Unit III - My views on TfU, UbD & Group Investigation frameworks

From my experience as a student and a teacher, I can identify certain aspects of these frameworks that I believe would benefit my style of teaching. The Teaching for Understanding Framework (TFU) includes four key ideas--based on the four questions: generative topics, understanding goals, performances of understanding, and ongoing assessment. I think the TFU framework can be effective in inspiring students and can promote deep learning. One of the very important ideas that form a part of the TFU framework is that of creating opportunities to demonstrate learning in the classroom. While teaching, I observed that young learners are not easily able to articulate what they have learned in a classroom. My recent study of TFU and Group Investigation has convinced me to use learning tools more extensively in future to “make learning visible”. If I can “see” the learning in progress then I can determine the dos and don’ts. It can be seen as an opportunity to observe what students understand. At the same time I think these understanding can be duly promoted with the conscious use of technologies

On the other hand, I support the method of Group Investigation as students are given a chance to take control and make decisions. I believe this process will help build self-confidence for individuals and make them responsible as they will be making decision for their own betterment. But again, when I think of myself in the teacher’s role, I believe there should be a structure to be followed in this method and that should be designed and tailored by the teacher based on the class.

As a framework, I think Understanding by Design (UBD) cannot be same for everyone, in the sense that all teachers must teach the same things in the same way. It espouses the backward design, which asks the teacher/instructional designer/curriculum planner to think about the enduring understandings first before deciding on how to present and sequence activities. That’s about all it prescribes. What the enduring understandings are is really up to the curriculum planner, as with the assessment tasks and the sequence of activities. UBD framework describes a practical and useful "backward" design process in which anticipated results are first identified, acceptable evidence for learning outcomes is established and, only then, are specific learning experiences and instruction planned. I believe that the principles of UBD are not new. In fact, Wiggins and McTighe’s book often quotes Dewey and his philosophy of education. UBD emphasizes the teacher's critical role as an assessor and designer of student learning and the process seems to be elaborate for the teachers. UBD is one model to follow in developing an educational program. It is a good model for new teachers, but I think, with experienced teachers will find that subjects and different groups of students require multiple strategies. I believe that the ultimate goal of educational institute should be to make sure that the students are not learning for the sake of learning but understanding it. This is where I see UBD comes in. To me, learning should lead to understanding and the goal should be to understand and gain knowledge for future skill developments. However, I am not very sure about the ‘backward design’ as I have never tried and tested that kind of framework in my short teaching years and as such unaware of the hurdles one goes through in this process. But it is something to think about and try it out sometime when opportunity arrives.

For me teaching will be a collaborative framework based on all three and making the best use of each one of them. The goal is to make sure that the students develop the ability to think and act in a flexible manner. It is by working through their understanding in response to a particular project/challenge, they understand better. Also, every change is confusing, so the pros and cons of the diverse frameworks will be there as we adjust ourselves to the methods and with building experience figure out what suits our method and process of teaching, learning and understanding. I strongly believe that teaching and new educational technologies can be mutually supportive, synergetic and innovative. In today’s age, technology can make the curriculum manageable for teachers and could be an effective tool in promoting students’ understanding.