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What is Universal Design for Learning?

The video resource provides insight on exactly what is Universal Design for Learning (UDL), as well as embed questions about perspectives on daily life and how it can transition into UDL for educators.

Many educators are ingrained in their beliefs, which stagnates the mind and actually closes the mind for some, and the approach in this video easily pulls in the audience by relating everyday perspectives taken for granted and applying them to education, thus causing a shift in thinking and being open to change for those resistant.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) requires educators/instructional designers to approach learning in methods that ensures all students have equal access and an equal opportunity to succeed.

In everyday life universal design is implemented in the simple task of one entering buildings, such as a ramp or elevator, of which some may need these options to enter and others not, but those that need this option will take it and those that do not may not. Provding this option ensures equal opportunity to access the building without additonal hurdles. No one views this as taking away from others that use the stairs, and so this important shift in thinking for teachers is relevant in only view UDL as something for learners only with different needs besides those learners that are in the middle, or thinking that "adding" this approach will take away from those in the middle.

UDL incoprporates flexibility in the way learners may access material, flexibility in engagement with the material, and flexibility in demonstrating their attained knowledge. Such flexibility is helpful for all learners, but it may be extra helpful for some learnes. An educator recognizes there are learners who do not want to be singled out with "different help" than others, as well as learners who have not been identified with learning needs, and so this approach is welcoming to all learners and offers equal access and equal opportunity for all learners.

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What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?

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What are the benefits of Universal Design (UDL)?

This resource quickly and succinctly lays out some of the advantages in implementing UDL, such as integration, adaptation, motivation, and progression.

Educators/designers will find this quick chart easily to grasp, which avoids information overload. Most educators will take time to read this and begin to understand that the benefits of UDL is what we all want, which is to provide learners the opportunies to successfully learn, and this is inclusive of all learners, and not just the learners one might find easy to teach. At the heart, educators want this, but some may need a reminder, and this resource helps open the mind.

Classrooms are diverse and effevctive educators will recognize that a one-size-fits all approach isn't reality, and as such a shift in presenting information in a variety of formats, choice in tools/materials/demonstation of knowledge/pacing is in the best interest of evey single learner, and will build confidence and motivation to learn.

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Debunking common UDL myths is necessary from the start to get educator/designer buy-in of the UDL merits.

This resource is insightful in addressing the "biggies" of misconceptions of what is/is not UDL, and why one should/should not use UDL. Quicklly scanning the left side will intrigue educators/deisgners, as ti is likely in their thought process of ingrained thought if they have taught for for a while, and the debunking of each point on the right side is to the point and easily understood.

Educators/designers often perceive any "adaptation" to teaching as "only" for students receiving special education, and it is a good reminder that this is in the best interest and serves "all learners" and not just learners receiving special education.

Many might need a reminder to serve all learners, and there will be some that believe they already "know it all, as they have implemented differentiated instruction for a long time, but it is importnat for one to grasp that this is different in being proactive in removing learning barriers instead of being reactive in addressing learning barriers.

All educators want to implement "best practices" and assume they are already implementing this as "good teaching," but the emphasis on the decades of neuroscience in strategically implementing to improve student outcomes is a reminder that science is evolving and we have more to learn always. Best practices is always learning and evolving.

I incorporate a lot of personalized learning google playlists that offer choices and pacing for students, and I thought I was incorporating UDL practices, but there is more to UDL than personalized learning, as all aspects of UDL must be present and not merely choice and pacing, such as barriers, etc.

UDL is not simply fun and games, as it can feel fun, but not always. The focus is that they are engaging and productive learning to improve learner outcome, and fun may/may not be a side component.

It is worthwhile to mention that direct instruction is incorporated in a UDL classroom, but it is on a smaller scale within instruction, and is augmented with aactivities, supports, etc.

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Many courses are offered online or in blended learning environments, and so what are best practices in implementing UDL in online learning?

This resource is proactive in addressing best practices beyond the brick and mortar environment to include UDL in online learning. The six best practices are succinct in description and application.

Online/blended learning is here to stay, and UDL is applicable in that educators/instructors need to do what they would do in class, which is discuss expectations, but also to think ahead of barriers, i.e., differering abilities in learner use of tech tools, which requires scaffolding on how to use tech tools needed, and student conduct in online learning space.  One cannot assume that a learner knows how to participate in this environment, and prior thought and scaffolding ina proactive manner is important.

Anyone that was thrown into instant remote learning as a result of Covid knows that students do not get up early to join zoom meetings/class discussions/watch tutorials, and sometimes if they do they may not be fully engaged, and so it is important to be proactive in recording zoom meetings/discussions/tutorials, as well as provide a transcript for learners that learn better with written content to access as often as they desire to ensure an equal and effective learning experience.

The UDL best practice that I didn't fully grasp is the idea of assigning note-takers for online learning to help others. Students will do this in class, but I often do it as well and post on Canvas. What I imagine will really happen is that students will reach out to one another to discuss topics from online learning, but no one is officially assigned as a note-taker. As in class, I would provide the transcript or notes, but I am open to this idea.

Once our school provided 1:1 laptops a few years back, the UDL best practice of making materials accessible online via Canvas was groundbreaking for me, and the UDL component of this is in having mutliple ways of presenting material or represening material to accerss should be taken into consideration. UDL is about being proactive, and so considering barriers and learning preferences prior to creating materials to access is of utmost importance to ensure equal and optimal access for all learners to succeed.

Unless one is a newer teacher, we've all had the experience of technology not working properly, as well as the feeling of being flustered, only to be surprised and grateful when a student jumps in and manage the technology into a working mode. Embracing UDL concept of teachers being a facilitator is the core of teaching for me, and recognizing when students are ready to take the reigns and become the teacher in their learning environment far exceeds fixing my technology glitches. Allowing students to have voice and choice results in responsibility, ownership, and optimal learning growth, and so it is important that one is open to exchange of student/teacher ideas and allow to plans/approaches to evolve as a result of the feedback and ideas, which requires planning ahead on how one may communicate/exchange feedback and ideas are in place.

UDL proactive planning requires considering emotional well-being, of which student isolation and tuning out must be counteracted by planning a network of communication, such as teacher check-ins, videos with personal touches, peer discussion boards, etc., all of which will help support students in an isolated environment.

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Universal Design for Learning is based in research about how learners recognize information, how learners organize and express our ideas, and how learners are challenged or engaged.

This resource is relevant in that it reassures educators/designers that this isn't just the latest educational pendulum swining around only to be thrown out and replaced in three years, as we have all had our heads whipped around with the "latest" push to implement a new way of doing or thinking about education from our district to only have it either quietly "forgotten" or brazenly thrown out and replaced without warning or explanation.  Educators/designers will spend a great deal of time understanding and mastering concepts to implement, which requires complete redesign of lessons, and so one may be skeptical of doing so without UDL being based in research.

Explaining how each function of the brain is addressed in UDL helps one grasp why this concept is separated into three parts of recognition networks, strategic networks, and affective networks. Each network is given a generalized overview and examples for one to easily grasp the differences among the three. This resource is valuable in initially understanding UDL, but it needs more information to fully implement, which the later resources provide, but I think it is important to lay the initial separation of the three components in simple terms.

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Universal Design for Learning three categories expanded.

This reource is helpful in that it helps the educator/designer build on the prior resource five infographic by expanding explanation of the three concepts of UDL, i.e., the Multiple Means of Engagement, Multiple Means of Representation, and the Multiple Means of Action and Expression. While resource five stressed UDL was based in research, it only scratched the surface in explaining the concepts in detail, but that was necessary in initially introducing UDL to wrap their brain around it, and this resource six will expand understanding of UDL in an easy to absorb color-coded chart.

This UDl chart resonates because it highlights which part of the brain is associated with the UDL concept, which is then color-coded in explaining the concept. For example, the Multiple Means of Engagement (green) discusses providing options for self-regulation, options for sustaining effort, and options for recruiting interest, which is then further broken down into the thinking associated within each option category followed by the row for each option identified as student-led, student and teacher-led, and teacher-led rows. This snapshot allows one to identify, separate and understand UDL.

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UDL in-depth checklist to ensure you are fully inclusive and remove all barriers.

This resource from the West Virginia Department of Education is relevant in that it goes in-depth prompting the educator/designer to consider all facets of each concept, i.e., Means of Multiple Representation, Means of Multiple Engagement, and Means of Multiple Action and Expression, which is very helpful when beginning to implement UDL, as must be careful to be all inclusive.  For example, the prior infographic overview of the three means provides initial understanding and reminders to do the Means of Representing by providing options for perception, but this extensive UDL checklist resource breaks perception down into three subcategories of display, auditory and visual, and each of those subcategories include suggestions or ways of exactly how one may address each component in an all-inclusive manner.

Educators/designers may feel overwhelmed and unsure that they will think of evey aspect needed, and this resource will ensure beginners and even experienced UDL educators/designers stay focused when pre-planning and implementing UDL.

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Want to know more about UDL?

The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) is an organization with the sole goal of removing barriers to learning that many learners experience. Cast Professional Publishing produces materials that help educators/designers understand and integrate Universal Design in Learning (UDL).  CAST (2022) states that they "create, nurture, and distribute exceptional media products that inspire and inform educational research, instructional practice, and policy making for the betterment of all."

This resource is relevant in that it will provide additional UDL resources for educators/designers at any level. Educators/designers recognize that best practices is a continual process of learning, and so this resource offers up-to-date knowledge on UDL whether one is just beginning or experienced in UDL knowledge and implementation.

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CAST Professional Publishing produces books that help educators at all levels improve their practice-and change students' lives-through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). We create, nurture, and distribute exceptional media products that inspire and inform educational research, instructional practice, and policy making for the betterment of all.

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In the third edition of UDL Now!, Katie Novak provides practical insights and savvy strategies for helping all learners succeed in a post-pandemic world using the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

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R. Laist, D. Sheehan, & N. Brewer, eds.
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In UDL Playbook for School and District Leaders, the authors lay out a step-by-step process to remake your leadership skills and methods through the inclusive principles of Universal Design for Learning.

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CAST Professional Publishing produces books that help educators at all levels improve their practice-and change students' lives-through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). We create, nurture, and distribute exceptional media products that inspire and inform educational research, instructional practice, and policy making for the betterment of all.

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What would UDL pre-planning template look like?

This resource is a helpful blank template from P. Hubbard, Reducing Barriers to Learning Through a Universally Designed Classroom, poster session presented at the 2008 CEC Convention and Expo in Boston, MA (2008, April). Gathering all of the UDL components into an easy to view of how to beginning planning template is valuable in getting started. This UDL planning "cheat sheet" is good, but I feel there needs to be a specific area that anticipates barriers in a more focused way than this template addresses, but otherwise it will help get one started as a beginner trying out the UDL planning phase.

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The goal of UDL is for learners to become expert learners.

This resource is relevant in that it takes the color-coded categories explained in resources five and six (seven was a UDL checklist document) and correlates to the goal of learners becoming expert learners through the Universal Design in Learning implementation.

Knowing the "why" of learning is relevant to educators/designers, and this resource discusses why of using UDL, which is to help learners develop skills in being expert learners, and all educators/designers desire this outcome.  The chart clearly defines the Engagement, Representation, and Action and Expression of UDL that helps learners develop skills in beoming expert learners. For example, the engagement category of UDL is designed to develop purposeful and motivated learners that seek new learning and are motivated by learning itself, learners that are goal directed and know how to set challening goals, learners that know how to sustain effort and to be resilent pursuing goals, and to monitor and self-regulate reactions to challenges and distractions to stay on target to reach their goals. Every learner has strengths/weaknesses, and this chart is another way of zooming in on learner entry points in a lesson, as some may need scaffolding more than others in particular areas when designing a lesson and determining barriers and scaffolds to cover all learners.

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Recap:  Putting it all together

This video resource is relevant in that it discusses all of the parts in resources one through nine to create a whole picture, i.e, a cohesive picture of UDL.

It is important that I broke down each idea surrounding UDL individually in each resource to allow educators/designers to absorb and percolate each part of the UDL information before adding another layer to grasp.

For example, to get buy-in from educators/designers, I needed to debunk myths and discuss benefits and goals before covering the finer components to ensure they would stay open to learning more about UDL. Once this was accomplished, this concise video recaps UDL to ensure the knowledge is reinforced.