The Learner Lens: Designing with Diversity in Mind By: Sara Storer by Sara Rerots

Welcome! Let's Get Started!

sararerots — 2025-07-11 19:45:51 UTC

Understanding learner variability is essential when designing effective and inclusive instruction.

Instructional Engagement

sararerots — 2025-07-11 19:47:51 UTC

According to Clark & Mayer (2023), personalization in multimedia learning enhances engagement and comprehension, particularly when content is delivered in a conversational tone with relatable guidance.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

sararerots — 2025-07-11 19:49:21 UTC

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) emphasizes proactive, flexible design that meets the diverse needs of all learners (CAST, 2024). For behaviorally challenged students, who may have trouble with emotional regulation, attention, or motivation, tailoring instruction through multiple modalities is not just effective; it’s necessary (Perkins & McKenna, 2020; Shultz, 2023).

The Power of Personalization

sararerots — 2025-07-11 19:50:49 UTC

Chapter 15 of Clark & Mayer (2023) explains that learners are more likely to connect with content that feels personalized and delivered by a warm, conversational virtual coach rather than a formal narrator.

Modalities and Learner Preferences

sararerots — 2025-07-11 19:52:39 UTC

Different learners engage with instruction in distinct ways. Zheng et al. (2021) found that learner-controlled environments boost motivation and performance in multimedia settings when paired with cognitive load strategies.

Audio

sararerots — 2025-07-11 19:54:11 UTC

Students with strong auditory processing skills may benefit from clear, well-paced narration, while others with attention challenges may find it overwhelming without visual anchors (Clark & Mayer, 2023; Mayer, 2023).

Visual

sararerots — 2025-07-11 19:55:17 UTC

Diagrams, icons, emotion charts, or progress bars provide grounding for behaviorally challenged learners, particularly when representing expectations and transitions (CAST, 2024; Mayer, 2023).

Interactive

sararerots — 2025-07-11 20:04:53 UTC

Choice-driven digital lessons allow students to rehearse decisions in a safe space. For instance, presenting SEL scenarios with multiple-choice reactions helps learners consider consequences nonjudgmentally (CAST, 2024; Clark & Mayer, 2023).

Generative

sararerots — 2025-07-11 20:09:40 UTC

Writing or drawing responses to emotional triggers is beneficial, but scaffolded supports like sentence starters or voice-to-text tools are essential for learners with writing or processing delays (CAST, 2024).

UDL as a Design Lens

sararerots — 2025-07-11 20:15:55 UTC

The UDL framework encourages multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression (CAST, 2024). For students with behavioral needs, this might include visual routines, calming color schemes, or self-paced modules.

Personalization & Flexibility

sararerots — 2025-07-11 20:17:28 UTC

Perkins & McKenna (2020) demonstrated that behavior-focused lesson planning using UDL frameworks increased task completion and positive behavior among students with emotional and behavioral disorders. These strategies help decrease cognitive load and reduce anxiety, giving learners more control over their pace and understanding (Zheng et al., 2021).

Conclusion

sararerots — 2025-07-11 20:19:43 UTC

This Padlet presentation examined how learner characteristics influenced engagement with multimedia instruction, emphasizing the value of personalized, inclusive design grounded in Mayer’s cognitive theory and the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework (Clark & Mayer, 2023; CAST, 2024). By aligning instructional strategies with diverse processing needs, educators can reduce cognitive overload and enhance student learning outcomes (Mayer, 2023).

References

sararerots — 2025-07-11 20:21:55 UTC

Brannen, K. (2018, March 27). Personalization principle – Dr. Richard Mayer [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYIatC92JhU

CAST, Inc. (2024). The UDL guidelines. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2023). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning (5th ed.). Wiley.

Extramarks. (2023, February 13). Interactive learning – The new era of game-based learning [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN_dIBzipw0

Mainero, R. (2016, December 3). Cognitive theory of multimedia learning [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ8luZR9NoM

Mayer, R. E. (2023). The promise of multimedia learning: Using the same instructional design methods across different media. In Multimedia learning (pp. 85–118). Elsevier Science.

Novak Education. (2023, November 2). The power of personalized learning [Video]. YouTube. https://youtube.com/shorts/COaym5gnck4

Perkins, E. K., & McKenna, J. W. (2020). Universal design for learning-based behavior intervention planning. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 64(4), 287–296. https://doi.org/10.1080/1045988X.2019.1705033

Zheng, L., Cui, P., Li, X., & Huang, R. (2021). Effects of learner control in multimedia learning environments: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 33(2), 643–675. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09554-0

@smartschoolonline. (2023, October 20). Why UDL works [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lR0XEo6XxgU