Universal Design for Learning is Possible
The education field can feel overwhelming at times for educators. It can be a struggle to find a balance between planning instruction, keeping up with grading material, meeting an ever-growing list of deadlines, managing classrooms, and trying to teach, reach, and guide all students. Using a Universal Design for Learning can help you reach all your students and allows for a variety of learning needs to be fulfilled.
As I have become more aware of what Universal Design for Learning is and how it works, I realized that I have already been implementing several guidelines. The Principle of Engagement is one that I have been using, but I do need to ensure that I begin the planning process with a true purpose. When I assign classroom projects, I do provide students with choices as to how they can submit their final product. When I do use these types of assignments in class, I have learned that students are more motivated to work and to find the relevant information needed. Additionally, it will be easy to accurately implement the "what" by providing multiple means of representation. I would love to integrate the use of multiple examples and non-examples to emphasize critical features. This will help make the lesson cohesive and show students how to implement this learning design outside of my English classroom.
I would like to know more about the Principle of providing multiple means of Action and Expression. Specifically, I would like to know more about how to properly navigate students to build their own appropriate goal-setting and checklists. I always provide students with my "Why, What, and How" for my assignments, but would love to provide them with opportunities to take ownership of what and how they learn and present for their learning. To support 21st-century skills, it is important to show students how to break the product, or final goal, into smaller, attainable sections.
I would like to study the impact that using the process of Universal Design for Learning has on student achievement. The more that I read about UDL the clearer it seems to me that this concept should be used more in school settings. The following are some resources I have identified which have helped me clarify the purpose of UDL:
This discusses how different populations will benefit from having different kinds of supports and scaffolds which can be implemented when using UDL. This is different from what you would find in a traditional educational curriculum.
https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2017/10/4-steps-implement-universal-design-learning-classroom
This article presents steps that will help educators implement UDL and flexible content in the classroom setting.
This site really helped me break everything down and gives great insight as to each specific principal and what it would entail. I would recommend this site to everyone and anyone wanting to learn more about what using UDL offers both the educator and the student.
Another valuable resource will always be mentors or fellow educators who may be already implementing UDL in their classrooms. Speaking and working with colleagues who have already had success with this would be ideal. They can help guide and provide feedback on how you may be able to improve this process for you. School librarians would also be key to seeking help. School librarians are instrumental in finding ways to offer choice and to suggest innovative ways to engage all learners.
This was a great post with a lot of great information. I feel that students feel like they really have learned information once they are able to submit the work in a way they feel more comfortable and confident with. The resources that you have given are great and I have learned a lot from your post. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWhen I first the topic of Universal Design for Learning, I felt a little nervous, but after reading what it was, I was relieved. Turns out as teachers we already do what the guidelines suggest. It's now a matter of improving our skills and actively looking for new strategies and ideas.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of universal design for learning is great for teachers as it provides suggestions for aspects of learning. It made me feel successful as a teacher knowing that I was implementing many of these elements, but it also provided me with opportunity for growth.
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