UDL - What It Is and Is It Good For Alt Ed?

Universal Design for Learning - What Is It? 

 

Universal Design for Learning came from the idea of addressing the disabilities of schools rather than those of the students.This was a new approach which they called Universal Design for Learning  (UDL).  “UDL drew upon neuroscience and education research and leveraged the flexibility of digital technology to design learning environments that from the outset offered options for diverse learner needs.This also allowed for more responsiveness to learner needs.  (Meyer, Rose & Gordon.  2014).  

 

So UDL is a framework organized around three principles based on the learning sciences.  These principles guide the design and development of curriculum that is effective and inclusive for all learners (Rose & Gravel, 2010 cited in Hall, Meyer and Rose, 2012).

 

So, UDL is a culmination of research into what makes up learning differences and the design of supportive learning environment - the principles are mapped into three groups of brain networks - recognition, strategic, and affective networks that play a primary role in learning (Hall, Meyer & Rose, 2012).  

1.  To support recognition learning, provide multiple means of representation =- that is, offer flexible ways to present what we teach and learn.
2. To support strategic learning, provide multiple means of action and expression =- that is, flexible options of how we learn and express what we know. 
3. To support affective learning, provide multiple means of engagement - it is flexible options for generating and sustaining motivation, the why of learning. 

 

There are also 3 groups of brain networks:

• 
  Recognition networks are specialized to sense and assign meaning to patterns we see; they enable us to identify and understand information, ideas and concepts.  This is the what of learning.
• Strategic networks relate primarily to hte executive functions and are specialized to generate and oversee mental and motor patterns.  They enable us to plan, execute, and monitor actions and skills.  This is the how of learning. 
• Affective networks are specialized to evaluate patterns and assign them emotional significance; they enable su to engage with tasks and learning and with the world around us.  This is the why of learning.  

 

The authors put this into perspective - take a gift you are going to wrap for a friend.  Recognition networks enable you to identify the present, the wrap and the concept of the gift.  Strategic networks help you set your goal of wrapping the present and making and making a strategy for accomplishing this; they guide you through the folding and taping, allow you to monitor your progress, and permit you to make small adjustments (such as refolding a corner) until the task is complete.  Affective networks motivate you to take on this task as you think about your friend, and they help you persist through the various steps, keeping you on task; wrapping may be hard for you, but you sense how happy it will make your friend and yourself, so you persist.  (Hall, Meyer & Rose, 2012). 

 

3 Guidelines of UDL….https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

 

1.  Provide multiple means of representation
2. Provide multiple means of action and expression
3. Provide multiple means of engagement.  

Todd Rose - The Myth of Average