This week I read chapter 6: Crafting Understandings in the book Understanding by Design. I think one of the most important things I discovered in this chapter was the definition of understandings.
1. An understanding is an important inference, drawn from the experience of experts, stated as a specific and useful generalization.
2. An understanding refers to transferable, big ideas having enduring value beyond a specific topic.
3. An understanding involves abstract, counterintuitive, and easily misunderstood items.
4. An understanding is best acquired by "uncovering" (i.e., it must be developed inductively, coconstructed by learners) and "doing" the subject (i.e., using the ideas in realistic settings and with real-world problems).
5. An understanding summarizes important strategic principles in skill areas.
Wiggins, Grant, and Jay McTighe. "Chapter 6: Crafting Understandings." Understanding by Design. Expanded 2nd ed. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2005. 128-29. eBook.
Having understandings defined helped me most as I tried to craft my own. I'm still a little unsure that I have correctly identified the understandings for the lessons I am writing, but I hope that with time and practice that will come a bit more easily. I hope my instructor will give me some good feedback as to whether I am on the right track and how I can get better at crafting understandings.