Universal Design for Learning Guidelines

1. Universal Design for Learning Guidelines Sarah McPherson, Ed. D. Foundations II: Diversity, Learning and Technology Resources National Center for UDL Guidelines 2.0

2. Goal of 21st Century Education • Turn novice learners into expert learners • Individuals know how to learn, want to learn, and are well prepared for lifelong learning • 21st Century Education by Alan November

3. Barriers to Learning • Inflexible, one-size-fits-all curricula • Curricula designed for the broad middle – not diversity of learners

4. Kids come in all shapes… and sizes

5. Therefore they need a rack of options

6. How We Learn • 10% of what we read • 20% of what we hear • 30% of what we see • 50% of what we see and hear • 70% of what we discuss with others • 80% of what we experience personally • 95% of what we teach someone else to do Psychiatrist, author and researcher, Dr. William Glasser.

7. Think about … • What is the pre-dominant mode for learning in your classroom?

8. Diversity • Different abilities • Learning styles • Backgrounds • Preferences

9. Principles of UDL • Principle I: Provide multiple means of representation • The ‘WHAT’ of learning • Principle II: Provide multiple means of expression • The ‘HOW’ of learning • Principle III: Provide multiple means of engagement • The ‘WHY’ of learning

10. Historical approach • Developed ways for students with disabilities to access general education curriculum • Looked for ways to adapt for individuals • Strategies to overcome disabilities • Focused on assistive technology

11. Shift in Thinking • Focus changes to limitations of general education curriculum • Burden of adaptation is on the curriculum • Not to fix the learner

12. Curriculum Goals for ALL • ACCESS PARTICIPATION MAKE PROGRESS

13. Foundation of UDL • Architecture and product development • Buildings and tools accessibility • Human element in learning sciences • Focus deeper than on ‘access’ to ‘learning’ • Must Participate • Must Make Progress (read learn)

14. Focus of Guidelines • Design flexible curriculum • Reduce barriers to learning • Provide robust learning supports • Meet the needs of ALL learners

15. What do EXPERT Learners Do? • Strategic goal-directed learners • Resourceful, knowledgeable learners • Purposeful, motivated learners

16. Think about…. • As a professor, professional developer, teacher or graduate student you are considered an EXPERT LEARNER. • How do you learn? • Same or different than your students?

17. What is ‘disabled’ curriculum? • WHO – not designed for diverse populations – misses the ‘students in the margins’ • WHAT– designed without consideration of learning strategies – comprehension, evaluation, synthesize, and transformation of information into usable knowledge • HOW– provides limited instructional options – inability to provide many key elements of evidence-based pedagogy

18. What is evidence-based pedagogy? • Ability to highlight critical features or big ideas • Ability to provide relevant background knowledge • Ability to actively model successful skills and strategies • Ability to monitor progress dynamically • Ability to scaffold instruction

19. What evidence supports UDL? • Individual differences are fundamental to designing effective instruction • Research derived from modern neuroscience and cognitive sciences • Rooted in Vygostsky and Bloom • Specific practices are critical to individual differences • Full-scale curricular applications and system-wide implementations

20. How does UDL address curricular ‘disabilities’? • Designed for the ‘not average’ students • Includes digital technologies • Is Customizable • Can be Personalization • Includes New Media • Related to workforce, communication and entertainment • Consideration of higher levels of literacy needed in our culture

21. Inside View of the Brain • The human brain has many parts and each has a specific function. • Each of our brains is unique and is ever changing and sensitive to its environment. • Its modules are interdependent and interactive and their functions are not totally fixed.

22. Networks in the brain specialize in performing particular kinds of processing and managing particular learning tasks. Three primary networks, structurally and functionally distinguishable but closely connected and functioning together, are equally essential to learning. These networks are identified by terms that reflect their functions: the recognition, strategic, and affective networks. (Rose & Meyer, 2002)

23. Recognition Networks Networks in the brain that enable us to identify and understand information, ideas, and concepts; networks specialized to sense and assign meaning to patterns we see, hear, taste, touch, and smell.

24. These contrasting images illustrate the fact that visual stimuli are recognized in one part of the cortex and auditory stimuli in another.Kandel, Schwartz, & Jessell, 1991

25. Strategic Networks Networks in the brain that enable us to plan, execute, and self-monitor actions and skills; networks specialized to generate and oversee mental and motor patterns.

26. Affective Networks This network specializes in evaluating patterns and assigning emotional significance; this network enables us to engage with tasks and learning. The affective network controls motivation.

27. Flexible Curriculum Continuum of Learner Differences ULD Varied Curriculum Materials Adjustments for all children Fundamentals of UDL • Students including those with disabilities fall along a continuum of learner differences rather than constituting a separate category • Teacher adjustments for learner differences should occur for all students, not just those with disabilities • Curriculum materials should be varied and diverse including digital and online resources, rather than centering on a single textbook • Instead of remediating students so that they can learn from a set curriculum, curriculum should be made flexible to accommodate learner differences

28. Principle 1: Multiple Representation • Provide options for perception • Customize the display • Use different sensory modalities • Adjustable format ( font size, volume) • Alternatives for auditory information • Speech-to-text, voice recognition • Visual analogues (emoticons) • Visual equivalents (tags) • Alternatives for visual information • Descriptions (text or spoken) of all graphics, video and animation • Touch equivalents (tactile equivalents) • Objects and spatial models for perspective or interaction

29. Language Options and Symbols • Define vocabulary and symbols • Clarify syntax and structure • Decoding text and mathematical notation • Promote cross-linguistic understanding • Illustrate key concepts non-linguistically

30. Provide options for comprehension • Activate background knowledge • Highlight critical features, big ideas, and relationships • Guide information processing • Support memory and transfer

31. Principle II: Multiple Means of Action and Expression • Options for Physical Action • Mode of physical response • Means of navigation • Accessing tools and assistive technologies • Options for Expressive Skills and Fluency • Media for communication • Tools for composition and problem solving • Scaffolds for practice and performance

32. Options for Executive Functioning • Goal-setting • Planning and strategy development • Managing and organizing information and resources • Monitoring progress • Flexible models of skilled performance • Opportunities to practice • Ongoing and relevant feedback • Flexible ways to demonstrate learning

33. Principle III: Multiple Means of Engagement • Options for tapping into interest • Increase individual choice and autonomy • Enhance relevance, value, and authenticity • Reduce threats and distractions • Options for sustaining effort and persistence • Heighten salience of goals and objectives • Vary levels of challenge and support • Foster collaboration and communication • Increase mastery-oriented feedback

34. Options for sustaining effort and persistence • Heighten salience of goals and objectives • Vary levels of challenge and support • Foster collaboration and communication • Increase mastery-oriented feedback • Offer choices of content and tools • Offer adjustable levels of challenge • Offer choices of rewards • Offer choices of learning context

35. Self-regulation • Guide personal goal-setting and expectations • Scaffold coping skills and strategies • Develop self-assessment and reflection

36. In Short