www.postersession.com

Research Focus: Can integrating fact pyramids as a curriculum planning tool result in better student comprehension and enduring understanding? This research question was chosen because it is linked to backward mapping principles that are part of Understanding by Design (UbD), a curriculum design methodology developed by Wiggins & McTighe. I have been utilizing UbD in my unit and lesson planning for over a decade and was interested in finding new ways to further refine and improve its application in my teaching practice. Traditionally, students in social studies courses are charged with the recall of copious amounts of factual information on unit assessments. Much of this information is forgotten over time. Students need a more enduring understanding of the “big picture” concepts related to historical inquiry and to develop competencies at the highest levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. This is essential if they are to become informed and productive global citizens, particularly in an information age. To achieve these aims, UbD prioritizes essential questions and enduring understandings, rather than fundamental recall of information. Research has shown that learning that is centered around these essential questions is more likely to be remembered over time, rather than forgotten after an assessment. Furthermore, students begin to expect more than just memorization of factual information from their lessons and become more engaged learners. Additionally, UbD appeals to my teaching style because it is a curriculum development philosophy with continuous improvement at its core. To that end, I began to research about the application of fact pyramids in the UbD process. A fact pyramid “is a planning organizer that helps teachers to graphically categorize text information into three levels: 1) Essential knowledge, 2) Short-term Information and 3) background detail.” (Buehl, 1991) I chose to implement this practice because I was teaching several new courses and would not have the time to fully develop UbD units for each by using traditional planning methods. However, I did not want to completely abandon the practice of backward mapping altogether. Fact pyramids seemed like a good compromise and it allowed me an opportunity to approach the application of UbD principles from a different perspective. Perhaps most importantly, it gave me an opportunity to incorporate students into the process , too. By implementing this teaching practice, I hoped to learn if it was possible to maintain a high level of focus on essential questions and enduring understandings with students, while also simplifying unit planning for the teacher. I wanted to find a shortcut to maximize my time, without adversely impacting student achievement.

Methods

Conclusions

Figure #2 - Fact Pyramid

Bibliography Buehl, D. (2009) Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning (3rd ed.) Newark, DE: International

Reading Association, 30-36. Buehl, D. (1991) Fact Pyramids. New Perspectives: Reading Across the Curriculum, 7 (6), 1-2 Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005) Understanding by Design (2nd ed.) Alexandria, VA: Association for

Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Learning that is centered around the investigation of essential questions, rather than the recall of factual information, is more likely to be retained over time. Fact pyramids provide teachers with a valuable planning tool which encourages lessons where students are required to synthesize and analyze information. As a result, student comprehension of the content, including background detail, is significantly improved.

Student performance was significantly better, an average of 8% higher on assessments that were developed using fact pyramids, compared to those that were not. Further, student long-term retention of essential knowledge and background detail was much more pronounced with the utilization of fact pyramids. Student retention was 5% higher on the midterm exam and 4% higher on the cumulative course final exam, for those test items that were based on essential understandings from the fact pyramid. Anecdotal evidence in student reflections and journal entries indicate that students have developed an understanding that not all historical facts have equal value or significance.

Introduction

Results

Image Source: http://nccscurriculum.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/three-stages.jpg

Figure #1 – Backward Mapping

A mix of both quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed. Student performance was evaluated by comparing a unit of study where a fact pyramid was utilized, with one that was not. The Gradecam app for iPad was used to score multiple choice questions on formative assessments, unit tests, the midterm exam and final course exam. This tool was utilized so that item analysis reports could be more easily generated. The assessment data from two units of study then could be disaggregated for comparison. This also made it possible to do a longitudinal analysis for assessing retention of course content over time. At the conclusion of the first unit, students were asked during unit review before the assessment to rank information as essential knowledge, short-term information or background detail. They had to provide justification for their responses. Students were asked to do this again during a unit review in which a fact pyramid was not utilized to guide instruction. Additionally, students were asked to perform metacognitive reflections in their course journals. Specifically, students were asked to consider their performance on assessments and to attempt to self-identify the causes of their success or failure on assessments. The instructor also maintained a reflective journal on instructional practices and results.

Essen%alKnowledge:WhywereAmericansreluctanttoconcentratepowerinoneplace?HowhavetheideascontainedintheCons9tu9onaffectedthelivesofAmericans?HowhastheCons9tu9onchangedovertheyearstobe>ermeettheneedsofthepeople?

ShortTermInforma%on:WhattypeofGovernmentdidtheCons9tu9oncreateandwhy?Whatisthedifferencebetweensepara9onofpowersandchecksandbalances?WhywasaBillofRightsadded?WhatkindsoffreedomsareguaranteedbytheBillofRights?

BackgroundDetail:Declara9onofIndependence,Ar9clesofConfedera9on,Democracy,Republicanism,Federalism,Legisla9ve,Execu9ve,Judicial,census,suffrage,majorityrules,minorityrights,veto,impeach,judicialreview,doublejeopardy,civilliber9es,dueprocess,federalistsvs.an9-federalists,BillofRights,MagnaCarta,EnglishBillofRights,Mayflowercompact

Untitled-1 1 16/04/16 18:21