LDT200x Week 4: Understanding by Design (UbD)

Flowchart note: The above graphic was created by Stephanie Brail to outline the Understanding by Design instructional design model. 

Overview of the Understanding by Design Model

Understanding by Design (UbD) is an educational framework developed by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe that focuses on designing curriculum and assessment with first the end goals in mind (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). Because of this, UbD is also called Backwards Design. The UbD approach emphasizes backward planning, ensuring that learning experiences align with desired outcomes.

Main Steps of UbD

1. Identify Desired Results

   • Define what students should know and be able to do by the end of the course.

   • Specify the essential questions and understandings that guide the learning process.

2. Determine Acceptable Evidence

   • Decide how students will demonstrate their understanding and mastery of the content.

   • Create assessments that effectively measure whether students have achieved the desired results.

3. Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

   • Design activities and lessons that will lead students toward achieving the identified goals.

   • Ensure that the instructional strategies align with the assessments and desired outcomes.

Understanding by Design is heavily focused on frontloading course planning with the desired outcomes of the teaching. Thus, UbD teachers and instructional designers are encouraged to use the following basic concepts to help craft the main focus of the course planning:

• Course Goals/Outcomes: These are specific statements detailing what students are expected to learn and achieve by the end of a course. They guide curriculum development, instructional strategies, and assessments, ensuring that all elements of the educational process are aligned toward achieving these targets.

• Essential Questions: Open-ended questions that stimulate thought and inquiry related to the course content. They help to frame the learning experience and focus on deep understanding.

• Understandings: Key concepts or insights that students should grasp as a result of the learning experience. These are broader than specific facts and aim for comprehension of underlying principles.

This structure promotes intentional curriculum design, helping educators create meaningful learning experiences that lead to deep understanding.

Implications of the Understanding by Design Model for Instructional Design 

According to one math teacher and blogger, UbD became a very popular instructional model globally around 2010 (Ronda, 2010). This same blogger also complained that many schools and teachers jumped on board without much evidence that it really worked (Ronda, 2010). One of the criticisms is that “...UbD is a one size fits all for all subject areas. That’s what make it highly suspect” (Ronda, 2010). The criticism of some Reddit users is that UbD is simply “common sense” (ChiefMacProctor, 2013).

Despite the critics, Understanding by Design is widely known as a popular instructional design framework because of its meticulous guidance regarding course learning goals and outcomes. The model tries to articulate in specific language exactly what the point of learning should be and how to attain it through careful planning. 

Understanding by Design Strengths

Clearly, taking the time to envision the outcome of any project will be well worth it. Otherwise, to rush into a project blindly without taking time to consider outcomes is to invite chaos and failure. UbD keeps educators focused on outcomes, what Steven Covey would call “beginning with the end in mind” (Covey, 2004).

Understanding by Design Limitations

For some projects, Understanding by Design may be too frontloaded with initial discovery and goal planning, which can be cost prohibitive in terms of time and resources. The model uses additional jargon that may be confusing to teachers and instructional designers. UbD’s teaching outcomes such as “empathy” have been criticized as being counterproductive, not just for teaching, but for society as a whole (Illing, 2017). 

Understanding by Design is also more skewed towards educational contexts and is less applicable to business use (although it can be modified for corporations). In the context of casual adult learning in online courses, where grading is not really an issue, the hyperfocus on outlining initial goals and then meticulously setting up assessments of learners may be overkill. 

GPT 4o Omni contributed to this report.

References

Ronda, E. (2010, January 7). My issues with Understanding by Design (Ubd). Mathematics for Teaching. https://math4teaching.com/issues-with-understanding-by-design-ubd/

ChiefMacProctor. (2013, November 27). Thoughts on Understanding by Design. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/Teachers/comments/1rjuga/thoughts_on_understanding_by_design/

Covey, S. R. (2004). The 7 habits of highly effective people: Restoring the character ethic (Rev. ed.). Free Press.

Illing, S. (2017, January 19). The case against empathy. Vox. https://www.vox.com/conversations/2017/1/19/14266230/empathy-morality-ethics-psychology-compassion-paul-bloom 

Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (Expanded 2nd ed). Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.