Ensuring that all students have equitable access to learning opportunities in the classroom is our duty as educators. Meeting the diverse needs of all students can be challenging, as we discovered in EDU 226, because every student is unique and learns in a different way. This is where Universal Design for Learning (UDL) comes into play to provide educators with strategies for creating and implementing lessons that are accessible and effective for all students, regardless of their learning style, abilities, or impairments.
Pick one of the three principles and research how UDL is designed and used in the classroom. (multiple means of representation, multiple means of action and expression, or multiple means of engagement). Look for applications of the selected idea across different contexts, such as in books, websites, videos, or in class activities. Discuss the example(s) you choose and how they relate to the three principles of UDL in the comments section below. Share your thoughts on how the three UDL principles could support you with your personal learning as well.
Design and Implementation of Universal Design for Learning in the classroom
As a Spanish language teacher, I chose Multiple Means of Engagement because it focuses on stimulating interest and motivation for learning by considering students’ diverse preferences, needs, and backgrounds. This principle emphasizes choice, relevance, and the creation of a safe, inclusive learning environment where students feel valued and challenged. Engagement is about more than grabbing attention; it is about sustaining it through meaningful and accessible approaches.
One effective way to implement Multiple Means of Engagement in a classroom is by providing activity menus where students can select tasks such as creating a short role-play, designing a digital presentation, or writing a story to demonstrate their understanding of vocabulary and grammar. This approach empowers students by allowing them to choose tasks that align with their strengths and interests.
Another application is gamification, such as using platforms like Kahoot! or Quizlet Live for interactive reviews. These tools make learning fun and competitive, which can motivate students who may otherwise struggle to stay engaged in traditional activities.
Cross Context Application: Outside of class activities, this principle extends to digital tools and online resources. For instance, a teacher might provide access to bilingual e-books, YouTube videos of cultural dances, or podcasts featuring native Spanish speakers discussing relevant topics. These diverse formats ensure that students can engage with content in ways that resonate with them, whether they prefer visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learning.
Relation to the Other Principles: The examples above also connect to the other Universal Design for Learning principles:
For me, Multiple Means of Engagement has been crucial in my own learning journey. I have found that when I can relate material to my own experiences or choose how I engage with it, I retain information better and feel more motivated. For example, when I studied instructional design models in EDU 226, applying what I learned to real life lesson plans helped me solidify the concepts.
Finally, by embracing Multiple Means of Engagement, we create a classroom where all students feel inspired to learn, ensuring no one is left behind. Combining this principle with the other Universal Design for Learning (UDL) pillars strengthens our ability to design lessons that are not only accessible but also transformative. As educators, we must remain committed to finding innovative ways to connect with every learner, just as UDL encourages promoting the opportunity of learning for all students .
I picked multiple means of representation with the concept of multiculturalism. This principle allows students to represent their diverse rich cultures. For instance, in class activity, students can create a cultural show-and-tell. They can bring an artifact from home that represents their culture to share with the class. In books, students will choose stories from different cultures to read and gain some knowledge. On the website an interactive platform like National Geographic where students can explore various cultural activities worldwide. In video, students will watch shows of different cultural dances, foods, festivals, and more. How does it relate to the UDL principle, Student engages in activities that connect them to their rich diverse culture. Representation of multicultural content in varied formats text, video, and hands-on activities ensures all students can access and understand the material. Action and expression activities presenting a personal cultural artifact allow students to express themselves in a way that feels meaningful to them.
I picked a fundamental UDL principle called “Multiple Means of Representation” which makes sure that information is presented in a variety of ways to accommodate the needs of every learner. To teach the same idea, for instance, a school might employ text-based resources, interactive illustrations, audio recordings, and videos with subtitles. To suit different learning styles and skill levels, a teacher could offer a novel in print, audiobook, and graphic novel formats.
By meeting a range of sensory and cognitive demands, encouraging flexibility to increase engagement, and enabling students to learn in ways that best suit them, these strategies align with the concepts of Universal Design for Learning. For me, this idea helps me learn by letting me select forms that improve comprehension and decrease eye strain, such as audiobooks or visual aids for difficult subjects. When combined, the three UDL principles produce a flexible, welcoming, and empowering learning environment for every student.
I selected the principle of multiple means of engagement to explore how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is implemented in my Spanish class.
Engagement is crucial for sustaining students’ interest and motivation, which can differ significantly among learners. By utilizing this principle, I can more effectively support my students’ diverse backgrounds, preferences, and abilities. In my Spanish lessons, I incorporate multiple engagement means through interactive activities like role-playing conversations, using digital resources such as language-learning apps, and incorporating music and cultural videos. For example, I often use relevant songs or video clips to capture students’ attention when introducing new vocabulary or grammar topics. This approach makes learning enjoyable and links language acquisition to real-world contexts, enhancing student motivation and participation.
Additionally, I provide students with options for demonstrating their understanding. Some may prefer to create a digital presentation, while others might like to act out a short skit or write a story. These diverse choices help keep students engaged and give them a sense of ownership over their learning. This connects with the three principles of UDL, where multiple means of engagement complements multiple means of representation and multiple means of action and expression, working together to create a well-rounded learning environment. Personally, grasping these principles allows me to reflect on my teaching strategies and modify my practices to cultivate an inclusive and engaging classroom.
As a special education teacher, I applied Multiple Means of Engagement” because it makes materials accessible to my students in various formats (Optimize choice and autonomy), such as online and printable worksheets, audiobooks, traditional books, and more.
Similarly, I consider sharing content in different ways to help meet my students’ various learning styles. This helps ensure that students who struggle in one area (for example, letter recognition) stay caught up with their peers.
For instance, (nurture joy and play), a UDL lens reminds us of every learner’s variability and the importance of embedding options and flexibility into the learning environment to support learners in finding their joy. Incorporate opportunities for exploration, experimentation, and discovery. In my classroom, they have space to find joy through connections to their identities, sense of self, and communities.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) benefits my learning by allowing me to access information and demonstrate my understanding in ways that best suit my needs and learning style. It enables me to identify my strengths, weaknesses, and preferred learning methods, ultimately leading to a more effective and personalized learning experience.
I will focus on multiple means of action and expression. My students have recently completed a science unit. As a result, they were given a project where they are to show their understanding of the various science concepts that they learned. They were given a choice of multiple different options to show their understanding. They were given the following choices: rap/poem/song, short story, video, or comic strip. This relates to multiple means of action and expression because these choices allow my students to choose how they would like to express their understanding.
The UDL principles can support my learning as well by providing me with various entry points into the learning material. There is not only one way to learn and engage. There is not only one way to express understanding.
Multiple Means of Representation
I chose to focus on how multiple means of representation are used in my classroom based on UDL, and I’ve found that it helps make learning more accessible for all my students. I use a mix of methods to present content. For example, in my “Introductions” topic for Spanish 1, I use videos from different Spanish-speaking countries to show formal and informal introductions. This helps visual and auditory learners. I also incorporate readings, like emails or letters to reinforce their introductions. To deepen their understanding, I model how I introduce myself in different ways, and then I have students practice introducing themselves in both formal and informal contexts, connecting the lesson to their own experiences. I’m also exploring how to incorporate infographics into future lessons. These lessons follow the UDL principle of providing multiple means of representation, ensuring every student can access and understand the material in the way that works best for them.
The UDL principles could also support my personal learning by encouraging me to use a variety of tools and strategies to meet my own needs as a teacher. For example, I can engage with professional development through different media, like videos, articles, podcasts, intervisitations, and hands-on workshops, which would give me multiple ways to deepen my understanding of the material.
Multiple Means of Engagement
I looked into how multiple means of engagement is used in my classrooms. One example is offering choices in activities, like allowing students to work in groups or independently, which helps keep them interested and motivated. In my reading classes I use games or real-life examples to make learning feel more relevant and fun.
For me, the three UDL principles could help personalize learning and keep me more engaged, especially by adapting materials to match different needs and learning styles.
The principle I want to focus on is “multiple means of action and expression.” The UDL model says that teachers must account for students’ diverse needs as they plan instruction. When a teacher allows students multiple means of expression, she is giving students the opportunity to show their learning in a way that accomodates their expression for learning. Some of the liberties teachers can allow students to take are showing their learning via a slideshow, a dance, drawings, a song, or an essay. This freedom of expression allows students to complete the assignment in a method that best permits them.
UDL emphasizes providing multiple means of expression to support diverse learners in demonstrating their understanding and knowledge. This is a great way for them to show what and how they were able to gather the information presented to them and then express it in a way that made sense in their mind. Offering various ways of expression encourages and offers learners the opportunity to express themselves in different ways.It can be done verbally (speaking, writing), visually (drawing, diagrams), kinesthetically (models, manipulatives), and digitally (using technology tools such as Scratch, for example.) This approach can be used across different contexts by giving students choices without limiting their knowledge of the content and self-esteem.
The UDL I will be discussing is Representation. Students learn in multiple ways, having one standard to teach everyone is not fair, or just to students. Now that we have dived in deep into this topic (UDL). I am starting to see more clear that in my school, many teachers do this. For example, and I’m only picking a random topic “the respiratory system”. The unit on the respiratory system is about 2 week long. One lesson can be looking at videos, of how the respiratory system works (Offer alternatives for visual information checkpoint 1.3).Another lesson can be self-paced NEARPOD showing diagrams and illustrations of the respiratory system. This lesson can have a reading component and a vocabulary matching game (Clarify vocabulary and symbols checkpoint 2.1).Another example is a creating your lesson with explicit cues and prompts to guide learning. This can also be a partner work, which promotes collaboration (Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships, checkpoint 3.2).
Adding translations to a text on the respiratory system (Promote understanding across languages, checkpoint 2.4). UDL guidelines state, “Make all key information in the dominant language (e.g., English) also available in first languages (e.g., Spanish) for learners with limited-English proficiency and in ASL for learners who are deaf”
So, there are tons of things educators can do to make the information more accessible for everyone. The point is making sure you are designing your lessons with these guidelines in mind. From graphic organizers, to videos, to games, the main goal is tat students perceive and comprehend the information that is presented to them.
source:
https://udlguidelines.cast.org/
According to https://udlguidelines.cast.org/, Universal Design for Learning is a framework that was introduced by Anne Meyer and David Rose in order to help improve teaching and learning. Within UDL, it is understood that everyone has variabilities in terms of their learning abilities, and that it is important to identify and remove any barriers in the environment that are preventing student success. Just like ramps were added to buildings to help those with mobile disabilities, the idea behind UDL is to provide a curriculum that is designed to be accessible and inclusive for all. UDL goes beyond access, it also supports and challenges students. It includes setting clear learning goals and making sure that students are aware of those goals, identifying barriers to learning, as well as learning preferences, reducing those barriers by providing options for student expression, and then reflecting on student learning and making revisions as needed. Along with the three principles of UDL, this framework also includes thinking about goals/outcomes, materials in the classroom, the methods being used to teach (lecture, collaborative groups, real-world experiences), and the means of assessment to make sure that learning occurs.
The three principles of UDL include multiple means of representation, multiple means of action and expression, and multiple means of engagement. Multiple means of representation refers to how content is presented to students in multiple ways to ensure understanding. Multiple means of action and expression refers to ways that students can show their understanding of the content or skill (ex: by writing, drawing, doing a flipgrid, etc.) Multiple means of engagement refers to ways that students are motivated to learn, and this engagement can increase with individual choice, collaboration/group work, and content that have real-world connections.
The principle that I will focus on is multiple means of representation. According to https://udlguidelines.cast.org/representation, multiple means of representation involves content being taught and explained in a variety of ways. This could include visual or auditory means, videos, hands-on activities, etc. Within representation, there are guidelines including perception (offering ways to customize information visually and auditory); language and symbols (using clear symbols, vocabulary, notation, understanding across languages, images); and comprehension (helping activate schema or background knowledge, helping guide information processing and visualization, and highlighting patterns, relationships, and critical features).
Some examples of multiple means of representation in the classroom include: explaining fractions by using numbers, images (ex: pizza pie), kinesthetics (have students break up into groups, parts of the whole). Some examples in history class include using a text to teach World War I, along with an informational video, looking at comics or graphic novels, etc. Multiple means of representation is important because as teachers, we want our students to be able to make sense of content. As a science teacher, content can be difficult to explain, so it is crucial to teach students using manipulatives, videos, experiments, and hands-on activities.
The three UDL principles are very helpful, not only with supporting my students, but also with supporting my personal learning as well. I like to learn best by using visuals. Watching tutorials or explanations online is a strategy that I use when I am trying to learn something new. I also love gamified education and learning through interactive means (ex: Duolingo, Kahoot!). Knowing the UDL principles is very important to provide students with many ways to learn content, express their understanding, and get motivated to learn.
I like multiple means of engagement principles because they allow students to choose their topics for assignments. And it will also give them a chance to reflect. For example, you can use TeachersPayTeachers or education.com, this website gives helpful resources and engaging activities for students to complete. UDL can help me learn on a more understanding level. It can provide me with the information I need to understand my assignment. It can also help me work with my peers around me and guide us. I will be able to understand my and my student’s differences in learning and how they can all connect and work together. I will be able to provide the appropriate learning environment for every student’s needs.
For this blog post I researched multiple means of engagement and I looked into different websites such as boom cards and teachers pay teachers for this exercise. Both of these websites offer materials for teachers to use and I think it builds the engagement of students. Being a speech therapist, I am always looking for new ways to engage my students. I have found through these websites materials can be used to peak their engagement. These websites relate to the UDL principle as they present materials in different formats that can be used and edited for students. In addition, videos and pictures as well as group work can be incorporated into these activities for expanded engagement.
My research came from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/action-expression. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines are fixed in research from learning, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience. The framework is based on the concept of three learning networks in the brain: recognition, strategic, and affective. These principles are applied through guidelines that connect recognition to representation, strategic to action and expression, and affective to engagement. UDL emphasizes that incorporating diversity into learning experiences can enhance student achievement.
The UDL strategy I picked was multiple means of action and expression.In the classroom, “action and expression” refer to diverse ways students demonstrate understanding beyond written tests. Action involves physical demonstrations and activities, while expression includes verbal discussions, presentations, and creative projects. These methods cater to different learning styles, supporting engagement and deeper comprehension among students. Integrating action and expression enriches learning by allowing each student to showcase their understanding effectively and creatively.
In educational settings, the concepts of action and expression can be effectively applied across various contexts such as books, websites, videos, and class activities to enrich student learning experiences. When exploring books, students can be encouraged to physically act out scenes from stories or devise their own endings, supporting creativity and a deeper understanding of narrative structure. On websites, interactive tools like quizzes and virtual experiments allow students to express their comprehension actively, receiving immediate feedback that enhances learning efficacy. Videos provide a platform for students to script, act, and edit their own educational content, improving communication skills while exploring deeper into subject matter. In class activities, incorporating role-playing, simulations, or collective projects motivates students to express their ideas through discussion, presentation, or creative projects, therefore promoting critical thinking and teamwork. Websites like Khan Academy, PBS kids and ABC mouse offer many means of action and expression with their engaging videos and activities.
The principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can support my personal learning by offering flexibility in how lessons and assignments are presented , options for how I demonstrate understanding, and opportunities to engage with content that aligns with classes and interests. This approach has enhanced my ability to learn effectively, independently and at a pace that suits my lifestyle.
The one principle I decided to focus on and research how UDL is designed and used in the classroom is multiple means of action and expression. To summarize it simply, it’s allowing students to approach learning tasks and demonstrate what they know in different ways. Action and expression is giving students plenty of options for expressing what they know and giving feedback models and support for their different levels of proficiency. With this part of UDL teachers are able to get rid of barriers of expression and keep the challenge where it belongs.
In my research, I found research and resources from Oakland University. They offered the following 8 Action and Expression teaching strategies:
Another resource I found that shared more applications of Action and Expression is from Novak Education. On their site they discuss the importance of remembering the 3 guidelines of action and expression:
This principle is relevant in class when we as students are able to express what we know in different ways like blog posts, bigger module assessments, or using Canva to make posters. This can be present in our classrooms by us giving students a way to represent their learning in a way that is not limited and one size fits all; students can make a poster, or powerpoint, or record an audio.
The three UDL principles could support me with my personal learning as well by giving me time to move at my own pace and choose what topics I focus on. For example, for the Module 2 lab, I got to choose what instructional design model to use. For this post about UDL, I was given a choice on picking which of the three principles to focus on AND I expressed my ideas about it in a way that makes sense for me.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL), pioneered by Dr. David Rose and Dr. Anne Meyer in 1984, revolutionized education by shifting the focus from individual disabilities to a holistic approach to learning. UDL aims to make education accessible and effective for all students through three core principles:
UDL’s goal is to create inclusive learning environments where all students can thrive.
The “Multiple Means of Engagement” principle is particularly effective in motivating learners. By providing choices in learning methods, connecting material to real-world contexts and individual interests, encouraging collaboration, and teaching self-regulation, educators can enhance students’ engagement and learning outcomes.
Practical examples of UDL’s implementation abound. In the realm of books, offering alternatives to text-based information, such as images, videos, interactive media, and websites, provides multiple means of representation and expression. Websites equipped with assistive technologies further improve access and encourage the use of diverse expressive tools. Video learning allows instructors to provide choices for engagement, catering to different learning preferences.
In classrooms, multiple means of engagement can manifest through various activities like exams, multimedia presentations, concept maps, papers, projects, notetaking, in-class assignments, and feedback from diverse sources.
The UDL framework has proven to be a cornerstone in my learning journey. As a visual learner, I deeply appreciate the diverse engagement methods introduced in my courses. The use of tools like Jamboard, digital notebooks, slides, and presentations not only accommodated different learning styles but also breathed life into the material. The detailed modules and the use of a blog site, for example, helped me visualize, deconstruct, and synthesize complex concepts.
In conclusion, UDL is a transformative framework that empowers educators to create inclusive and effective learning environments. Its principles, particularly the “Multiple Means of Engagement,” are instrumental in fostering student motivation and success.
I agree that UDL is instrumental in fostering student motivation and success by create inclusive and effective learning environments. It truly does open doors for learners by designing to the edges!
UDL principles are important and enhance the educational experience for the students. The lesson that I am using is having the students complete a math lesson in math i-ready. I chose the UDL principle: means of action when I planned and organized my computer science lesson because it is straightforward to incorporate. I work in groups giving students options of their math activity to complete. They can choose from a variety of activities, but they must finish them all by a set time. For the purpose of demonstrating their knowledge and comprehension, the students choose tasks that they are at ease with. Students can collaborate in small groups or individually to produce their understanding of the task given. Planning each lesson requires the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which makes instruction more accessible to all. The lesson can be made more interesting and approachable by doing even the tiniest things. Not just a few individuals in the room, but everyone is supposed to gain from UDL. It is crucial that teachers consider possible challenges and implement UDL techniques to eliminate as many as they can.
From my own experience, I believe that EDU 227 has implemented UDL principles. We have accessed the information and proven that we understand it using a range of tools. We have made use of Canva, blogs, Jamboards, documents, you tube videos, and presentations.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework developed in 1984 by Dr. David Rose and Dr. Anne Meyer. It was created to address an overall approach to disabilities in schools instead of focusing on individual disabilities. It makes learning accessible and effective for all students. UDL comprises 3 principles, multiple means of representation, multiple means of action and expression, and multiple means of engagement. Multiple means of engagement address the “why” of learning. It taps into learners’ interests, offering appropriate challenges that engage and intensify their motivation. The primary goal is to create an inclusive learning environment where every student can succeed.
The principle of multiple means of engagement is to motivate students by providing options that boost individual choice. Strategies include offering choices in how they learn, relevance; connecting learning materials to real-world contexts and students’ interests, collaboration; encouraging group work and peer interactions and self-regulation; and teaching strategies to help students manage their emotions and motivation. This can be applied to books by offering alternatives to text-based information. Images, videos, interactive media, and websites can provide multiple means of expression by offering learners different ways to express their understanding and skill development. Websites provide assistive technologies to improve access to and encourage the use of expressive tools. Video learning helps instructors provide to provide choices for engagement. As for classroom activities, multiple means of engagement can look like exams, multimedia, concept maps, papers, projects, notetaking, in-class assignments, and feedback from different sources.
The UDL framework is foundational and has helped me navigate both Edu 226 and Edu 227. The principles are meticulously embedded in the development of the course. I consider myself a visual learner and appreciate the different methods of engagement that were introduced. As an asynchronous class, the framework allowed for multiple means of engagement, such as video lectures, discussion forums, and individual activities. The varying tools like jam board, digital notebooks, slides, and presentations exposed us to digital tools that helped support different learning styles and served as the cornerstone of engagement. It brought the material to life. For instance, the use of the blog site, and detailed modules in both courses helped me to visualize, break down and put together complex concepts. Overall, the UDL framework has been instrumental in my learning process, and I believe it would be a valuable tool for future educators to create inclusive and effective learning environments.
I agree that we can feel the effects of UDL while we take this mostly asynchronous class – there is so many different tools and formats used!
I will focus on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principle Multiple Means of Representation. This principle emphasizes presenting information and content in various ways to cater to the diverse needs of learners. An example of this would be using educational software and incorporating multimedia elements such as: text, images, audio and video to present information to offer multiple perspectives to cater to diverse learning styles.
The visuals aid visual learners to grasp the concept more effectively while audio narration offers narration of a content that benefits auditory learners. In addition, using interactive simulations can allow any kinesthetic learner to engage in the content and participate in the activities to support their hands-on approach to learning.
In relation to the other two UDL principles, using the interactive features allow students to understand content using various means such as an interactive quiz (Action and Expression).
Also, multimedia makes lessons more interactive and engaging which can appeal to students with different interests (Engagement),
I am a visual learner and a kinesthetic learner. Once I follow a visual cue then I have to try it in order for it to retain in my memory. Using the UDL principles with my students can benefit me in making content more accessible and engaging. Activities will be flexible as I can target more goals using various resources.
The diversity in our schools today dictate why Educators must design lessons that are accessible to all students regardless of their limitations. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is the Instructional Technology Design Model that is effective in providing the same lesson to all students in different ways. It gets “rid of the barriers caused by the curriculum and keeps the challenge where it belongs”. Furthermore, “Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides educators with strategies for creating and implementing lessons that are accessible and effective for all students, regardless of their learning style, abilities, or impairments.” UDL works through three principals that offer flexibility in designing context. It begins with principal one multiple means of representation, then multiple means of engagement and lastly multiple ways of action and expression. Providing multiple means gives the learner different options in the way the lesson is presented, the way learners explore and engage with the lesson and the ability to have options to show what they know.
UDL is based on three networks of the brain, Affective networks, Recognition, Networks and Strategic Networks. These are the Why / engagement , What / recognition and How/Action and expression of learning. The second principle in UDL is multiple means of engagement. To be engaged in a lesson students should be able to explore options that interest them. Where “choice fuels interest in autonomy, while learners risk mistakes to learn from them” because they will persist through them We now know that when a learner is actively engaged in their learning they will succeed. This principal stress the importance of providing different ways to engage and explore in teaching and learning.
This is what (UDL) Universal Design for Learning with the focus on multiple means of engagement looks like in the classroom. These strategies can be integrated in all subject areas.
Strategies
“Teachers can show their class the complete list of topics and allow each student to select their own topic. For instance, a student who played or followed sports could research the athlete. Similarly, a student who enjoyed reading could research an author, while a student interested in science studied an inventor. Students who feel a connection to the material they are learning may be more likely to perceive school as valuable, and invest more time and energy in their studies” (aoda.ca/multiple-means-of-engagement)
“Multiple means of engagement can help different groups of learners in different ways without watering down learning outcomes. Not every strategy will work in every classroom, or for every subject area—find the ones that you are comfortable with and that work for your discipline and learners”. (oakland.edu)
Oakland.edu, suggests that we “build in opportunities for learners to provide their input on how classroom are designed.
Greatminds.org, shows how-to-support-math-students-with-the-universal-design-for-learning-principles
“Graphic organizers can be effectively used to help students explicitly make connections between mathematical terms and the mathematical ideas to which they relate. Graphic organizers are especially helpful for struggling learners because they provide a visual schema that helps students make associations between words and ideas in their mind’s eye. This reduces the cognitive demand on students; it is easier than making these associations abstractly without such supports.” (Allsopp, Lovin, and van Ingen 2018, 176–77)
UDL Universal Design for Learning an instrumental Instructional technology design model. The three principals work together you must first provide multiple means of representation to gain learners interest, then offer multiple means of engagement so that learners can interact with the context and finally provide multiple means of action and expression allowing learners to show what they know in different ways.
As an Educator to know and understand how you teach and learn, and how your students learn, sets you up for success. Having a choice in learning, in what interests you is a benefit Universal Design For Learning offers. This is how it supports personal learning.
https://aoda.ca › multiple-means-of-engagement
How to support great Math students with Universal Design For Learning Principals https://greatminds.org/math/blog/eureka/how-to-support-math-students-with-the-universal-design-for-learning-principles
Oakland University/OAKLAND.EDU
https://www.oakland.edu/Assets/Oakland/cetl/files-and-documents/QuickNotes/UDL_EngagementQNFeb9.pdf
UDL(Universal Design for Learning) is very important for learning. UDL help eliminate ableism and learning barriers in the classroom. Teachers use the UDL method to make learning accessible and inclusive for all students. This is when the UDL and its principals come to play. All three of the UDL principles( multiple means of representation, multiple means of action and expression and multiple means of engagement) are important to use in the classroom. The principle that I chose is multiple means of action and expression. Multiple means of action and expression comes to play when students are doing activities in school. For example when students are divided into groups and they work on worksheets or a project based on what they are learning about. This is an example of multiple means of action and expression because students are expressing what they’ve learned from the teacher. In both education 226 and 227 teachers use all three of the UDL principles. Teachers first engages the students(multiple means of representation) then explain the concepts (multiple means of representation) then students explore(multiple means of action and expression). The three IDL principles can help me with my learning goals because it can the materials more accessible for me and this can motivate me to learn more.
I like the UDL principle of providing multiple means of representation because it offers students scaffolds to break down content by different modalities. Furthermore, it highlights the ability for content to be offered in different languages, breaking down vocabulary and a different way to display information. Thinking about this principle in my lessons make be become more aware of what my students require to let them understand the content. I can implement graphic organizers, word maps, question charts, use large font or many visuals to support my students. If my students need support in another language O can provide them with books in their language or resources to translate material. If my students require a more accessible classroom I can adapt material or use tools necessary for them to access the material.
Thinking UDL and multiple means of representation and reflecting on both class I came up with a few conclusions. Going back to be a learner in the class I saw how challenging it was for me to grasp all the concepts. Since 227 was a much quicker class I felt like I was not able to grasp all of the concepts. Missing the first class made me feel behind the whole time. I felt like 227 was mostly expressed in blog post. 226 through the digital notebook gave more opportunities to express learning in different ways.
For example in 226 discussion was more directed towards the assignment. As a group we were able to talk through some misconceptions. As a class we were able to support each other through each assignment. Also there were many various assignments. We were also able to express learning in different ways. Lastly the feedback was direct and I was able to make adjustments to my assignment.
This helped me to be more merciful as a teacher especially as we have new students coming in constantly. I was able to experience the pain of feeling behind in my work and feeling like I could not keep up. Thanks for letting me share and getting the perspective of different classes.
UDL is an educational framework that promotes inclusive and accessible teaching practices to meet the needs diverse learning needs of all students. When implementing UDL with a focus on multiple means of engagement in the classroom, we create an environment that fosters motivation, interest and a sense of belonging among students.
When designed and utilized in the classroom, multiple means of engagement allows students choice. As educators we establish clear learning goals to help students understand what they are expected to achieve, which promotes engagement and a sense of purpose in their learning. Providing choice empowers students, it allows them to select the materials or tasks that align with their interests and abilities. This sense of personalization increases motivation and engagement. Connecting learning to real-world experiences creates an authentic learning environment that is engaging. Incorporating cooperative learning activities, group projects, peer-to-peer interactions allows students to learn from each other, share ideas and engage in meaningful discussions increases engagement. The use of multimedia presentation and incorporating technology enhances engagement. Use of digital tools and interactive resources to present information allows students to interact with content in a meaningful and engaging way. Incorporating hands on activities, experiments, role-playing and project based learning keep students excited about learning and keeps them motivated.
As far as my own learning, in EDU 226 and this class have provided me with multiple means of engagement. This increased my motivation and excitement while learning how to use the class blog. The videos and slides kept me engages as I navigate through the materials. UDL is evident in these classes and has removed barriers by providing me with options, setting clear learning goals and various forms of communication. Using Mentimeter, slides, the class blogs, videos, jamboard, digital notebook, independent work and group work kept me engaged while learning and elaborating on the content.
I chose the principle of multiple means of action and expression. Multiple means of action and expression encourages students to demonstrate their learning through various forms. These forms can be oral presentations (in person or through audio or video recording), written essays, projects, Google Slides, and etc. When an educator can offer students some choice in the ways they represent their work, students are taking more accountability and making them more willing to complete the assignment. Some choices teachers offer may be more accessible for some students than for others. However, each student should be able to show their knowledge in a way that is accessible for them. Teachers can assess their students in diverse and creative ways.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework that aims to provide all students with equal opportunities to learn and succeed by addressing their diverse learning needs, abilities, and preferences. UDL recognizes that learners vary in how they process information, engage with content, and demonstrate their understanding. It promotes the idea that instructional practices and materials should be designed from the outset to accommodate this variability.
As for classes EDU 226 and EDU 227, both have provided me with different multiple means of representation, multiple means of engagement and multiple means of action and expression. Both classes have used Google Slides, Jamboard, Mentimeter, Blogs, and Canva. In both classes we have worked independently and collaboratively in groups. Both Professors have implemented UDL, by removing barriers to learning and creating inclusive environments where every student can access and engage with the curriculum effectively.
The 3 principles of UDL are essential in the development process of a lesson because everyone has a unique way of learning and processing new information. Content should be introduced by different medias to ensure it reaches all learners. As a special education teacher I take the time to revise lesson and ensure that information is presented in different ways. I chose to focus on representation because its the essential component when developing an activity. Educators must consider students with disabilities, cultural differences, and learning styles.
According to the UDL Principle: Representation, its important to provide options for perception, educators should “providing the same information through different modalities ( e.g through vision, hearing, or touch). and provide information in a format that will allow for adjustability by the user ( e.g text that can be enlarged, sounds that be amplified)”. https://mtsac.libguides.com/udl/representations
In my personal learning UDL principles helps be access the information and allows me to process the information throughly. For example, I am a visual learner and benefit from videos, so I tend to watch additional videos when I am learning a new content. Also I am a kinesthetic learner, so when I learn something new I need an opportunity to tinker with it.
All 3 principles of UDL are important and add to the student’s learning experience by making the lessons equitable and accessible. I chose the principle of multiple means of action and expression. It is easy to include and I use it most often when planning and executing Computer Science lessons. I often do work in stations and the students have a choice. They have to complete so many activities by a certain time but they can pick and choose. The students pick activities they are comfortable with to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding. For example, as a culminating activity for Digital Citizenship, the students can work alone or in a small group to create an artifact that demonstrates their knowledge.They can make a presentation using Google Slides, Prezi, Powerpoint, Flip video, PSA, comic strip, drawing, infographic in Canva, or write a blurb about what they learned.
UDL helps make lessons accessible to all and is an important and necessary part to planning any lesson. Even the smallest thing like having mice available when they are on MacBooks can make the lesson more engaging and accessible. UDL is meant to benefit all in the room and not just a select few. It is important for teachers to think about barriers that may pop up and put UDL strategies in place to remove as many as possible.
As far as my personal experience, I feel that UDL principles have been applied in EDU 226 and 227. We have used a variety of tools to access the material and demonstrate our understanding. We have used Slides, blogs, Canva, docs, videos, presentations, Jamboards, independent and group work. I feel that you can see how well it was applied in the Capstone Projects from EDU 226. We were all successful creating an artifact the demonstrated our understanding of the concepts. We also applied the concepts of UDL when creating these artifacts.
Great point. I think you clearly remind us that UDL doesn’t have to be some complex multilayered plan, it is really just opening up lessons to give more choice and flexibility. Also I think as you point out our classes 226 and 227 were designed with UDL and we have seen in both classes how the professors have modified even more, making sure to meet the needs of the students.
All 3 principles of UDL are important and add to the student’s learning experience by making the lessons equitable and accessible. I chose the principle of multiple means of action and expression. It is easy to include and I use it most often when planning and executing Computer Science lessons. I often do work in stations and the students have a choice. They have to complete so many activities by a certain time but they can pick and choose. The students pick activities they are comfortable with to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding. For example, as a culminating activity for Digital Citizenship, the students can work alone or in a small group to create an artifact that demonstrates their knowledge.They can make a presentation using Google Slides, Prezi, Powerpoint, Flip video, PSA, comic strip, drawing, infographic in Canva, or write a blurb about what they learned.
UDL helps make lessons accessible to all and is an important and necessary part to planning any lesson. Even the smallest thing like having mice available when they are on MacBooks can make the lesson more engaging and accessible. UDL is meant to benefit all in the room and not just a select few. It is important for teachers to think about barriers that may pop up and put UDL strategies in place to remove as many as possible.
As far as my personal learning, these concepts have been applied in EDU 226 and 227. We have used a variety of tools. We have worked independently and in group. We used Google Slides, Jamboards, Canva, Blogs, and so much more to complete work. You could see how we all applied what we learned in different ways from our Capstone Projects in 226. We all were able to access the concepts and ideas and create our own artifacts to share. Everyone was successful in creating and sharing their learning.
I do agree, both classes have provided us with multiple ways of learning and the freedom to create our own artifacts for our projects.
I chose the principle of multiple means of action and expression. I think this is one of the easier areas to institute UDL into your classroom. At some point in any class, students must demonstrate mastery. By offering menu students can pick how they feel most comfortable demonstrating their ideas. A menu could include a Flip Grid, a written piece, drawing, a pod cast, a video, a cartoon, presentation, creating a game, etc.
Sometimes it is not possible to have that wide of a choice, but then you could look for technology as a tool to help students such as reading a quiz to them, translating to other languages, talk to text, etc. This might also mean deciding which are the most vital content standards and reducing the number of questions for some students.
I remember when I taught as a classroom teacher when we did spelling each student would be responsible of completing an activity a day to learn the word. Some of the activities would be more challenging and I would star them. My advanced kids were required to complete at least 2 of the starred activities but they were still open for any student to do. This was a way to adapt the lesson to meet the needs not advanced students while providing for the needs of all students.
UDL is a tool that allows educators to modify/design instruction so that all students can learn. The methodology is by removing barriers that might inhibit or exclude students from receiving a meaningful learning experience that allows them to master the concepts.
This class has been thoughtful in designing the learning incorporating numerous mediums for learning, videos, blogging, diagrams, etc. I know there are even more supports such as having the text read to you or making it accessible over many different devices. All these design structures make this class more accessible and better able to support diverse learning styles.
I chose the principle of multiple means of engagement or the why of learning. I chose this one because I am sometimes confused on how to implement this and I often think this one overlaps with the others. I noticed multiple means of engagement is offering students options that engage and keep them interested. In addition, the goals are clearly stated and the teacher has identified and minimized barriers. This is important because you want the students to be motivated to learn about the material and to complete the assignments. So for instance, you can use manipulatives in math to help the students understand abstract ideas like addition or subtraction. When you teach multiplication you can have the students create equal groups of objects to strengthen their understanding. This principal also helps children see the relevance of their learning by including their feedback. In addition, you can include their names in the questions or create problems that utilize real life scenarios. For instance, we had a math activity where they had to plan a Thanksgiving Dinner and the students had to price each of the dishes to see if they had enough money. I have also had students create math word problems that we use in class.This principal also provides support for students to help them self regulate. For instance, checklists can help students know if they are on the right track to completing the assignment. This provides the student with autonomy which motivates students because they are in control of their learning. For example, in writing students are given a checklist to help guide them in writing an opinion essay. Students then would partner up and give each other feedback according to that checklist. Collaboration often helps to keep kids engaged in their work as well.
As mentioned earlier, I feel this one is strongly connected with the other principles. For instance, engagement goes along with representation because you want the kids interested in what they are learning. So you present it with exciting pictures or videos to peak their interest. Then when it comes time for them to showcase their learning, providing choices will also help to engage them. So the principles often overlap with one another. The overall result is teaching that is engaging and creating success for all your learners.
I believe UDL supports my learning because it keeps me motivated to learn. I also see the importance of what I am learning and how it can help me to improve myself. In addition, I like how I can get choices on how I want to present my learning. I like to be able to show off my creativity in different ways, instead of just writing papers. I just recently finished a course at The Bronx Zoo. The goal of the class was to include more nature in the classroom. We were taken around the zoo, given articles to read. Seeing the relevance of the teaching, kept me interested in learning more. We also were able to create a project but given lots of choice on how to present it. So I was eager to complete the project and I included computer science in my activity because it is something I am interested in. So as a learner I really enjoy the UDL design.
One of the 3 principles of UDL that I would like to deep dive into is Multiple means of action and expression. I think that all of the principles are important but this one is the one that I am most interested in. Multiple means of action and expression means that teachers give students many ways to interact with the content and express themselves in multiple ways. As teachers, sometimes we limit the students in how they can share information. By using this principle, teachers would have to provide students with multiple books or print materials for a topic. They would have to have a series of websites that meet the needs of topics ranging from simple to more complex. Teachers would have multiple videos and a variety of class activities. Activities like and not limited to games, puzzles, etc. These activities would help students understand the topic. In addition, the teacher would have to give students various ways to express what they are learning. Not just, paper and pencil representations. The teacher would have to include writing, speaking, drawing, digital options also like blogging or videos. These are the ways that UDL can eliminate barriers and make learning inclusive for all students.
The 3 principles help to engage students so that they can be successful. By using any or all of these principles, it allows teachers to increase student success. As teachers, we need to ensure that we incorporate UDL in our classroom. UDL can support me with my personal learning goals. I want to be able to reach my students in a way that maximizes their understanding and encourages higher level thinking. I know that as a student, I work best by having options and multiple ways to express myself. I have learned that 1 size does not fit all. As an educator, UDL is the way to go.