know what the chapter hopes to outline and teach me. I can see what the main points will be.
When earning my teaching certificate in my undergrad we always began with the learner will… when creating our lesson plans. We began with the objective and then created the lesson plan from there. I believe that is what the backward design is advocating. There were times when a pretest was given to ascertain the student’s knowledge, therefore not teaching what they already know, but also not starting from a place where they have no prior knowledge.
The author outlines 4 filters when deciding what ideas and process to teach:
1. What topic/process can be extended beyond the classroom? What information can the student take with them and transfer into their larger world? This is also known as a linchipin idea (p. 11) the cornerstone of their knowledge on a particular subject.
2. To what extent does the topic reside in the heart of the learner-Has the student truly absorbed and bought into the topic? Teachers can help a student embrace what they have learned by helping them apply it. When my children ask mom, why do we learn algebra, I never use it!!! I take them down into the playroom and we shoot a game of pool, use the lines and the angles in order to win the game, and there, today we used algebra. This is a hands on approach. The student is able to take what they have learned and apply it, science experiments and class projects to name a few.
3. To what extent does the topic require uncoverage-This idea I do not really grasp, I will need clarification on this and will try to do some research on this. I think this is referring to abstract ideas.
4. To what extent does the topic engage the students-If students are interested and engaged they are far more likely to retain information and transfer it out of the classroom and into the world in which they live.
After having identified desired results (stage 1, p. 9) the authors go on to talk about stage 2. Stage 2 is Determine Acceptable Evidence (p. 12) Assessment!!! There is that word again. Assessment, analysis, what does the learner know, are they learning what is being taught? This needs to go on throughout the process of learning or discovery so the teacher can constantly reassess his/her design. This was also talked about at length in last weeks readings about the systems approach, constant analysis and assessment of the learner in order to make corrections in the ID.
Stage 3-Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction and with this the teacher determines what knowledge do the students need, what activities will facilitate the learning, what needs to be taught and what materials are needed. The teacher can then ask the question, “Is the overall design coherent and effective?” (p. 13)
Assessment (create the performance task or perhaps a test), Activities and then Methods/Materials- a simple summation of the backwards method.
In this chapter the authors talk about at least 4 ways to identify instructional goals:
1. Subject Matter Expert-This is someone who has a greater knowledge on a subject then the average learner. Their goal is to disseminate their knowledge to the learners who desire this knowledge. Because the SME wants to disseminate the knowledge and the learner wants the knowledge this seems like the most desirable situation for everyone.
2. Content Outline Approach-The learner has not learned the necessary skill and needs to be trained or taught.
3. Mandate-The training will occur because we said so! It is mandatory, perhaps a law was passed or OSHA is threatening to shut the factory down.
4. Performance Technology-There are opportunities or problems in an organization and this opens up an opportunity for further training and/or teaching.
No matter which of the 4 categories you fall into the most important thing is to figure out what the problem or end goal is at the beginning of the process. The authors point out, that “the problem is not always as it initially appears.” (Chapter 2, p.16) I believe this is so important to keep in mind, if we are set on the fact that this is the problem or the outcome that is expected and create the system around that problem/outcome we will never get the results we want. It is important to stay open and flexible in order to identify the real problem or wanted outcome. This is why constant analysis is critical. If I learn nothing else it will be constantly analyze throughout the learning process.
The problem is not the problem! The authors write about keeping an open mind and being a critical thinker, this can be hard when you are smack in the middle of an organization and your coworkers are your friends, but it is important to stay objective. Someone may come to you and say this is the problem, please train them correctly; however, when further research is done and the right questions are asked maybe training isn’t necessary, perhaps there was a failure elsewhere. Maybe the phones are turned off or the conveyer belt is broken. This is where performance analysis comes into play, take the time, assess the situation, ask the questions, the problem may not be the problem. In using a performance relationship map (Robinson and Robinson, 1995) one can assess the situation from the problem to the outcome and decide if training is needed or if there is another solution. A performance analysis study is “to acquire information in order to verify problems and identify solutions.” (Chapter 2, p. 19)
Communication!!! When looking at Performance Analysis in Public Schools the authors point out that before creating an expensive in-service for the teachers again be a critical thinker, ask the right questions. The teachers know their students, they know what they are teaching, if they are scoring low on a part of a standardized test simply talking it through with the teachers and hearing their feedback will lead to solutions. Sometimes it maybe more training, sometimes the teachers will agree that they will focus more on some core objective or another. Open mindedness and communication, both key ingredients to during the performance analysis process.
An integral part of performance analysis is conducting a needs assessment. A needs assessment is just that, where is the need, what is the problem, what is our goal? There are 3 parts to the needs assessment:
1. Desired Status-A End Goal
2. Actual Status-The existing performance
3. The Gap-This is the difference between the goal and what is actually occurring.
When talking about problems in an organization it is imperative to be specific, for example, people are always late, when trying to solve a problem there needs to be an absolute, people are 5 minutes late. In this way the gap can be accurately measured and if there is no gap then there is no problem. After consideration if there is a problem then training/learning needs assessment will be needed. This would be the starting point for an Instructional Design. Along the same lines designers will often come across what is know as fuzzy goals (chapter 2, p. 25) the authors caution, do not disregard these goals but instead study them, ask questions and break it down. A fuzzy goal is something hard to measure like “the clerk should be respectful”. Using a group of people to help breakdown and the goal will help to make it more clear and easier to measure.
Once it has been established that there is a problem the designer needs to create instructional goals. The designer uses performance analysis, needs assessment and may go as far to use job analysis. Job analysis is just that, finding out what someone’s job is and drilling down as far as finding out what their duties or tasks are and weather they are necessary for their job. As important as it is to have a goal it is important to know the learners. Who are they, in what context will they use the skill and what tools will be available. Once this has been established the designer will be able to identify the learners or perhaps no one fits the bill and there are no learners and therefore no need to create training.
Designers need a goal and they need to know their learner. They may not know the subject matter in which they are to train people and I have learned because of that a good designer must be willing to work in a team!