If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail

Using Daniel Fink's Self-Directed Guide to Designing Courses for Significant Learning (2003) as a guide, I was able to use this backward design theory to plan a unit in my upcoming class.  Backward Design, in my opinion, reminds me the Second Habit of Steven Covey's 7 Habits of HIghly Effective People (2013) - "Begin with the End in Mind."  The BHAG guides my steps in the planning process by helping me to keep the focus of the student first.  

With the overall goals of the course in place, the situational factors and taxonomy goals are set.  Personally, the situational factors piece is most times overlooked when considering the delivery of the course and its content.  In addition, how often do I think about how the goals will be relayed using Fink's taxonomy?  According to Fink, there should be six classifications of goals:  

•  Foundation Learning

• Application

• Integration

• Human Dimension

• Caring

• Learning How to Learn

The front work is the most thought laboring aspect for preparation of  Fink's 3 column table, however, it helps to keep the learner's benefit at the forefront.  After considering what I want the students to get from this class, I then look for ways to assess student understanding and mastery of the topic.  Once I have created assessments, the learning activities are created.  This process was thought provoking and challenging, however, I wish that I was taught to plan for my students before now.  I currently understand this planning design and because of what i know, I cannot go back to my traditional planning routine.  

Resources

Fink, Daniel (2003).  A Self-Directed Guide to Designing Courses for Significant Learning.  San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Covey, Steven (2013).  The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change.