Designing Backwards for Deeper Learning, Schrock, Spring 2023
| Course Number: | EDU 5515 C04 |
| Instructor: | Devin Schrock |
| Location: | Online |
| Dates and Times: | March 5 - May 7, 2023. Online with LIVE discussion groups at 7:00pm EST on March 14 and 28, April 11, and May 2, 2023. |
| Credits: | 3 Graduate Credits |
| Tuition: | $1,195 |
Course Description
Inspire your students to think deeply, make long-lasting connections, and be self-directed learners. When teachers intentionally plan curricular lessons and units with the end in mind, student understanding transfers to new situations and the world around them. Building from Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe’s Understanding by Design approach to backwards planning, participants in this course will design a meaningful and aligned unit to implement in their own classroom. By engaging in peer reviews of unit development drafts and collegial discussion, participants will further deepen their own understanding of this design process. This course is suitable for teachers of any grade and content area.
Audience: All educators Pre-K through higher education
Course Goals & Objectives
Goals from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards:
- Teachers critically examine their practice, seek to expand their repertoire, deepen their knowledge, sharpen their judgment and adapt their teaching to new findings, ideas and theories.
- Teachers have a rich understanding of their subject(s) and are aware of how knowledge in their field is created, organized, and linked to other disciplines and applied to real-world settings. Teachers know how to convey and reveal subject matter to their students. They know where difficulties are likely to arise and they modify their practice accordingly. Their instructional repertoire allows them to create multiple paths to the subjects they teach.
- Teachers are members of learning communities. Accomplished teachers contribute to the effectiveness of the school by working collaboratively with other professionals on instructional policy, curriculum development and staff development.
Transferable Goals for this course:
Participants will be able to independently use their learning to…
- Design aligned, high-quality curricular units for deeper student learning
- Adapt and adjust their practice through reflection and feedback
Course Essential Question:
- How does designing backwards prepare students to learn in the world?
Course Objectives:
Participants will:
- Design a unit using a backwards-design model
- Analyze texts for deeper understanding
- Provide peer feedback on a curricular unit
- Reflect and apply feedback to strengthen work
Instructor:
Devin Schrock, M.S., is a literacy instructional coach and curriculum leader for a K-8 school and a teacher mentor for Modern Classroom Project. She has expertise in implementing blended, self-paced, and mastery-based learning in the classroom as well as building strong teams and student leaders. She is passionate about connecting students and the community through collaborative partnerships and place-based learning. Devin earned a B.S. in Elementary Education K-8 from University of Delaware with an English Discipline and an M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Saint Vincent’s College in PA. She holds endorsements in Middle Grades English-Language Arts and Social Studies. For sixteen years, she taught a variety of subjects such as science, english-language arts, humanities, and integrated studies to fifth through eighth graders as well as outdoor education. She enjoys spending time with her family and dog, cross-country skiing or mountain biking on local trails. Devin Schrock
Required Texts
Required Texts are not included in the course tuition.
McTighe, J., & Wiggins, G. P. (2011). The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-quality Units. ASCD.
Seif, E. (2021). Teaching for Lifelong Learning: How to Prepare Students for a Changing World. Solution Tree.
For additional course information
Devin Schrock
(610) 888-9358
For additional registration information
(802) 468-1325