How Might the Universal Constructs Help Learners become Future Ready?

Module 3

Module Components

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe each Universal Construct in three skills
2. Identify elements of the Universal Constructs in Iowa’s definition of College and Career Ready (CCR)
3. Differentiate between 21st century skills standards and the UCs

​

If you use the UTT Guide in your context

• List emerging questions related to how the Universal Constructs are represented in the UTT Guide

​

Guidebooks (optional)

​

​

Launch

Getting to Know the What, How, and Why

Join this Quizlet class.

​

Explore the 6 UCs and each of their 3 skills by studying the flashcards. The flashcards can be studies by looking at the Construct and then flipping to reveal the skills, or vice versa.

​

Reference the Universal Constructs here as necessary (scroll down to the embedded PDFs).

​

​

​

After your review, play the match game to see if you can drag and drop the matching skills to the correct UC.

​

Note your best time so you can compare after this module!

Learn

Iowa’s Required Academic Standards

Venn Diagram: Organize and Summarize

Click Image

Create a Venn Diagram to organize the similarities and differences between Iowa’s Universal Constructs and 21st Century Skills Standards.

College and Career Readiness in Iowa

• Which outcome areas align with the Universal Constructs?
• Which of those do we currently teach, provide feedback on, and assess with regularity in our classrooms?
• Add connections between the CCR outcomes areas and the UCs and 21st century skills on your Venn Diagram

MAY DO: Connect to the UTT Guide

UTT Connections

UTT: Instructional Time and Materials

UTT Connections

UTT Connections

Apply: What does support look like?

What does support look like?

• Asking this question is a tool for clarifying roles and expectations and it helps set the stage for success.
• People can become resentful when they feel like they aren’t getting the support they need. But at the same time, they often don’t ask for needed support.
• Asking this question up front can help prevent resentment and also can get people to think about what type of support would be helpful—it holds them accountable for asking for what they need. It can also be important to clarify the behaviors that aren’t considered helpful in a specific situation.

Application

Option 1: Create a list of what support looks like to ensure there is instructional time and professional learning to support the integration of UCs

1. Teachers who want to plan a lesson or unit
2. Instructional Leaders who want to plan for a PLC/CTT conversation/support
3. Coaches who want to support teachers in a coaching cycle

Option 2: Connect the types of support that will be needed with other district initiatives (including the SAMI process and the UTT Guide)

• Coaches who want to support teachers in a coaching cycle
• Instructional Leaders who want to plan professional learning
• Consultants who support administrators and/or teachers in districts

Apply to Your Context

• What connections can you make regarding the term “future ready” and the sets of knowledge, skills, and dispositions in this module?
• What are some potential challenges or roadblocks you foresee after this initial learning?
• What else would you need to know about the Universal Constructs and the competencies in order to implement them?