Understanding by Design

Question Starters Based on the Six Facets of Understanding

Organize programs, courses, units of study, and lessons around the questions. Make the “content” answers to questions.• Select or design assessment tasks (up front) that are explicitly linked tothe questions. The tasks and performance standards should clarify whatacceptable pursuit of, and answers to, the questions actually looks like.• Use a reaso

If transfer is the key to teaching for understanding,our designs must make clear that questions are not only the cause of greaterunderstanding in the student, but also the means by which all content accrues.

what is at stake is the whole design: Is it clear to students that their jobis inquiry?

The six criteria make clear what the aim must be for the question to be deemed essential: The goal must be robust and revealinginquiry, leading to deeper understandings and new questions.

Wehave found that essential questions can be fruitfully framed around four categories of big ideas relevant to effective skill learning: (1) key concepts, (2) purpose and value, (3) strategy and tactics, and (4) context of use.

If questions elicit thoughtful and varied student responsesthat will ultimately have no effect on the direction of the class or the design ofthe work, they are merely rhetorical questions, despite their seemingly openended form.

It may seem as if the topical essential questions are not really essentialbecause they often seem to seek a “right” answer. But, again, we must bewarejudging the matter by the language only. If our intent is true inquiry, it will bereflected in what we actually ask students to do (or not do) with the questionsin Stages 2 and 3. Will the learning ac

A fourth meaning for the term essential refers to questions that will mostengage a specific and diverse set of learners.