Thoughts on UDL
Universal Design for Learning seems like an odd name for an educational philosophy that is really trying to suggest that their is no universal way to teach, and that we really should tailor our instruction to meet the individual needs of students. That said, I believe in the premise. Whether or not I think curriculum is disabling really depends on the atmosphere in which one finds themselves. Based on the reading of several others posts, I am going to assume that many in the class are elementary educators, and I think that in some ways this conversation is difficult in that sense. Curriculum is important in many regards. I realize that reality suggest that a minority of Americans go to college, but I also know our school system is built for collegiate success. There is also an increasing emphasis on standardized testing in our country. These two factors combine to create an environment where we are truly pitting our students against one another in a quest to out "know" one another. I do not believe that culminates in meaningful learning, but I do recognize it as a present reality.
That said, I think it is the strict adherence to curriculum that does teachers and students a disservice, not the existence of curriculum in the first place. I was talking to a friend of mine just the other day about a lesson she wanted to do before Thanksgiving break. It involved a story she thought was fantastic, had a creative collaborative lesson planned to go with it, and thought her students would love. However, she felt it did not align with any particular standard, and so she wanted to scrap it. Studies show students don't do better on standardized test and in life because they were taught all the correct facts, but rather because they were educated on how to think. That is the part of UDL I can really get on board with, and why in this situation I told my friend to forget the standards and focus on the learning. As teachers, we are tasked with taking our instructions and resources and turning it into something worth learning; this is our challenge.
We should always analyze the materials we are working with. If we can say it is valuable, then we should use it. There is no type of instruction or resource that is perfect for students. If we find that something will be challenging for one, we can create an alternative, or scaffold it to support any weaknesses. I love that UDL recognizes that an accommodation for one can actually increase learning for another, which is why I always offer any reasonable additional support to any students when they request it. If we can get our students to understand their strengths and weaknesses, then we can help them to advocate for themselves. I truly believe that many students who are successful are students who understand how to advocate for themselves. But I also believe that there are limitations. We can only offer so many alternatives and accommodations. And some lessons, while challenging can be great growth opportunities. Imagine a struggling reader who would benefit from a audio book. I agree whole hearted that they should receive that tape, but I'll be damned if they aren't going to read along, and receive additional reading support. One way we overcome challenging tasks is by undertaking them. I think we can all agree that the most important thing we do is not the teaching of curriculum, but rather the teaching of students.
Personal Reflection
After reading about and reflecting on UDL I decided to review a recent lesson I created. Luckily for me, and organization called Cast has created a set of guidelines by which to analyze correct application of UDL theory. Check out my evaluation using this link to my Google Spreadsheet.
Updating my Lesson to fit UDL
After analyzing my lesson, I felt there were some ways I could alter my lesson to more adequately follow UDL principals. Here is a link to my updated lesson with changes highlighted in yellow.
I didn't make drastic changes to the lesson, but rather subtle ones to add additional support for those who might have needed it. Overall, I felt I adhered to the three UDL principals (representation, expression, engagement) fairly well, but nothing is ever perfect. The learning for my lesson was orginally represented in many different ways: students read text online, students responded to questions in a workbook, students viewed a video as a class, students discussed their findings in an online forum but on their own, and finally students created their own visual representations using an online widget. I felt like most of those things were good, but I had not considered students who had difficulty reading, having online discussions, or would struggle to perfect their answered strictly though vocal review. To remedy this I allowed students to complete their reading by listening to a audio version, work with a partner to complete their online discussion if needed, and to review their answers using a provided class copy. Now, the learning is represented through auditory, visual, and written form. Students express themselves in writing, vocally, and through art. And hopefully with the factors of student interests and connection will be highly engaged in meaningful learning.
There will still be some barriers for students with more severe needs, but thankfully such a lesson will free me to roam more and assist students on a more individualized basis. Additionally, some students could have aids, which also changes the lesson. Finally, in certain situations the actual requirement for response could be altered. Overall, I feel this lesson shows strong consideration for UDL.
Updating my Lesson to fit UDL
After analyzing my lesson, I felt there were some ways I could alter my lesson to more adequately follow UDL principals. Here is a link to my updated lesson with changes highlighted in yellow.
I didn't make drastic changes to the lesson, but rather subtle ones to add additional support for those who might have needed it. Overall, I felt I adhered to the three UDL principals (representation, expression, engagement) fairly well, but nothing is ever perfect. The learning for my lesson was orginally represented in many different ways: students read text online, students responded to questions in a workbook, students viewed a video as a class, students discussed their findings in an online forum but on their own, and finally students created their own visual representations using an online widget. I felt like most of those things were good, but I had not considered students who had difficulty reading, having online discussions, or would struggle to perfect their answered strictly though vocal review. To remedy this I allowed students to complete their reading by listening to a audio version, work with a partner to complete their online discussion if needed, and to review their answers using a provided class copy. Now, the learning is represented through auditory, visual, and written form. Students express themselves in writing, vocally, and through art. And hopefully with the factors of student interests and connection will be highly engaged in meaningful learning.
There will still be some barriers for students with more severe needs, but thankfully such a lesson will free me to roam more and assist students on a more individualized basis. Additionally, some students could have aids, which also changes the lesson. Finally, in certain situations the actual requirement for response could be altered. Overall, I feel this lesson shows strong consideration for UDL.
Excellent post. I like how you used a Google Spreadsheet for the checklist. Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteYou were very thoughtful in your identification of features and barriers, and have made appropriate changes.
chuck