Academic research, in particular the Understanding by Design research of author Grant Wiggins, has informed the myWorld instructional design and pedagogy. Understanding by Design (UbD), is a groundbreaking but commonsense approach to building curriculum, instruction, and assessment centered around Essential Questions and "big ideas."

Pearson is committed to the UbD approach and has entered into an exclusive partnership with Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, coauthors of Understanding by Design.