Week 5: Kelly Shamburg's Introduction to Learning Technologies Blog
Week 5
Universal Design of Learning (UDL)
The article I chose to summarize is "Universal Design for Learning: Scanning for Alignment in K–12 Blended and Fully Online Learning Materials" by Basham, Smith, and Satter. The article discusses a tool called the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Scan, which helps educators ensure that online learning materials work well for all students, including those with disabilities.
The UDL approach is all about presenting information in different ways to help students learn. For example, some people prefer to read information, others might like to listen to it or watch a video. By making sure that online learning materials can be accessed by everyone, the UDL approach helps all students learn better.
The article also discusses some guidelines that educators can follow to ensure that their online learning materials are easy for everyone to use. For example, they should set clear objectives, make plans that include everyone, use materials that can be adapted for different students, and keep track of how everyone is doing.
The article was very interesting because it emphasizes and recognizes the importance of inclusivity and accessibility in education. It encourages schools, teachers, and the educational industry to make resources in various formats and levels so that diverse learning styles and disabled students can have equal accessibility.
My final project lesson plan in EDUC 5313 focused on analyzing the imagery in Roald Dahl's "The Wish". To help students understand the story better, students are asked to use Canva to create visual representations of lines of imagery from the story. This approach follows the principles of UDL, which means that I offered different ways for students to engage with the material and demonstrate their understanding.
I included peer feedback to ensure everyone participates and gets useful feedback. I also made sure to encourage collaboration and communication among students, which is a key part of Universal Design for Learning. This way, students can work together and communicate better, which helps them understand the subject matter more effectively.
To make my lesson plan more interesting and inclusive for my students, I could use different teaching methods that work with those who have different learning styles and abilities. There are two categories that I can focus on: "Action and Expression" and "Engagement." Under the "Action and Expression" category, I can encourage my students to use different types of media to communicate their ideas. Instead of just using Canva, they can choose to create sketches, digital designs, or videos to express what they've learned about imagery in literature. This approach allows for more individual creativity and gives students more choices in how they can show what they have learned during the lesson. These strategies align with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
In the " Engagement " category, there is a recommendation to implement a step called Checkpoint 7.1. This step focuses on giving students more options to choose from when creating their own visual representations. By doing this, students will feel more in charge of their own learning, leading to increased classroom participation and engagement. Ultimately, this will help students better understand the literary imagery they are studying.
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References
About Universal Design for Learning - CAST. (2020, May 27). CAST. https://www.cast.org/impact/universal-design-for-learning-udl#.XGn5889Kho4
Basham,. (2016). Basham, Smith, and Satter (2016).pdf. Google Docs. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d7gUKaqHkc7FjwfYTliYbHFUMYaQimjl/view
Kelly, I read the same article as you did, and I found it very interesting. I was very interested in what you had planned for you final lesson plan, sounds great. You did a great job connecting the article and the UDL tool to your lesson plan as well as the strategies you could implement into your lesson plan. I think that your students are going to get a lot out of your lesson!
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