Backward Design

As I thought over my course, I have tried to answer the three questions Fink asks from Grant Wiggins backward design. According to Fink, these three questions make up a triangle that must be integrated, reflect and support each other in order for the course to be successful.

What is it I hope that students will have learned, that will still be there and have value, several years after the course is over?

According to Fink, the answer to this question are the learning goals for my course. I would want my students to know how to use the computer to facilitate their students learning and enrich their student’s lives. I would want them to find the value technology has to offer to make our lives easier.  I want the computer to be so ubiquitous that they naturally use it to do their work and play. I would want my students to know how to use the computer to enhance learning in the classroom and to know how to continually evolve with technology

What would the students have to do to convince me that they had achieved those learning goals?

According to Fink, the answer to this question is the Feedback and Assessment for my course. At the end of my course the students would be able to run a simple website, such as WordPress, to communicate with students and parents. The student would be able to incorporate a teacher’s blog as well as students’ blogs into the website. The student will know how to set up and use a wiki. The student will understand the pedagogy behind blogs and wikis.

I would also like the students to learn how to learn by using RSS feeds and social bookmarking. However I’m not sure if this can’t be left out of my course.

What would the students need to do during the course to be able to do well on these assessment activities?

According to Fink the answer to this question are the teaching and learning activities. I will come back to this question after I have done more research and reflecting.

Fink, L. D. (2003). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses (Josse Bass Higher and Adult Education) (Kindle Locations 900-905). Kindle Edition.