Transcript Why Essential Questions?

Curriculum-Framing
Questions
How can I create more effective questions?
How can these questions help guide my teaching
and unit planning?
How can I help others develop good questions?
© 2004 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Rev. 4/15/03
Research on
Learning and Cognition
“Expert knowledge is organised…Their
knowledge is not simply a list of facts
and formulas that are relevant to the
domain; instead, their knowledge is
organised around core concepts or ‘big
ideas’ that guide their thinking about the
domain.”
- Bransford, et. al., How People Learn, p. 24
© 2004 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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Why do we have Essential
Questions?
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Simply applying eLearning/ICT to tried-and-true
projects can lead to less learning
The use of eLearning/ICT enables students to
work better, faster, smarter, or more in-depth than
when using traditional tools – so we should
provide them with more challenging tasks
Projects need to include reflection, evaluation,
analysis, or synthesis of the subject matter – not
just identification, definition, or reiteration of facts
© 2004 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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Why do we have Essential
Questions?
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“Technology is most powerful when used as
a tool for problem solving, conceptual
development, and critical thinking.
With technology, students can spend…more
time creating strategies for solving complex
problems and developing a deep
understanding of the subject matter.”
SOURCE: “The Learning Return on our Educational Technology Investment” by Cathy Ringstaff and Loretta
Kelley, WestEd
© 2004 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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We have Essential Questions
in order to…
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Focus teachers (and students) on the
important, engaging, “big picture” questions
Target higher order thinking skills
Help teachers design units that help their
students think deeply about the subject
© 2004 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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Asking Questions is
Contagious…
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It promotes authentic learning, which encourages
students to ask more questions
Students are more likely to become self-directed
learners because they are interested in the answers
Students see the connections between the subject
being taught and their world—it can change their
whole outlook on what education is about
© 2004 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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Dealing with the “yes, but…”
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“I have to teach to the test”
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To develop competence, students must:
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Have a deep foundation of factual knowledge
Understand facts and ideas in a conceptual framework
Organise knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and
application
“I have to cover so much”
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Teaching for understanding is key to recall
Instead of “aimless activity and “superficial coverage,” focus on
goals related to big ideas and complex performance
Move beyond micro-managing instruction via overly-fragmented
and isolated lessons and activities
From Understanding by Design Workshop
© 2004 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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How do Content, Unit, and Essential
Questions support learning?
Sample outcome
Students will be able to identify an ecosystem and explain how the
organisms within an ecosystem are connected and interdependent.
Content Questions
How do I collect information and display it in a graph?
What urban animals are there and what do they need to survive?
Unit Questions
How can urban wildlife and humans live together successfully?
Essential Question
How can we all get along?
Project
Using actual wildlife injury data from a local wildlife rescue center,
students learn what animal species have been injured, the causes of
injury, and the effects of reduced urban wildlife. Students provide
recommendations to reduce human caused injury to wildlife and
present a summary of their findings and recommendations to the local
animal shelters, RSPCA, neighborhood associations, and other
interested groups. At the end of each public presentation, students
gather public reaction to the data, and publish the findings and ideas in
an informational brochure for the public.
© 2004 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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Example of How Different Unit Questions
in One Classroom Can Support a
Single Essential Question
Early Explorers Unit Question:
Why leave one’s home and family
to make a new life in
a strange land?
French Revolution Unit Question:
What could move the masses to revolt?
How did the French Revolution
change their world and yours?
© 2004 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Civil War Unit
Question:
Why would someone fight to
the death against brother,
neighbour, and friend?
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Example of How Different Unit Questions
in One Classroom Can Support a
Single Essential Question
SOSE/HSIE Unit
Question:
Language Arts
Unit Questions:
How does war create change
in the economy?
In literature, how do the characters in
Lord of the Flies respond to conflict?
Why do humans often react to conflict
with violence?
Science Unit
Question:
How do animals adapt to a
changing environment?
How does Lord of the Flies help us
to understand our complex
human nature?
© 2004 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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Hints for Writing Essential and
Unit Questions
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Brainstorm questions on your own, then work with other teachers, or
your own students, to refine them.
There tend to be more How and Why Essential and Unit Questions
than those beginning with What, Who, or When.
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Ask yourself if the question has basically only one, or one narrow
group, of correct answers—if it does, it is not an Essential or Unit
Question.
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Stay away from questions asking for definitions or an understanding of a
“simple” process
What is the life cycle of a frog?
Who was Mozart?
Will it take time to fully understand and answer the question?
Is the question still being studied by scientists, philosophers, or
poets? If yes, then you probably have a great question.
© 2004 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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Hints for Writing Essential and
Unit Questions
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Not so simple, but important, tips…
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Think about why that topic is important to teach. Think
about the compelling questions that scholars have asked
throughout time. How have human beings acquired the
knowledge that we now want to impart to our students?
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Why is the universe the way it is?
How does this subject fit into the “real world”? What
connections can you make to the students’ lives?
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What makes my body work? What causes disease?
What can I do to keep my body healthy and strong?
© 2004 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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Remember: The Creation of Good Questions
and a Good Unit is an Iterative Process
What fact-focused
questions do you expect
your students to
be able to answer?
What is the end
product, the
learning outcomes,
that you want them
to achieve?
What definitions
should they know?
What open-ended
“Unit Question” could be
asked to promote
higher-order
thinking skills?
What will students
be able to know
and do as a result
of this experience?
What outcomes
are you targeting?
What is your Unit about?
What is the topic?
© 2004 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
What big-picture/global
“Essential Question”
could be asked to promote
higher-order
thinking skills?
Are your questions
still relevant?
Can they be
revised to
better promote
and enhance
student learning?
What learning
experiences,
activities, and
teaching
will promote
that learning?
How will you
engage your
students?
How will students
provide evidence
that they are
achieving
understanding?
How will you
evaluate that
evidence?
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