UDLWhat is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?Is way for teachers to reach all of their students with a flexible approach to learning that steers away from the traditional ‘one size fits all’ approach.By Richard Cole, October 2012
Challenges for teachers:Most all teachers have to teach a very diverse group of students with different backgrounds, amounts of educations, culture and language, just to name a few.The way people learn is extremely unique; learners need options to fit their learning style.UDL
How can this be accomplished?Curriculums need to be re-designed to reach this diversity among our students.Adjusted to reach the broadest needs of all students.This will minimize barriers and maximize learning for all students in the class.More importantly, ALL students can benefit from UDL, not just those with special needs…UDL
Where did this concept come from?The original ideas and design for UDL came from the world of architecture. Buildings needed to be designed having those with physical handicaps in mind to create accessibility for all.How does more than one group benefit from this concept?An example of how architecture’s version of UDL benefits more than just those the design was intended for: CURB CUTSUDL
What is a curb cut?These are designed into sidewalks, especially at intersections, so those with handicaps, like individuals that use wheelchairs, can access sidewalks from the street.UDLAs it turns out, those using wheelchairs aren’t the onlyone’s benefiting from this design:Bike riders, skateboarders and Baby strollers also use thisdesign in sidewalk construction (Cast, 2011).
What does this have to do with improving learning?By adopting Universal Design for Learning methods, those students with special needs will benefit and this will also benefit other students in the class as alternative means to understanding the content.UDL
Breaking down Universal Design for LearningUniversal:Curriculum that can be used and understood by everyone. Each learner has their own background, strengths, needs & interests.UDL
Learning: research has discovered 3 networks of the brain (Cast, 2011).UDLRecognition NetworksStrategic NetworksAffective NetworksThe ‘What’ of learning; deals with how we gather facts, categorize and identify; how information is presented.The ‘how’ of learning; deals with planning & performing tasks; how our ideas are expressed and organized; differentiate ways for students to express what they know.The ‘Why’ of learning; deals with how learners are engaged & stay motivated; pertains to challenge, excitement & interest; how is interest stimulated & motivation for learning created.I sense a light sampling of Gagne’s learning domains: Cognitive, Psychom*otor & Affective
More on learning:While we all have these 3 learning networks, we all don’t use them the same. One person might be strong in the recognition area, but weak in the affective……others can have different combinations of strong & weak between the 3 networks.UDL
Design:How to design a curriculum that is challenging and engaging to diverse learners.UDL* A universally designed lesson is planned to be flexible and accommodate all learners. These adjustments will benefit more learners than was directly intended.After determining your learning goals, find barriers in the classroom that may interfere with your diverse students reaching these goals.Apply the 3 primary UDL principles to eliminate these barriers…
The udl guidelines (Cast, 2011) :Provide multiple means of:Representation (or presentation) through perception, language, expressions, symbols and comprehension. Use multiple medias and varied supports; highlight major points; activate background knowledge; and support vocabulary.UDL
The udl guidelines:Provide multiple means of:Action and Expression through physical action, expression & communication and executive function. Give plenty of options for students to show what they know; provide models, feedback, & supports for their various levels of proficiency.UDL
The udl guidelines:Provide multiple means of:Engagement through recruiting interest, sustaining effort and persistence and self-regulation. Give students choices to increase interest; risk mistakes & learn from them; UDL
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Check out this informative overview of UDL principles:UDL
David Rose, director of the National center for Udl has one last point on how to use these guidelines:UDL
Examples of UDL transforming a classroom that could make all classrooms inclusive for all childrenInstead of a traditional lecture, the teacher uses a brainstorming activity (like Inspiration software) to activate prior knowledge and learn how to use concept maps (Meo, 2008).More students become involved in this activity than would have using a lecturing method.UDLInstall text-reading software in computers so students with reading disabilities can have the text read to them while reading along (Meo, 2008).This practice would not only help those with reading disabilities, but would also benefit English language learners.
Examples of UDL transforming a classroom that could make all classrooms inclusive for all childrenWhen assessing students, along with the usual multiple choice & essay tests, offer additional options for the students to demonstrate/express understanding.Performing an enactment, developing a multimedia presentation, write a short story aimed at a younger grade level, write a poem, conduct a research project (Meo, 2008).UDLUse a video from websites like YouTube, TeacherTube and similar to provide an alternative to a lecture or use as a summary.These can be more engaging due to use of audio, imagery and possibly closed captioning. Refine your search and you’ll be surprised at what assistance can turn up.
Examples of UDL transforming a classroom that could make all classrooms inclusive for all childrenUse a variety of presentation style options (from PowerPoint to Prezi to produced video) to allow students to express their understanding of a topic in groups.Students working together, especially in a digital environment, requires collaboration which is inclusive for learners on the fringe.UDLBring in professionals from the ‘real world’ when connection to lesson is relevant to discuss and answer questions with your students.The practice of modeling is very powerful in making students aware of the connection the class lesson has to the real world and therefore, their future.
Examples of UDL transforming a classroom that could make all classrooms inclusive for all childrenThe teacher uses Edmodo to use as a classroom network space, much like Facebook, but in a school setting.More students become involved through interactions online, timely feedback can be attained through a feature the program has for assessment.UDLThe teacher offers a choice of many popular electronic files (Word, RTF, PDF, HTML) so any student should be able to open them at home or on another computer.Have the files available in multiple outlets: put on their thumb drive in class, post to a web site for future retrieval, email to a student.
Technology resources to provide learning options:UDLSoftware to break learning barriers: multiple means of representationExample - www.naturalreaders.comA free program that will take in any printed text in your computer (Word documents, PDFs, websites, etc.) and read it aloud, while highlighting the words that are being read. Can also use OCR function of a scanner to bring in selected text from textbooks. The paid version allows the user to change the voice type and sex. This program can read text in English back to the user in their native language (Spanish, German, Italian & French). Also, the user can record an MP3 of the reading to listen to later on their IPod, phone, computer or similar.
Technology resources to provide learning options:UDLWebsites/software breaking learning barriers: multiple means of action & expression AND engagementExample – www.Prezi.com, google docs, PowerPoint, Windows Moviemaker (or similar), Bitstrips.com (create comics & cartoons)Most of the above suggestions offer collaboration which can allow more students to become engaged by working together to complete a task to demonstrate understanding, for example. Trying an option they haven’t used before will increase their 21st Century skill set and offer another means of expression.These options can also be used by the teacher in the presentation of new material to the entire class: save the presentation and offer the file to your students or open up your Prezi.Check out www.boxoftrick.com to find more options to assist you in becoming a UDL teacher!
Technology resources to provide learning options:UDLClassroom network to break learning barriers: multiple means of expression & engagement & presentation at the same time! Example – www.edmodo.comEdmodo is a social learning network for teachers, students and parents.Users are able to check grades, assignments, and write posts to classmates, teachers, and parents. Teachers can post and grade assignments, create polls & post topics for discussion among the students. Teachers can create sub-groups within a course.Learn more aboutEdmodo here:
To make this presentation more UDL-like, here is an alternative way to view it…Prezi is definitely a different way (from traditional PowerPoint) to view a presentation and can be more interesting and a more ‘powerful’ way to present information to groups or individuals viewing with an electronic device.It took less than 10 minutes to transfer this from a PowerPoint presentation, place it in the Prezi ‘space’ and animate (in a basic fashion).Check it out here: http://prezi.com/jczeax-npncg/universal-design-for-learning/
