ACQUISITION, MEANING & TRANSFER

Teaching and learning for understanding requires the consideration of three interrelated learning goals (acquisition, meaning and transfer)
A = acquiring basic knowledge & skills/M = making meaning/T = transfer
Different types of learning events support different goals; identify which goals supported in which lessons (Code with A, M, T). Integrating these three goals promotes a
gradual release of responsibility in students with regards to their learning

WHAT IS IT? SAMPLE STUDENT ACTIVITIES ACTION VERBS SAMPLE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
ACQUISITION

• Related to Stage One, where what specific knowledge • Using mnemonic devices • Calculate • Direct Instruction
and skills students will acquire and recall, are identified • Listing facts • Define • Lectures
• Not the long term learning goal; what students need to • Identifying correct answers • Identify/Select • Graphic organizers
support making meaning, developing understanding • Fast recall activities (e.g. timed drills) • Memorize/Recall • Teacher demonstrations
and transfer • Information retrieval activities (e.g. low level • Notice • Note taking
• Lessons to support what students need to know and do comprehension questions; finding definitions) • Paraphrase • Feedback; corrections
• State

WHAT IS IT? SAMPLE STUDENT ACTIVITIES ACTION VERBS SAMPLE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
MEANING

• Related to the Big Ideas, Unit Understandings and • Data analysis activities • Analyze/Synthesize • Facilitating
Essential Questions identified in Stage One • Demonstrations • Compare/Contrast • Concept Attainment
• Lessons to support what the students will come to • Using models to support explanations • Critique/Evaluate • Problem Based Learning
understand and allow them to construct their own • Using evidence to support explanations and • Defend/Justify/Prove • Formative Assessment
meaning of important ideas and processes thinking • Explain/Support • Rethinking and Reflection Activities
• Applying previous knowledge • Generalize • Analogies
• Summarize

WHAT IS IT? SAMPLE STUDENT ACTIVITIES ACTION VERBS SAMPLE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

• Related to Stage Two, where Performance Tasks are • Performance Tasks • Adapt/Adjust • Coaching
TRANSFER

created that require students to transfer their learning to o Inquiry Investigations • Apply • Ongoing Formative Assessment
new situations, as evidence of their learning o Persuasive Tasks • Create/Design • Providing Specific Feedback
• Lessons to support students’ ability to transfer o Debates • Innovate • Conferencing
knowledge, skills and understanding to other disciplines o Role Plays • Solve • Prompting
or the real world o Simulations • Self-Assess • GRASPS Tasks
• Opportunities to practice groups of skills, not just in o Interviews • Perform
isolation o Portfolios
• Provide on-going feedback

July 26, 2017 Adapted from: http://www.slideserve.com/corin/the-understanding-by-design-framework-acquisition-meaning-making-and-transfer