The Backwards Model: Portfolio #4

"One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child."
-Carl Jung

    According to Glatthorn et al, “The condensed premises for the backwards model proposed by Farrell are (a) all learning begins in the text, (b) the teacher’s job is to engage his or her reader and activate the reader’s prior knowledge, (c) multiple readings of academic text should be routine, (d) independent mastery of text is crucial for academic success, (e) writing not only records thought but it creates thought, (f) teachers should frequently communicate their ideas through writing, and (g) rhetoric is as important as the concept (p. 240).“ The difference between the forward and backward model is who takes the lead in learning.

      From what I understand, the Backward Design is a holistic approach that serves to aid in designing instructional materials where the instructor or instructional designer focuses on the desired outcomes of a class or course instruction with students practicing self-advocacy. This model relies heavily on grasping the idea of the text through critical literacy and encourages students to practice self-inquiry. An instructor or curriculum developer begins or plans the class with a text in which students initiate their own learning. This is followed by a guided practice through and inductive approach in which students are expected to practice self-advocacy by investigating, forming their own questions, and finding solutions through reading. This is more of a scientific approach in which you guide students in their own research and assist them with their individual inquiry. The Backward Design allows teachers to lead students to real life problems in which you ask authentic questions and potential applications to the outside world. The model concludes with students presenting their findings and what they learned which transitions into the beginning of the next class. This model is able to be applied to different subjects.

   Rather than beginning the planning process with a focus on supporting exercises, resources or long-used textbooks, the designer focuses on the learners and begins the design process by asking what learners should be able to understand and do after the provided instruction. The designer then identifies what types of evidence are sufficient proof of the desired end result. The designer works “backwards” from that end goal and intentionally plans and develops supporting instruction and learning experiences around the desired outcomes and evidence. Therefore, this planning model can be used to help align written curriculum, taught curriculum, and assessment. However, it is important to keep in mind that this model perhaps might not work for all students and learners and might require some adjustment in the lesson plan in order to help all students. For example, CLD (culturally and linguistically diverse) students and students with learning impediments will not be able to take a text at the beginning of a class and use it as a tool to guide them in their learning. Their background knowledge and skills are more limited than other students, thus, a modification of the material will be needed in order to guide them to initiate their learning. An example could be to provide pictures, sentences with less intensive vocabulary, or a text in which they listen to a recording or the teacher reads to them.

     I prefer to use the Backward Design format in my classroom in which I promote self-inquiry, self-advocacy, and project based learning. This allows students to develop critical thinking and life skills. However, I don’t always begin the class with a text, instead I start class with a “phenomenon.” This phenomenon could be a video, photos, gallery walks, me acting, role playing, etc. This allows all students to connect with the topic or focus of the day, for everyone has different learning styles and I found that using a text every lesson can be monotonous and over time disengaging.

     The indicators that matter most to me in which I plan to evaluate the classroom culture and teaching effectiveness in the future can be summarized in a three-steps:

1: Identify Desired Outcomes: Articulate and support learner’s prior knowledge and what they should be able to do after provided instruction. Text/ Phenomenon
2: Identify Acceptable Evidence: Determine what types of assessments and measures would clarify (or serve as evidence of) when and whether students can perform the desired outcome. These assessments and measures should be done on an individualistic level, for every student will have different products that are guided by their inquiry.
3: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction: Develop exercises, materials and instruction around the desired outcomes and evidence.

References:
Glatthorn, A.A.; Boschee, F. Whitehead, B.M., and Boschee, B.F. (2019). Curriculum Leadership: Strategies for Development and Implementation. (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications