In this chapter, Wiggin and McTighe look at learning with a focus on what they want the audience to learn and understand. With this in mind they explore backward design and how this focus changes how you might design curriculum to suit the audience rather than resources available to a designer. Some key question to ask are: what do you want the learner to be able to achieve, and what are the practices and skills needed for the learner to master key skills? Or it can be look at from an assessment point of view. In order for learners to pass an assessment at the end of the program, what do they need to learn? The authors outline three stages in the Backward Design Process.
Stage 1 is identifying desired results. In this stage designers need to examine their goals and any other content standards, and then critical assess the available curriculum to filter the content to what will support the desired outcomes. Content can be sorted into three groups; what is worth being familiar with, what is important to know or do, and what is required to have an enduring or a long lasting understanding.
Stage 2 is determining acceptable evidence were we ask how will the designers know the learners have achieved the desired outcomes? What evidence will be used to check learning at the various stages? This could involve formal and information assessments over the course of the program such as test, quizzes, academic prompts, or performance tasks and projects.
Stage 3 is planning learning experiences and instruction. After completing the prior stages, designers can now plan activities and gather materials and resources to achieve the desired results.
The principle of backward design provides purposeful meaning to training. In a corporate setting there is always pressure to be able to quantify the return on investment (or ROI) on any training. While we are not always able to measure in numerical terms, we can however, use this principle to help shape behaviors and instill a culture within the organization.
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