Universal Design for Learning - Meeting the Needs of Learners

Universal Design for Learning Meeting the Needs of Learners

Goals
Understand background & foundational concepts of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Getting started with UDL – Applications and Resources

Why We Do What We Do
“ Students are not empty vessels to be filled, but flames to be lit” (Plato)
Needs to be a shift in how we perceive our youth
“ Something in here, that I want to put into the world…”

What is it in you that gives you joy, excites you…
Most students know their “spark”
Most say no one has asked them what their “spark” is
Only 25% say there is a community around them that helps nourish their “spark”

Five Essential Questions
What is your spark?
Who knows your spark?
Who helps nourish your spark?
What gets in your way?
How can I help?

How Can We Help?
Reaffirm why we do what we do…
“ vessels” or “sparks”?
Use all the resources available to “light those sparks” which includes:
Personalized Learning
Inquiry
Universal Design for Learning
Infusing Technology

Origins of Universal Design
Originated in the field of architecture
Design buildings with built-in accessibility for everyone was an approach superior to retrofitting buildings to accommodate diverse individual needs .

Universal Design: We all benefit
Not one size fits all – but alternatives.
Designed from the beginning, not added on later.
Increases access opportunities for everyone

Universal Design Is All Around Us…
Ramps
Curb Cuts
Electric Doors
Captions on Television
Easy Grip Tools
Slide adapted from Kathy Howery

Center for Universal Design (NCU) – 7 Principles
Equitable Use
Flexibility in Use
Simple & Intuitive
Perceptible Information
Tolerance for error
Low physical effort
Size and space for approach and use

UDE Applications
Universal Design in Education (UDE)
Provides a philosophical framework for the design of a broad range of educational products & environments
Unlike an accommodation for a specific person with a disability, the practice of UDE benefits all students
Educational software
Websites
Meetings
Instructions
-Curriculum
-Libraries
-Computer labs
-Registration options
-Student housing & residences
-Student services

Universal Design – Principles for Instruction
Class Climate
Physical Access, Usability, and Safety
Delivery Methods
Information resources
Interaction
Feedback
Assessment
Accommodation

Origins of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
CAST believes that “barriers to learning are not, in fact, inherent in the capacities of learners, but instead arise in learners' interactions with inflexible educational goals, materials, methods, and assessments.”
Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age , p. vi (CAST, 2003)
http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/learn.php

Celebrating Diversity
“ We must fundamentally alter our thinking about diversity as deviant, that…it must be accommodated. . .
Rather, we need to be clear that diversity is an essential part of the human condition and needs to be anticipated and celebrated.”
Dave Edyburn, Associate Professor, UWM
Slide created by Kathy Howery

UDL Originated From the Edges…
Innovations emerge from the margins, not from the centre or mainstream of an industry…

Moving to Accessibility – A3 Model ADVOCACY (Barriers to learning exist) ACCOMMODATION (Assistive Technology for Learning) ACCESSIBILITY (Universal Design for Learning) APPROACH APPROACH CHANGES OVER TIME

Definition:
“ UDL is an educational approach to teaching, learning, and assessment, drawing on new brain research and new media technologies to respond to individual learner differences.”
-CAST 2003

UDL - The Intersection of Initiatives
“ UDL is the intersection where all our initiatives - integrated units, multi-sensory teaching, multiple intelligences, differentiated instruction, use of computers, performance based assessment, and others - come together”
Donna Palley (Education in the Digital Age: Rose & Meyer)

UDL and the Learning Brain
Recognition network
Strategic network
Affective network

Recognition Networks :
“ the what of learning”
-identify and interpret patterns of sound, light, taste, smell, and touch

Strategic networks:
“ the how of learning”
-plan, execute, and monitor actions and skills

Universal Design and the Learning Brain
Strategies & Eye Movement Studies

Affective networks:
“ the why of learning”
-evaluate and set priorities

Learning and Emotion

One must recognize information, ideas, and concepts
One must be able to apply strategies to process the information
One must be engaged
-Vygotsky

All learners are unique and
universal does not mean
“ one size fits all”

What do we mean by Universal ? 
To many people the term seems to imply that UDL is a quest for a single, one size-fits-all , solution that will work for everyone.In fact, the very opposite is true.
The essence of UDL is flexibility and the inclusion of alternatives to adapt to the myriad variations in learner needs, styles, and preferences.
-Slide adapted from Kathy Howery

Universal Design for Learning calls for:
Multiple means of representation: : to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge,
Multiple means of expression: to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know
Multiple means of engagement: to tap into learners' interests, offer appropriate challenges, and increase motivation.

Multiple Means of Representation
Video
Sparks Notes
Considerate Text (Mobipocket)
Read/Write Gold
“ Writing with Symbols” (ELL)
Reduce cognitive barriers

Multiple Means of Expression
Speech recognition software
Alpha Smart
iMovie or Movie Maker
Inspiration
Webspiration
Pixwriter
Blogging
Voice Thread

Multiple Means of Engagement
21 st Century Learners – Digital Natives
Virtual classrooms
Nurturing “Sparks”
Teach today’s students with today’s tools

Provides a variety of choice for different learners.
Has these options available before students enter the classroom.
Teachers can plan in advance to meet students’ needs.

By frontloading “assistive” technologies into the classroom we can create a more accessible and flexible environment for all students.

Digital Media is Flexible and Transformable
Examples
UDL Editions
Strategy Tour
Thinking Reader
Book Builder
Draft Builder
http://www.cast.org
“ Joe’s Non-Netbook” - Youtube

Planning for All Learners (PAL)
Set Goals
Classroom Profiles
Identify Methods, Materials, Assessments & Barriers
Apply UDL
Teach UDL Lesson

UDL @ Samuel W. Shaw
Grade 5 Weather Unit (podcasts/D2L)
Grade 6 Sky Science (Alien Rescue)
Grade 7 Heat & Temperature Unit

UDL AT WORK
BLOGS are motivating and easy way to implement principles of personalized and UDL learning
http://levipellett.edublogs.org
http://jmundorf.edublogs.org

Digital Text
Digital Repository of Digital Textbooks (Canada Copyright Law – Section 32)
Authorized Novels & Plays in Digital Format
Other Sources
Project Gutenberg (free electronic books)
Wikibooks
UDL Editions by CAST
Google Books
Bookshare.com
Alberta Education

UDL Resources - Technology
http://udltechtoolkit.wikispaces.com/
http://www.techmatrix.org/
http://www.udlcenter.org/

UDL & 21st Century Learning
Information is easy to get!

UDL & 21st Century Learning
What will be valued is people who can make “usable knowledge” with that information!

Are We Ready ?

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Universal Design for Learning - Meeting the Needs of Learners

by mlmitchellpe on Nov 05, 2009

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Universal Design for Learning - Meeting the Needs of Learners — Presentation Transcript