Beam Reach curriculum development process
We have developed the Beam Reach curriculum by first articulating the
educational outcomes we desire, then formulating appropriate assessments, and
finally specifying the skills and knowledge that students need to succeed. We
have found 2 references to be especially helpful in this process:
"Understanding by Design" by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe (1998) and "The
Outcomes Primer: Reconstructing the College Curriculum" by Ruth Stiehl with Les
Lewchuck (2002).
1: Identify overarching understandings and essential questions (desired outcomes)
- What will students understand?
- What will students be able to do?
- What "essential" and "unit" questions will students consider?
2: Determine acceptable evidence of learning (assessment tasks)
What evidence will show that students have achieved the desired outcomes?
- Performance tasks, projects
- Quizzes, tests, academic prompts
- Other evidence (observations, work samples, dialogues...)
- Student self-assessment
3: Plan learning experience and instruction (skills, concepts, issues)
- What knowledge and skill are needed? (Students will need to know... Students will need to be able to...)
- What teaching and learning experiences will equip students to demonstrate the targeted understandings?