Making the Most of Understanding by Design

by John L. Brown

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Foreword

Understanding by Design (UbD) presents a framework for curriculum design oriented toward the development and deepening of student understanding of “big ideas” in content areas. It is not a program with an articulated “scope and sequence” of skills or prescribed teaching activities. Thus, it becomes challenging to unearth direct, causal evidence of its effectiveness on student achievement. Nevertheless, the growing use of the UbD framework demands empirical data to guide users and document its effects.

Making the Most of Understanding by Design begins this needed research journey. John L. Brown offers a rich description of UbD users' experiences compiled from extensive surveys. The surveys' findings reflect the “lessons learned” from multiple perspectives, including those of teachers, school-based administrators, district-level supervisors, staff developers, regional service agency staff, and personnel from higher education. The results of the surveys and follow-up telephone interviews are described in richly detailed narratives, supplemented by numerous charts and tables. However, the book provides more than a thorough presentation of data. It offers a synthesis of underlying patterns to guide users in recognizing the most promising practices, highlighting predictable pitfalls to avoid, and raising questions for further research.

While there is no single pathway to UbD implementation, Brown's research reveals that some actions have proven more robust than others. The insights provided in this book will benefit both veteran and novice users of Understanding by Design.

—Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins

Table of Contents

Copyright © 2004 by Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. All rights reserved. No part of this publication—including the drawings, graphs, illustrations, or chapters, except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles—may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from ASCD.