- It is about learning by design. A designer's job involves determining an appropriate end, examining that end in terms of the challenges involved, and then creating a solution that best brings that end to fruition. When an outcome is designed, it is not left to happenstance.
- The point of the end in UbD is understanding. Understanding is more than the presentation of content or the development of skills. It is the ability to do something purposeful with content and skills. In other words, it is about making meaning and the transfer of learning.
- It follows a backward design model. Appropriate goals are identified first, followed by the determination of what constitutes evidence of goal attainment, before the design of an optimal learning pathway. In UbD, goals, evidence and learning are always aligned and connected.
The foundational material on UbD for this blog is taken from the writings and presentations of Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe who co-authored Understanding by Design in 1998 under the auspices of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
