Tip: Assessing What You Value > Backward Design
Educators, want to transform your teaching approach? Backward Design flips traditional lesson planning on its head! It is a curriculum design method that begins with the final, summative assessment and builds formative assessments, lessons, and activities around that timeline.
Instead of starting with activities, begin with the destination:
1️⃣ Identify desired results.
- What should learners ultimately know and be able to do?
- Clarify your learning outcomes and goals.
2️⃣ Develop an assessment timeline.
- Start with the summative assessment. How will learners show they’ve reached the desired learning outcomes?
- Create meaningful ways to demonstrate understanding through formative assessments.
3️⃣ Plan learning experiences.
- Develop engaging lessons and activities.
- Strategically build skills that lead to target outcomes.
Backward Design ensures every lesson has a clear purpose and direction. It's not about covering content—it's about uncovering deep, transferable learning. Pro Tip: Begin with the end in mind!
Follow @emintsnc on social media for more tips and tricks to help you improve your teaching practice!
View/Download the Assessing What You Value > Backward Design Tip Card.
