Learn to use Backwards Design to create your lesson plan (Template and steps)

Backwards design is simply starting from the outcome (or transformation) for your students & building the modules/chapters/sections with those outcomes in mind.

As we begin creating an online course, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the many methods to start the process. We know the content so well and have given the course many times but suddenly we get stuck in the process of planning our course.

Start with the goal in mind     Dr. Stephen R. Covey

Jump ahead:

•         What exactly is Backwards Design?  
•         The traditional Design Methodology    
•         Advantages of Backwards Design    
•         5 Steps to Backward Design    
•         Backward Design Lesson Plan Template    

What is Backwards Design?

The idea behind backwards design is simply starting from the outcome or end result that you'd like your students to experience and build the modules/chapters/sections one by one with the outcomes guiding the process. This approach helps define the results that the students will get from every section or chapter and helps you. Focusing on the outcomes that you can provide a better learning experience through demonstrating the way towards the change you promised your students.

Traditional Design Approach

If you've not heard of the backward-looking design or seen the practice being utilized, this is due to the fact that most of the time people are using a traditional approach. The traditional design approach is the exact opposite- the process starts at the beginning, and progresses its way to the end.

As an example, if I'm designing a course to shed weight through eliminating sweets the first thing I'd do would be to outline the course curriculum by listing out all the topics related to the subject matter. Next, I'll need to introduce the diverse lessons that fit the topic to break down the subject into different sub-topics. In the final phase, it is the creation of assignments or quizzes to evaluate student's comprehension of the topic. The problem with this strategy is that traditional design overlooks and omits course objectives and the way students can be able to achieve them, resulting in poor results and engagement.

It is impossible to plan a curriculum or create learning materials without clearly delineating the requirements and the outcomes we want our students to achieve. It happens all the time and students are left with a gap between their learning material and the results feeling lost and or lost because their expectations do not match up.

However one of the major drawbacks of the traditional method of planning lessons is that it fails to consider learners' needs and roles during the course design process. In this light, in comparison to the design method of traditional reversed design provides an incredibly practical and effective framework to assist course creators in designing an engaging learning experience that has an impact on the students as well as their company.

The benefits of backwards design

The advantage of design that is backwards is that every chapter or module set the tone for the following and clearly informs the learner where they're headed on their learning journey. It also provides the most engaging and memorable learning experience, which is planned, focused and centered around the learner/student and their needs.

It is accomplished through integrating different learning modes and methods into the design process to ensure that engagement is high. As everyone learns differently and experiences learning in a different way Our job is to create the learning experience that is able to tap into the different types of learning and styles that can increase the impact and transformation for our learner.

The other benefit of using a reversed design is that helps you , as an instructor, guide your students through the path and demonstrate what skills and concepts they'll acquire on a clearly defined roadmap.

5 Regression Steps

  Step 1.  

The initial step to begin using and incorporating reversed design is to determine the overall course outcomes rather than the goals for your learners. One of the best ways to do this is by listing and or writing out results using Bloom's Taxonomy.

For many of us, it's not simple to record this information, therefore go to the habit of creating the outcome regardless of whether or not they're exact. You want to treat writing results from learning as an iterative procedure so that you become better and more efficient at writing as time passes.

Once we've delineated the distinctions and definitions of goals and outcomes We can begin designing by identifying and applying appropriate learning outcomes that match expectations and the skills that need to be mastered by the student.

The goal of Blooms Taxonomy is to help the students in developing their concepts to concrete more advanced levels of proficiency like application, analysis critically thinking, evaluation and analysis.

The majority of people don't purchase online courses for fun or to learn something new, they buy online courses to learn from you to experience the transformation, be it a healthier lifestyle, weight loss, or acquire abilities to improve their work. In the end, Blooms Taxonomy guides the lesson plan and assists us in framing every lesson with clarity purpose, and specificity which sets out clear expectations.

  Step 2:  

After you've determined the course learning outcomes, now you will write out (see template for example) the competencies and skills that they will achieve from the outcomes, and also what it is. In other words, is it conquering sugar cravings, or withdrawal symptoms or is it a skillful execution of techniques that will alter how we experience withdrawal or cravings?

  Step 3:  

Once we've finished these two steps, let's look at them side-by-side to see if they match the content that we are adding. If you believe that the content within the chapter does not reflect what you want to see, then take the chapter out and place it into a separate document so that you have the information later.

Is this important in my course's layout? Yes!

Why?

4.

After you've determined the expected outcomes and the competencies of your course, you can repeat your process to cover the following chapters in your course. Repeat the process and go back to the beginning of your course to go over with a different person. employ a fresh view and ensure whether it's accurate.

  Step 5:  

Backward Design Lesson Plan Template

In conclusion, backwards design plan is an alternative method for a lot of us and is likely to challenge the way that we normally design and create courses by starting with the ultimate objective to be in the forefront.

The process will require the time to get used to this method, but it will get easier over time when we start to recognize and observe the differences as the outcome is in line with the course design and the learning experience. The benefit and results for your learners will lead to more enjoyable and enjoyable the online experience of learning.