Universal Design for Learning
While reading about the universal design for learning, I realized that I have not been following the guidelines as much as I would like to think I am. I'm fortunate that I do get to teach online and a lot of the guidelines actually follow our standard procedures for lessons. I try to offer different alternatives to auditory information like transcripts and diagrams, but currently I'm not able to provide ASL for lessons. I do try to clarify vocabulary and symbols, as well as clarify syntax and structure. I also try to promote understanding across languages with translations and illustrate through multiple media. I help to provide background knowledge, highlight patterns and relationships, guide information processing, and help maximize generalizations. I try to optimize access to tools and assistive technologies. I try to provide various options for communication, especially with students and parents. Lastly, I try to offer options for executive functions like goal-setting, planning and strategy development, facilitating managing information and resources, and also try to enhance the capacity for monitoring progress.
One thing that I could add to my teaching practice right now is various methods for response and navigation. Right now, the only way my students can respond is through the computer so by a mouse or keyboard. I rarely offer opportunities for students to hand-write answers and submit pictures or submit videos of themselves.
I think offering ways to customize the display of information looks great, but I feel like it would take a lot of preparation and planning.
Providing various ways for students to visually take in information, especially for those who may medically need it, would definitely be helpful. I know personally, sometimes I like to change the background color of my screen to a darker color and have lighter text if I'm trying to read on my Kindle at night or work on my computer at night so it doesn't hurt my head as much. I feel like it would help keep some students engaged in learning.
One thing that I would like to further explore is how UDL can be incorporated in culturally diverse classrooms. Some resources I found online to help me further explore this topic are postings on Faculty Focus (Bass & Lawrence-Riddell, 2020) and EdWeek (Degner, 2016) websites. I also came across a few research papers on this specific topic by Krista James and Laura Kieran and Christne Anderson.
Ariana, I loved your “question” about incorporating UDL in culturally diverse classrooms. I think that is an excellent consideration to make. I read your linked resource from Bass and Lawrence-Riddell, and it seems like this is a good connection. UDL supports culturally diverse classrooms well. I liked this quote: “While educators need not be experts on every culture, they should make efforts to ensure that their students’ experience their own learning styles and their own cultures in the teaching and learning process.” Diversifying learning for learning style and culture - this brings me back to the buffet analogy from the video we watched. That is such a great way to meet the needs of all learners!
ReplyDeleteHow did you get the online job? I have wanted to work from home since the pandemic. I loved quarantine! Also I let my students submit videos instead of written journals for extra credit in my dual credit EDUC Learning Framework classes. Grading is easier, and they dont have to worry about mechanics, just content.
ReplyDeleteI work for Stellar Virtual schools! I love my school and what they stand for! I also love being able to be home with my little one and still be a teacher!
DeleteI feel like you have to be so much more creative with you being 100% online. I think that to help implement more UDL would take parent involvement, too. Make more blog posts about how you are doing it and what you are working on, and I bet you would find a lot of followers in this topic!
ReplyDeleteThanks for including the link about CRT. I think a lot of people see Culturally Responsive Teaching as something threatening-- but centering the idea that we are all different yet valuable will not hurt anyone in my opinion! Everyone deserves to be addressed in a way that connects to who they are and what they know!!
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