Module 3

 Introduction to Doreen's Backwards Thinking Process Framework

Instructions

Watch the video and/or read the article provided. While doing so, take notes to help you process the key ideas. Then, complete the tasks and/or answer the questions that follow.

Backwards Thinking: Doreen Nelson’s Revolutionary Teaching Method

Imagine stepping into a classroom where learning begins not with textbooks or lectures, but with cardboard, imagination, and hands-on challenges. A space where students build, design, and problem-solve before encountering formal definitions or rules.

Welcome to Backwards Thinking, a groundbreaking teaching methodology created by Professor Doreen Nelson. This approach flips traditional learning on its head by prioritizing creativity, discovery, and critical thinking as the starting point of instruction.

 

What Is Backwards Thinking?

At its core, Backwards Thinking™ emphasizes doing first and understanding later. Unlike traditional classrooms that follow a deductive model—where students learn a concept and then apply it—Backwards Thinking™ is inductive. Students engage in challenges first, uncovering underlying concepts through analysis and reflection.

Instead of starting with memorization, students dive into real-world problem-solving, often creating 3D models that serve as metaphors for complex ideas. This approach encourages exploration, testing, revision, and ultimately, deeper internalization of knowledge.

 

The Phases of Backwards Thinking

Let’s explore the six key phases of this revolutionary approach, each designed to foster higher-order thinking, creativity, and lasting understanding.

1. What Do I Need to Teach? (Define Your Teaching Goals)

Every Backwards Thinking lesson starts with a clear academic objective. Educators identify key standards or big ideas they want students to grasp. Instead of lecturing on these concepts, they ask:

“How can I design a challenge that lets students discover this for themselves?”

Example:

If the topic is sustainability, a teacher might pose the challenge:

“How can we design a self-sufficient city of the future?”

Students apply knowledge in context, addressing real-world constraints and logistics.

2. Identify a Problem & Frame a Unique Challenge

Next, students are introduced to bold, imaginative challenges—scenarios they’ve never encountered before. These challenges stretch their thinking and push them beyond rote answers.

Example Challenges:

• “Design a bridge that can withstand extreme weather.”
• “Create a floating city powered entirely by renewable energy.”
• “Build a school for the year 2125.”

These challenges activate synthesis and evaluation skills on Bloom’s Taxonomy, requiring students to generate original ideas and assess their solutions before formal academic content is introduced.

3. Set Criteria for Assessment (Build First – Establish a Criteria List)

Now it’s time to build with purpose. Students receive a Criteria List—a set of non-negotiable design requirements aligned with curriculum goals.

Example Criteria for “The Future School”:

• Utilize at least three types of renewable energy.
• Include virtual and in-person learning environments.
• Design a waste management and recycling system.

With the Criteria List, students begin building models, engaging in synthesis and evaluation—all before formal content is introduced.

4. Let students Give it a Try! (Hands-On Building as an Analogy for Learning)

As students construct their models, they create analogies for the real-world systems and concepts they’ll study later.

Example:

When students struggle to power their floating city, a teacher might ask:

“What energy sources did you use? What didn’t work? Why?”

This leads to discussions about renewable energy sources and infrastructure, anchoring understanding in first-hand experience.

5. Teach Guided Lessons – Teaching When Students Are Ready

In Backwards Thinking™, direct instruction is delivered just-in-time—when students need it most. This ensures lessons are relevant and tied to authentic experiences.

Example:

After multiple bridges collapse in a classroom challenge, the teacher introduces a mini-lesson on structural stability and load distribution. Students apply the concepts immediately, reinforcing their learning.

6. Students Revise Design -Revising & Improving Designs

The final phase emphasizes iteration. Students are encouraged to revise, test, and improve their designs based on feedback from peers, teachers, and their reflections.

Example:

After peer critiques, a student redesigns their school’s rooftop to better accommodate solar panels. This phase mirrors real-world design thinking, teaching persistence, adaptability, and self-assessment.

 Why Backwards Thinking Works

Backwards Thinking™ is not just engaging—it’s research-based, aligned with higher-order thinking skills, and deeply connected to academic content.

• Real-World Problem Solving: Students engage in authentic challenges.
• Student-Centered Learning: The process is creative and personalized.
• Discovery of Key Concepts: Learning is experiential, not just delivered.
• Professional Relevance: The approach mirrors practices in fields like architecture and engineering.

Most importantly, students are motivated. They learn not because they have to, but because they want to.

Discussion Questions (10 Points)

Instructions:

Engage in the Discussion:
Reflect on what you’ve learned from this session by answering the discussion prompts below. After posting your response, read through your peers’ contributions and share your thoughts by commenting on at least one of them. Your answer should be around 150 words.

Discussion Questions:

Reflecting on your understanding of Backwards Thinking™, how can you incorporate this methodology into your own teaching practice? Share a specific challenge or project idea you would implement in your classroom, and discuss how it aligns with the phases of Backwards Thinking™ to promote creativity and critical thinking among your students.

Your answer should include the following points:

1. Specific Challenge or Project Idea: Describe the challenge you would propose.

2. Alignment with Backwards Thinking™ Phases: Explain how your idea fits into the six phases of Backwards Thinking™.

3. Promoting Creativity and Critical Thinking: Discuss how this approach encourages student engagement and deeper understanding.

4. Potential Obstacles: Identify any challenges you might face in implementing this methodology.

5. Strategies for Addressing Obstacles: Suggest ways to overcome these challenges effectively.

Write your response in the comments section below. When appropriate, read your colleagues’ responses and provide thoughtful comments or constructive feedback to enrich the discussion.