Universal Design for Learning

The new wave in education is a far cry from the traditional way where textbooks reigned and curriculum was designed for a one size fits all student body. Universal Design for Learning ("UDL") is all about embracing diversity in learners. UDL has three principles. First, teachers need to be flexible with how they represent and introduce the content. Second, teachers must provide multiple ways for students to express themselves in the curriculum. Third, teachers must be aware and accomodate for the individualize ways students are engaged. By adapting the principles of UDL, teachers are flexible with their curriculum so that students excel at learning and are intrinsically motivated.

For my CEP 811 class, I need to answer the following questions relating to Universal Design for Learning: 

Q: At the core of UDL is the premise that often the curriculum is disabled (and disabling!). It is not flexible; it often poses barriers, and consequently prevents rather than supports optimal learning experiences. Do you agree or disagree with this view? Why or why not? 

A: I disagree with the view that curriculum is disabled and poses barriers which interfere with learning. Without curriculum, teachers would be recess aids. Curriculum provides us with a framework, a set of goals to reach. Teachers are artists and shape the curriculum to meet the needs of the diverse student body. Curriculum is not the problem. The responsibility is on the school district and its teachers to create a rigorous curriculum that engages students and accommodates the diverse group of learners present in every classroom. 

Q: What are the benefits of analyzing the curriculum for strengths and weaknesses rather than focusing on the student’s strengths and weaknesses? What are the challenges of this approach?

A: Spending time analyzing curriculum is a good thing; students will benefit when curriculum has the kinks ironed out. We as educators can never put enough time into planning, strategizing, and reevaluating what and how we teach students. However, if all the attention is put into analyzing the curriculum, the students' strengths and weaknesses become the background. As educators, our ultimate goal is to bring up responsible citizens who will participate and foster growth in our communities. Students are our primary focus, and spending too much time analyzing curriculum can take the attention off what truly matters. 

Next, I will analyze one of my lesson plans using the UDL Guidelines. (See below.)

UDL Guidelines – Educator Checklist
I.      Provide Multiple Means of Representation:	Your notes
1.     Provide options for perception
1.1 Customize the display of information	Feature: Real life visual of content, image
1.2 Provide alternatives for auditory information	Barrier: Students only hearing teacher’s voice
1.3 Provide alternatives for visual information	Feature: Content is deliever in text, real life examples (touch)
2.     Provide options for language and symbols
2.1 Define vocabulary and symbols	Feature: touch, text, and
2.2 Clarify syntax and structure	Feature: teacher and peer feedback
2.3 Decode text and mathematical notation
2.4 Promote cross-linguistic understanding	Feature: French lesson
2.5 Illustrate key concepts non-linguistically	Feature: hands on
3.     Provide options for comprehension
3.1 Provide or activate background knowledge	Feature: activates bk
3.2 Highlight critical features, big ideas, and relationships	Feature: relates content to personal needs
3.3 Guide information processing	Barrier: No scaffolding provided
3.4 Support memory and transfer	Feature: Student associate content to real life tasks (grocery errands and diet)
II.     Provide Multiple Means for Action and Expression:	Your notes
4.     Provide options for physical actions
4.1 Provide varied ways to respond	Feature: Online technologies, Peer group, Art, Touch, Smell, Sight, Speech, Auditory
4.2 Provide varied ways to interact with materials	Feature: blind fold activity
4.3 Integrate assistive technologies	Barrier: None provided
5.     Provide options for expressive skills and fluency
5.1 Allow choices of media for communication	Feature: Twitter discussion
5.2 Provide appropriate tools for composition and problem solving	Feature: Books in native language
5.3 Provide ways to scaffold practice and performance	Feature: Creation of grocery list using content Barrier: No scaffold for practice in peer groups
6.     Provide options for executive functions
6.1 Guide effective goal setting	Feature: Real life task assessment Feature: Prompts healthy dietary thinking and choices
6.2 Support planning and strategy development
6.3 Facilitate managing information and resources
6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress
III.   Provide Multiple Means for Engagement:	Your notes
7.     Provide options for recruiting interest
7.1 Increase individual choice and autonomy	Feature: text, aural, oral, sight
7.2 Enhance relevance, value, and authenticity	Feature: relevant content to real life
7.3 Reduce threats and distractions	Barrier: content promotes sharing likes/dislikes and some students may not feel comfortable liking something without knowing how peers will react
8.     Provide options for sustaining effort and persistence
8.1 Heighten salience of goals and objectives	Feature: Long term goals implemented with content covered
8.2 Vary levels of challenge and support	Feature: Simple to more advanced content and technology (access to and use of Twitter)
8.3 Foster collaboration and communication	Feature: peer groups, class discussions
8.4 Increase mastery-oriented feedback
9.     Provide options for self-regulation
9.1 Guide personal goal-setting and expectations	Feature: Student Blog post, group discussion
9.2 Scaffold coping skills and strategies
9.3 Develop self-assessment and reflection	Feature: Student blog

© CAST 2009

After analyzing my lesson plan, I found some areas where I can adapt the lesson to meet the individualized needs of my students. I found that I did not take into account any Assistive Technologies, nor did I consider the dynamics of an autistic student. This lesson would work well for a student with ADHD because there is lots of new content and it is very fast paced. However, it does not follow a normal class routine, and perhaps a student who struggles with change would be challenged at the pace and introduction of all the new content. This lesson was created outside of a classroom setting, as I am not currently teaching. I imagine that if I created this lesson for a specific set of learners, I would greatly change the order and amount of tasks I do. I would also adapt the methods and technologies used to meet my learners. 

This experience has shown me that regardless of having a predetermined lesson, I would ultimately gear and tweak the lesson to fit the diverse make-up of students in my class. My curriculum is just the base from where I uniquely design the ladder my students will climb.