Grant Wiggins

Definition

Grant Wiggins is an influential educator and co-author of the widely used framework for understanding by design (UbD), which emphasizes the importance of backward planning in educational assessment and curriculum design. His work focuses on performance-based assessments that allow students to demonstrate their understanding through authentic tasks, rather than traditional testing methods. Wiggins' approach helps educators create cohesive learning experiences that align with desired outcomes and fosters deeper learning in students.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Wiggins co-authored the book 'Understanding by Design' with Jay McTighe, which outlines a framework for effective curriculum development and assessment.
2. His approach advocates for assessing student understanding through performance tasks that mirror real-life applications, promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
3. Wiggins emphasizes the need for clear learning goals, known as 'enduring understandings,' that guide both teaching and assessment practices.
4. He argues that traditional testing methods often fail to capture the depth of student understanding, making performance-based assessments a more valuable tool.
5. Wiggins' principles are widely adopted in various educational settings, impacting both K-12 education and higher education curriculum development.

Review Questions

• How does Grant Wiggins’ approach to assessment differ from traditional methods, and what are its advantages?
  • Grant Wiggins' approach differs from traditional methods by focusing on performance-based assessments rather than standardized testing. This allows students to showcase their understanding through real-world tasks that require critical thinking and application of knowledge. The advantages include a deeper engagement with content, a better representation of student learning, and the development of skills relevant to future challenges, making learning more meaningful.
• Discuss how Grant Wiggins' concept of backward design can enhance unit planning for educators.
  • Backward design enhances unit planning by encouraging educators to start with clear learning objectives before deciding on instructional activities and assessments. This method ensures that every part of the unit is aligned with the desired outcomes, creating a more coherent learning experience. By focusing on what students need to understand at the end of the unit, teachers can tailor their instruction to effectively guide students towards those goals.
• Evaluate the impact of Wiggins’ principles on modern educational practices and curriculum development.
  • The impact of Wiggins' principles on modern educational practices is profound, as they have shifted many educators towards a focus on student understanding rather than rote memorization. His emphasis on performance assessments has led to a rethinking of how success is measured in the classroom. Moreover, his ideas encourage collaboration among educators to create integrated curricula that foster deep learning experiences, ultimately leading to improved student outcomes in various educational contexts.

Related terms

Understanding by Design: A framework for designing educational curricula that begins with the end in mind, focusing on desired learning outcomes and how to achieve them through effective instructional practices.

Backward Design: An approach to curriculum planning that starts with identifying desired learning goals and then works backward to develop assessments and instructional activities that will lead students to those goals.

Performance Assessment: An evaluation method that requires students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills through real-world tasks, providing a more authentic measure of understanding than traditional tests.