Exploring WIDE World: Learning to Use the Collaborative Curriculum Design Tool July 18, 2006

1. Heart Exploring WIDE World: Learning to Use the Collaborative Curriculum Design Tool July 18, 2006 Ann Koufman-Frederick, Ph.D. Shannon Martin Croft, M.Ed.

2. Inspiring Great Teachingthrough Online & On-site Professional Developmenthttp://wideworld.pz.harvard.edu

3. Today’s Journey and Goals • Goal 1:Learn about WIDE World’s origin and focus • Goal 2:Unpack the meaning of "Understanding" and consider how the "Teaching for Understanding" Framework can be used to clarify and focus existing practice • Goal 3: Explore the structure of WIDE World and the Collaborative Curriculum Design Tool (CCDT). WIDE = Widescale Interactive Development for Educators CCDT = Collaborative Curriculum Design Tool

4. Teaching for Understanding with New Technologies

5. The Challenges in Education Take a moment to think about the challenges you face in your classrooms today. Now, consider what kind of professional development could help overcome these challenges.

6. What one teacher shared with us…

7. Understanding Exercise Let’s Explore “Understanding” Together... Think of something that you understand: • How do you know you understand it? • How did you come to understand it?

8. Understanding is developed and demonstrated through performances. Understanding is a capacity to think and act flexibly with what you know.

9. The Origins of Teaching for Understanding (TfU) • 1991-1997: Harvard research project set out to clarify the nature of understanding, then define features of educational practices that lead to deep, flexible understanding • The TFU Framework emerged as researchers and teachers analyzed effective practice

10. Introducing the TfU Framework Essential Educational Questions: • What topics are worth teaching for understanding? • What exactly do we want students to come to understand? • How can understanding be developed and demonstrated? • How can we assess and improve understanding?

11. Introducing the TfU Framework • Generative Topics – What is worth teaching? • Understanding Goals - What do we want learners to understand? • Understanding Performances - How can learners develop and demonstrate understanding? • Ongoing Assessment - How can we assess understanding?

12. Generative Topics What topics are worth teaching? • Connect required curriculum with students’ and teacher’s interests • Provide multiple entry points • Are central to one or more disciplines

13. Understanding Goals What exactly do we want students to come to understand? • Connect with standards or required curriculum • Are made explicit and public • Align with performances and assessment • Focus on students’ understanding of discipline or topic, rather than recall of facts

14. Understanding Performances How can understanding be developed and demonstrated? • Require active engagement using multiple modes of learning and forms of expression • Provide opportunities to work with knowledge • Sequenced to ramp up understanding • Align with goals and assessments

15. Ongoing Assessment How can we assess and improve understanding? • Makes criteria explicit and public • Aligns with goals and performances • Occurs frequently and from multiple sources • Includes both formal and informal ways to assess student learning and inform teacher planning

16. Putting TfU to Work http://wideworld.pz.harvard.edu

17. MyWIDE

18. Collaborative Curriculum Design Tool • common framework for instructional design • visual, online workspace • enables educators to co-create curriclum plans

19. Plan lessons with elements of Teaching for Understanding

20. Attach files, add links, plan technology, address standards

21. Collaborate and communicate with colleagues and coaches

22. Publish Online and Print

23. Take the JOURNEY http://wideworld.pz.harvard.edu

24. Join the CCDT Community http://learnweb.harvard.edu/ccdt/join

25. Questions & Thanks! Ann Koufman-Frederick koufman@post.harvard.edu Shannon Martin Croft croftsh@post.harvard.edu http://wideworld.pz.harvard.edu