Appendix

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 * 1. What do you see in the Support for Understanding by Design in Research and Theory section that affirms your beliefs about teaching and learning? What do you see that challenges your beliefs? What do you need to think or find out more about?**

Discussion: I was interested in the 1995 study that showed that although Japan teaches fewer topics in math, their students achieved better test scores. This supports the UbD approach of uncovering the curriculum. It is more important to understand deeper meanings of knowledge than to complete a wide coverage of topics and rote learning. Gin I agree with the part about rote memory rarely transfers; transfer ocurs when the learner knows and understands. Another good point was that curricula that are " a mile wide and an inch deep" run the risk of developing disconnected rather than connected knowledge. When we have so much to teach, how can we teach it in depth? I hate having to rush to get my outcomes finished and not spend the time really needed to reach the understanding level. Amy


 * 2. What do you see in the Support for Differentiation in Research and Theory section that affirms your beliefs about teaching and learning? What do you see that challenges your beliefs? What do you need to think or find out more about?**

Discussion: There is much support for giving each learner tasks that challenge them and cause them to stretch their learning capacity. This requires a teacher to give instruction in a wide range of degrees of difficulty. My problem is still the question of how to accomplish this task. Gin I agree with Gin. How do we accomplish this task? Where do we start? Amy

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