Hello all,
Just a couple items for this week.
Understanding by Design and Big Ideas
Let's continue our discussion of Understanding by Design (UBD) that I started last week. As I mentioned, UBD is a backwards design process: first determine what you want the students to know and be able to do and then design the rest of the course. This process starts with the "big idea."
The "big idea" overarches all the learning objectives of the course. This leads to all the content of the course being connected in a framework around the big idea. It is easier for students to make meaning and problem solve when learning is structured this way. "The primary goal of UBD is student understanding: the ability to make meaning of 'big ideas' and transfer learning" (McTighe and Wiggins, 2011 handout).
One last thought on the "big idea": it's often messy, controversial, and may not be immediately obvious. It is unpacked or discovered by students as they proceed through the course.
I know most faculty members have the big idea for each course in their minds, but it is surprisingly hard to articulate. I love seeing te Big Ideas for courses. Please, send me what your is. And remember, your understanding of your big idea may change through time.
Next week I'll continue with the Essential Questions for UBD. Here is some information if you want to jump ahead.
Student Use of Email
This article from the New York Times gives a mixed message on student use of email. On the one hand, some research shows that students have moved away from using email to texting and social media for communication. On the other hand, in the closing example, most students in a class opted for email reminders (vs. texts, Facebook, etc.). It can be challenging if you use email to communicate with your students about the course between class sessions if they don't access it. My one take away: put in your syllabus your expectations of how often students should access their UAA email. I also recommend that all Blackboard announcements also be emailed to students. One more bit of information: I have talked with a couple faculty members who use texting to keep in touch with students. It's good to check with your students on this since some texting plans have monthly limits.
Warm regards,
Lee
Lee Maria Henrikson
Instructional Designer
Beyond Anchorage Workforce Development Grant
Community and Technical College
University of Alaska Anchorage
907-786-4903
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