Exploring WIDE World: Learning to Use the

Collaborative Curriculum Design Tool July 18, 2006

Ann Koufman-Frederick, Ph.D.Shannon Martin Croft, M.Ed.

Heart

Inspiring Great Teaching

through Online & On-site Professional Development

http://wideworld.pz.harvard.edu

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 EducatorsWIDE = Widescale Interactive Development for Educators

CCDT = Collaborative Curriculum Design Tool

Teaching for Understanding with New Technologies

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.

What one teacher shared with us…

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?

Understanding is developed and

demonstrated through

performances.

Understanding is a capacity to think

and act flexibly with what you know.

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

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?

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?

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

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

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

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

Putting TfU to Workhttp://wideworld.pz.harvard.edu

MyWIDE

Collaborative Curriculum Design Tool

• common framework for instructional design

• visual, online workspace

• enables educators to co-create curriclum plans

Plan lessons with elements of Teaching for Understanding

Attach files, add links, plan technology, address standards

Collaborate and communicate with colleagues and coaches

Publish Online and Print

Take the JOURNEYhttp://wideworld.pz.harvard.edu

Join the CCDT Communityhttp://learnweb.harvard.edu/ccdt/join

Questions & Thanks!

Ann Koufman-Frederick

koufman@post.harvard.edu

Shannon Martin Croft

croftsh@post.harvard.edu

http://wideworld.pz.harvard.edu