What is the main objective of backward design in curriculum development?

The main objective of backward design in curriculum development is to start with desired outcomes and plan backward. This approach emphasizes identifying the specific knowledge and skills students should acquire by the end of a learning experience, which then informs all subsequent planning steps, including assessments and instructional strategies.

By beginning with clear learning objectives, educators can select appropriate assessments that truly measure whether students have achieved those outcomes. This ensures that teaching activities are directly aligned with the goals, providing a more coherent and effective learning experience. The focus on the end goals helps to ensure that instructional activities and assessments are intentionally designed to facilitate student understanding and mastery of the targeted knowledge and skills.

In contrast, starting with available resources or brainstorming activities without clear objectives can lead to a disjointed curriculum that may not effectively support student learning. The emphasis on predetermined assessments exists within the backward design process, but it is fundamentally directed by the end goals rather than being an isolated starting point.