Iranian Journal of Curriculum Studies

Iranian Journal of Curriculum Studies

Designing A Curriculum Framework for Elementary School based on Understanding by Design

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Seyed Taher Seyedi Nazarlu 1
Firooz Mahmoodi 2
davud tahmasebzadeh shikhlar 3
Hosein Dehganzadeh 3
1 Ph.D. student in Curriculum Studies, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
2 education department, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, East Azarbayjan
3 Associate Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Tabriz, Iran
10.22034/jcs.2023.174369
Abstract
The present study was conducted with the aim of designing a curriculum framework for elementary school based understanding by design. To collect, record and report the primary data of the studies, a researcher-made worksheet form was used. The analysis of the findings was done using Hord's (1983) ten-step model and the open and axial coding method. The findings showed that the understanding by design curriculum framework is an outcome-oriented program that defines new and different roles for all curriculum elements compared to traditional models. Setting goals is done at three levels of acquisition, understanding and transfer based on content standards, learning expectations and meaningful performance, emphasis on big ideas, creating accountability for learning, independence in learning, transferring learning to real life situations, teaching life skills personalization of content by students, prioritization and selection of content, low-volume and deep content and organizing it in spiral and upside-down ways around big ideas, the teacher as a designer, evaluator and researcher, and curriculum evaluation with an emphasis on evidence. And the consequences in different ways such as functional tasks, aspects of understanding, evaluation standards and product production are considered as main characteristics of this curriculum model.
Keywords
curriculum based on Understanding By Design
curriculum elements
curriculum design

Subjects

Abbott, C. Thomas, K. (2007). Effectiveness of using Understanding in Middle School. A Dissertatinon Submitted to the Graduate School of Maryville Uninversity-Saint Louis In partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor Of Education In Educational Leadership.
Açar, Abdullah & Ercan, Bahar & Altun, Sertel. (2019). Teaching Probability through Understanding by Design: An Examination on Students’ Achievement, Attitude and Views. TED EĞİTİM VE BİLİM. 44. 10.15390/EB.2019.7168.
Almasaed, T. F. (2017). The impact of using understanding by design (UbD) model on 8th-grade student’s achievement in science. European Journal of Scientific Research. 13 (4), 301-315. DOI:10.19044/esj.2017.v13n4p301
al-Tonsi , Hager Gamal Ahmed Labib. (2018).  Applying Understanding by Design (UbD) in Education 2.0. Journal of the College of Education. Bor Said, (25)25. 452-488. doi: 10.21608/jftp.2019.41691.
Ambrose, S., Bridges, W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M., & Norman, M. (2010). How learning works: Seven research-based principles for smart teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Brown, M. (2009). The teacher-tool relationship: Theorizing the design and use of curriculum materials. In J. T. Remillard, B. Herbel-Eisenmann, & G. Lloyd (Eds.), Mathematics teachers at work: Connecting curriculum materials and classroom instruction (pp. 17–36).
Carol-Ann Winans. (2020).Using a Modified Understanding by Design (UbD) Template to Unpack the Intermediate New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards, The Science Teachrs Bulletin.  Promoting Excellence in Science Education, Volume 83, Number 2, Spring/Summer 2020.
Childre ,A., Sands ,J., A., & Pope , S. (2009). Designing challenging curriculum:Backward Design . Teaching exceptional children, 41 (5),6-14.
Corvo, A. F. (2014). Utilizing the national research council’s (NRC) conceptual framework for the next generation science standards (NGSS): A self-study in my science, engineering, and mathematics classroom (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProOuest Dissertations and  Theses database. (UMI No. 3620871).
D'Angelo, Tyler & Thoron, Andrew & Bunch, James. (2019). What is Understanding By Design (UbD)?. EDIS. 2019. 10.32473/edis-wc322-2019.
Florian, Timothy, P. and Zimmerman, Jay P. (2015). Understanding by Design, Moodle, and Blended Learning: A Secondary School Case Study. Merlot Journal of Online Learning and Teaching. Vol:11, No. 1, March. P.P: 120-128.
Gloria, R.Y., Sudarmin, Wiyanto & Indriyanti, D. R. (2017). Pemahaman mahasiswa Calon Guru Biologi dengan Indikator Understanding by Design (UbD) pada Topik Fisiologi Tumbuhan. The 5TH Urecol Proceeding UAD Yogyakarta, 1248-1253. ISBN 978-979-3812-42-7.
Gloria, R.Y., Sudarmin, Wiyanto, & Indriyanti, D.R. (2019). Applying Formative Assessment through Understanding by Design (UbD) in the Lecture of Plant Physiology to Improve the Prospective Teacher Education Students’ Understanding. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 16(3), 350–363.
Gürbüz, Ö.N., Kahya Kocak, F., & Yurtseven, N. (2022). Ubd Temelli̇ Geli̇şi̇msel Yaklaşim Uygulamalarinin Matemati̇k Dersi̇ öğRenci̇ Başarisina Etki̇si̇ni̇n İncelenmesi̇. Milli Eğitim Dergisi.
Johnson, D. C., Peterson, A. D., Spears, A., & Vest, J. (2017). Investigating “Understanding by design” in the national music education standards: Perspectives and practices of music teachers and music teacher educators. Visions of Research in Music Education, 30.
Kuntari, F.R., Rondonuwu, F.S., & Sudjito, D.N. (2019). Understanding by Design (UbD) for the Physics Learning about Parabolic Motion. Journal Penelitian Fisika dan Aplikasinya (JPFA).
Heizel, M. Salayo. T. (2010).  Designing  Curriculum  Plan  in  Secondary Mathematics IV Using UbD Framework. A Special Project Presented to the Graduate Faculty of the College of Science Philippine Normal University. In Partial Fulfillment  of  the Requirements for the  Degree Master of Education  Major in Mathematics.
Holubova, Renata. (2008). Effective Teaching Methods--Project-based Learning in Physics. Online Submission, US-China Education. Review v5 n12 p27-36 Dec 2008.
Lumbreras, Jr., R., & Rupley, W.H. (2020). Pre-service teachers’ application of understanding by design in lesson planning. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 9, 594-599.
McTighe, Jay. (2018). Understanding by Design Dysart Unified School District. Committee on Programs for Advanced Study of Mathematics and Science in American High Schools.
McTighe, Jay; Brown, Patrick. (2020). Standards Are Not Curriculum, Using Understanding by Design to make the Standards come alive. Science and Children, v58 n1 p76-81 Sep-Oct 2020.
McTighe, J., and J. Willis. 2019. Upgrade your teaching: Understanding by design meets neuroscience. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Molina, Wren. (2013). Teachers’ Views of Backwards Planning in a Suburban Elementary Shool in Hawaii.  PHD Thesis. Walden University, Minessota.
Mullis, I. V. S., Martin, M. O., Foy, P., Kelly, D. L., & Fishbein, B. (2020). TIMSS 2019 International Results in Mathematics and Science. Retrieved from Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center.
Nayman , Hüma Bal ; Nayman ,Kerem ; Altun, Sertel. (2020). A Case Study: Upon an English Course Prepared by Understanding by Design (UbD) with 6th Grade Students. International Journal of Languages’ Education and Teaching. Volume 8, Issue 3, September 2020, p. 118-135.
Ozyrut. Havva Kan, Aslı Kiyikci. (2021) . The Effectiveness of Understanding by Design Model in Science Teaching. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research. 94 (2021) 1-24.
Pelech, J. (2008). Delivering Constructivism through Project Based Learning. Copyright ©2008
Pradhan Joshi, Sangeeta, "Evaluation of the Implementation of Understanding by Design Processes in Select Minnesota Public Schools" (2021). Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership. 82
Prince, M.J. & Felder, R. M. (2006). Inductive teaching and learning models: Definitions parisons and research bases. Journal of Engineering Education, 95(2), 123-138.
Rosanti, Y.P., Sudjito, D.N., & Rondonuwu, F.S. (2019). The Elaboration of Understanding by Design in A Physics Learning about Capacitor Circuits. Indonesian Journal of Science and Education.
Schiller, Arie. (2015). Understanding by Design unit lesson plans for the next generation science standards: life science. Graduate Research Papers. 73.
Seeger, V., Wood, S., & Romans, D. (2018). Questioning for meaning: Enhancing questioning strategies of teacher candidates through the Understanding by Design Approach. College Quarterly, 21(3). 1-13.
Snoke, D. L. (2019). Stage 3 understanding by design with learning targets and best practices: an action research study (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Capella University, Minessota.
Trinter Christine P  & Hilary E. Hughes (2021) Teachers as Curriculum Designers: Inviting Teachers into the Productive Struggle, RMLE Online, 44:3, 1-16.
Uluçınar, U. (2021). Findings of qualitative studies on Understanding by Design: A meta-synthesis. International Journal of Curriculum and Instructional Studies, 11(2), 167-194.
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). The understanding by design handbook. (2nd Ed.). Alexandria: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2006). Understanding by design (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2007). Schooling by design: Mission, action, and achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Wiggins,G., & McTighe, J. (2011). Understanding by Design guide to creating high-quality units. ASCD: USA.
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2019). The Understanding by Design guide to advanced concepts in creating and reviewing units. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
William van Rooij, S. (2009). Scaffolding project-based learning with the project-management body of knowledge (PMBOK). Computers & Education, 52, 210-219.
Yurtseven, N. (2016). The Investigation of  The Reflections of Action esearch Based UbD Implementations on Teachers and Sstudents  in  EFL Teaching. Yildiz Technical University Social Sciences Institute Educational Sciences Department Educatinal Programs and Teaching Department. PhD thesis.
Yurtseven, N., Dogan, S., & Altun, S. (2013). Planning Differentiated Science Instruction Using Understanding by Design: The Case of Turkey. Siirt University Journal of Education Faculty, 1, 1-20.
Yurtseven, N., Doğan, S. (2018). UbD implementations in preschool teaching: Reflections from the teacher and student perspective. Hacettepe University Journal of Education, 33(3), 656-671. doi:10.16986/HUJE.2018.

  • Receive Date 31 August 2023
  • Revise Date 02 January 2023
  • Accept Date 08 February 2024