Hello, and thank you for joining me today to discuss Essential Learning Questions. By the end of today's tutorial, we'll be able to answer what constitutes an Essential Learning Question, what is an example of an Essential Learning Question and what is not an Essential Learning Question. Essential Learning Questions are part of the Understanding by Design framework developed by Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins.
Essential questions requires students to think at a higher level. It's related to Bloom's Taxonomy. And if you're directly using them with Understanding by Design, it would be related to the Six Facets of Understanding. They also want students to consider the big ideas of a topic. And these sorts of questions require students to think at a higher level.
These Essential Questions can be used without Understanding by Design and are one of the most challenging aspects of Understanding by Design because they're important questions that are encountered again and again in one's life. They're questions that are considered critical within a discipline or topic. And they are questions that help students make sense of core content and ideas.
So we're going to look at some of the characteristics of Essential Learning Questions. Essential Learning Questions all of these common characteristics. They promote inquiry into the "big ideas" and main content of a topic. They promote higher level thought, lively discourse, and new understanding.
They require students to consider the evidence presented to justify their ideas and to consider alternatives. And they promote meaningful connections with prior learning and other experiences. They also create opportunities for transfer of learning to other contexts. These characteristics are also why a teacher would want to use Essential Learning Questions.
So let's look at some examples. These are just general. It could be used in any grade level across a variety of different disciplines. They're not focused on just one. So one example is, what is a true friend? What makes a reading selection high quality? And what is a healthy lifestyle?
On the flip side, we have some non-examples, such as, how many legs doesn't insects have? Can you find examples of foreshadowing in three stories we have read? And what is the formula for finding the area of a triangle?
Hopefully, it's obvious to you guys that the non-examples actually do have right or wrong answers, whereas the examples were broad, big picture questions that would promote lively discourse. The only question on these non-examples that would present any real discourse I think is the examples of foreshadowing and three stories. And that discourse would even be limited because there is a right or wrong answer for foreshadowing.
So let's reflect for a moment. I want you to create one example of an Essential Learning Question you could use for the unit you're currently teaching. What is one challenge you might encounter with using Essential Learning Questions? To review, today, we talked about what constitutes an Essential Learning Question. We talked about what is an example of an Essential Learning Question and what is not an Essential Learning Question.
As you reflect on how this new information can be applied, you may want to explore the Additional Resources section that accompanies this video presentation. This is where you'll find links to resources chosen to help you deepen your learning and explore ways to apply your newly acquired skillset. Thank you for joining me and happy teaching.
Overview
(00:00-00:15) Introduction
(00:16-01:00) Essential Learning Questions Introduction
(01:01-01:38) Characteristics of Essential Learning Questions
(01:39-01:57) Examples of Essential Learning Questions
(01:58-02:32) Non-examples of Essential Learning Questions
(02:33-02:53) Reflection
(02:54-03:22) Conclusion
What is UbD? Grant Wiggins Answers, with Video Cases
This video includes Wiggins' explanation of UbD. In addition, Wiggins includes case studies from schools and classrooms to illustrate UbD in action and its impact on teaching and learning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsDgfC3SjhM
12 Ways to Kill Understanding by Design (UbD) from the Start
In this blog post, Grant Wiggins demonstrates common misconceptions about UbD and offers suggestions on how to avoid those pitfalls. For each misconception, Wiggins explains what teachers should do in their practice.
https://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/11/12/12-ways-to-kill-understanding-by-design-ubd-from-the-start/