Universal Design for Learning

UDL is the idea that learning school be designed to accommodate all kinds of learning. I'm a strong believer in this idea, so this assignment was both enjoyable and humbling for me. Our task was to take a lesson plan and see how well it stood up under the UDL guidelines. Here are my results:

UDL Guidelines – Educator Checklist Version 2
I.    Provide Multiple Means of Representation:	Your notes
1.     Provide options for perception
1.1 Offer ways of customizing the display of information	Feature: As the information is online, the students can change the size of the text. They can also change the size, color, font, etc in their responses. In addition, each student has a picture that appears next to their post which they can change if they wish.
1.2 Offer alternatives for auditory information	Feature: Instructions for how to use the forums are given in text and video.
1.3 Offer alternatives for visual information	Feature: There is a video with voiceover explaining how to use the forums. Barrier: It includes comments such as “click here,” which might not be useful if a student cannot see where here is.
2.     Provide options for language, mathematical expressions, and symbols
2.1 Clarify vocabulary and symbols	Feature: There is a vocabulary list at the top of each document explaining hard to understand words.
2.2 Clarify syntax and structure	Feature: There is a video explaining how to use the forums. In addition, each forum includes text instructions on how to use it.
2.3 Support decoding of text, and mathematical notation, and symbols	Barrier: There is no text-to-speech.  Feature: There is a list of key terms they will need to use the forum.
2.4 Promote understanding across language	Barrier: There are no pictures. There are no links to definitions of words with pronunciation – although now I love this idea.
2.5 Illustrate through multiple media	Feature: There is a vocabulary list at the top of each forum task explaining difficult vocabulary.
3.     Provide options for comprehension
3.1 Activate or supply background knowledge	Feature: Each forum task is prefaced by an article or blog that the students have to read and respond to. The article provides vocabulary and ideas and shows which topics the students are expected to address.
3.2 Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships	Feature: The instructions are clear and concise. Barrier: No major ideas are highlighted.
3.3 Guide information processing, visualization, and manipulation	Feature: Each step is clearly written in sequential order.
3.4 Maximize transfer and generalization	Feature: The final forum task sends the students out to a forum used by English speakers in Seoul and requires the students to post on a “real world” forum.
II.   Provide Multiple Means for Action and Expression:	Your notes
4.     Provide options for physical action
4.1 Vary the methods for response and navigation	Barrier: Since the goal of the class is to improve writing, using voice recording or pictures would not serve the same purpose.

4.2 Optimize access to tools and assistive technologies	Barrier: This is actually completely out of my control. Everything about the computers is controlled by the Korean government. I can’t change any settings, hardware or software.
1.     Provide options for expression and communication
5.1 Use multiple media for communication	Feature: Online forums are being used as a tool for communication. Students can also upload pictures.
5.2 Use multiple tools for construction and composition	Feature: Moodle has spelling and grammar check.s
5.3 Build fluencies with graduated labels of support for practice and performance	Barrier: The goal of this activity is to allow students to practice freely without any pressure to perform “correctly.” However, they all tend to follow the same model since it’s the easiest.
2.     Provide options for executive functions
6.1 Guide appropriate goal setting	Barrier: The students are given a schedule but no rubric.
6.2 Support planning and strategy development	Barrier: This behavior is not modeled for or expected of the students.
6.3 Facilitate managing information and resources	Barrier: Resources for this are not provided.
6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress	Feature: Each task has a list of what they have to do in sequential order.

 

III.  Provide Multiple Means for Engagement:	Your notes
1.     Provide options for recruiting interest
7.1 Optimize individual choice and autonomy	Feature: Although the teacher sets the topic, the students are free to address the topic any way they wish.  The only limit on the posting is that it include 150 words. They can add pictures
7.2 Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity	Feature: This is a real world task that students do everyday in their native language. Also, the final task is for the students to post on a real forum.
7.3 Minimize threats and distractions	Feature: Online forums have been shown to build community in a classroom. In addition, forums can give otherwise shy students an opportunity to express themselves openly.
2.     Provide options for sustaining effort and persistence
8.1 Heighten salience of goals and objectives	Barrier: I usually expect the motivation for the forums to be intrinsic in the activity itself, but a formal statement of the goals would doubtless help the less motivated students.
8.2 Vary demands and resources to optimize challenge	Feature: The forums get progressively harder starting with the students talking about themselves, moving to talking about less familiar topics and finally to having discussions with native speakers.
8.3 Foster collaboration and community	Feature: Forums foster community and the sharing of ideas. Barrier: There isn’t any collaboration.
8.4 Increase mastery-oriented feedback	Barrier: The teacher does not provide students with feedback at any point since the goal is for students to practice freely without worrying about a grade or feedback.
3.     Provide options for self-regulation
9.1 Promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation	Feature: Students in our program often lack faith in their ability to write. The act of posting on a forum helps to boost their belief in their ability to write.
9.2 Facilitate personal coping skills and strategies	Barrier: This behavior is not modeled or dealt with.
9.3 Develop self-assessment and reflection	Barrier: Students are not given a rubric, nor are they asked to grade a sample forum post using the rubric.