Understanding by Design is simply about DESIGNING LESSONS FOR UNDERSTANDING rather than INFORMATION ACQUISITION. The main goal is to assure that learning remains with the learners, long after they have passed, forgotten the exams and finished their schooling.

UbD does not require a change in the curriculum but rather a change in what teachers should focus on, how learning will take place and how it should be assessed. Thus, in order to teach for understanding one must be competent in the subject matter for the teacher to have enough confidence to choose appropriate topics or big ideas, strategies and modes for assessing genuine learning. Teachers can significantly improve themselves by using ICT in the three main tasks they do: lesson preparation, delivery of lessons and assessment of students understanding.

ICT in Lesson Preparation

In order to prepare their lessons better, teachers must go way beyond their currently prescribed textbook to find more relevant and much richer content. Numerous teacher sites, portals and online resources exist. Many students already use these resources to augment what they have learned in school or from textbooks.

ICT in the Classroom

Delivery of lessons in the classroom can be significantly improved using interactive multimedia learning tools, interactive simulations and even games. Media-rich presentations are not only attractive to students. These actually make learning less boring and less painful. The use of interactive teaching tools can certainly make student understand concepts and processes better than just plain listening or observing. Teachers can also use ICT to learn and share effective strategies for teaching the topics to fellow teachers.

ICT in Student Assessment

Traditional paper and pencil tests often yield only the amount of information retained, but not necessarily the actual understanding of lessons. Some concrete evidences that one have understood what they have learned is to blog about it (using their own words), make a presentation about it or actually use tools dedicated for the task. A video-essay or photo-essay is can also be a better evidence of learning than a written report.

Teachers who will use ICTs will not only have access to better resources but will learn to speak the language and use the tools as well as the preferred media of the students today. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are and will continue to be part of our daily activities. They provide the opportunities to make the elusive dream of lifelong learning possible. Real learning can naturally occur when common tools used for everyday activities are used both by the teacher and the learner.

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* This article synthesizes Dr. Espititu’s presentation in the Vibal ICT+UbD seminars.