“And so one of the big ideas underlying Understanding by Design is not to try to cover everything. Rather, we propose that we need to focus our curriculum, teaching and assessments around a smaller number of big ideas across disciplines, and outcomes like critical thinking, innovation, the ability to work with teams, and effective communication.”

Today on Getting Unstuck

The performance of U.S. education is often the recipient of criticism – and much of it is justified. Despite mountains of research on what works and the strong effort of most educators, many of the students coming out of our K-12 system are only basically equipped to participate in and contribute to society. Why? Jay McTighe, a renowned educator, and Dr. Judy Willis, a neuroscientist and teacher make a cogent case for radically changing how we prepare teachers, develop curricula, and provide instruction.

Jay has had a rich and varied career in education. He is an accomplished author having co authored 11 books, including his best selling Understanding by Design series with Grant Wiggins. He is a much-in-demand speaker at education conferences all over the world.

Judy is a Board Certified neurologist, who has combined her 15 years as a practicing neurologist with ten subsequent years as a classroom teacher to become a leading authority in the neuroscience of learning.

Jay and Judy recently teamed up and co authored Upgrade Your Teaching – Understanding by Design Meets Neuroscience.

“One of the factors that inhibit or limit the ability of teachers to do the kinds of things we're advocating is that there's typically too much content and not enough time. But this is not an individual teacher problem. This is a systemic problem. I… — “One of the factors that inhibit or limit the ability of teachers to do the kinds of things we're advocating is that there's typically too much content and not enough time. But this is not an individual teacher problem. This is a systemic problem. It has to be addressed at the district or school levels, and it's part of a curriculum challenge.”

As you listen

1. What is one big educational challenge that Understanding by Design (UBD) is trying to address?

2. How would the integration of neuroscience in the development of curriculum – specifically taking into account what motivates and engages students – impact instruction and learning?

3. What is the role of the teacher in lesson planning and instruction in a classroom that integrates the UBD framework and an understanding of neuroscience?

4. What are the systemic problems that districts face that inhibit what Jay and Judy argue for in their book?

5. Why is knowing how our brain filters information so important to an understanding of student motivation?

“Understanding must be earned. It must be earned by the learner. Understandings are made in the mind of the learner. To construct meaning, they have to link prior knowledge with new information and new ideas that fosters the “aha” moment – the insight.”

For reflection

While this interview focuses on education, the implications of neuroscience are meaningful for learning and the demonstration of learning in any environment. For example, how does your own awareness and your manager’s awareness or lack of awareness of your motivators impact your performance?