Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Universal Design for Learning is a set of guiding principles to help design learning experiences that provide equal opportunities for  all learners. It is a flexible and adaptable model which can be used to develop curriculum that meets the needs of diverse learners, thereby removing learning barriers and increasing opportunities for all. 

UDL is based on the 3 principles of Representation, Engagement and Action & Expression. 

Representation honors and values the different ways in which people perceive and understand information. Emphasis is on offering content through multiple modalities and through different perspectives. 

Engagement emphasizes that learners interact and engage with content in vastly different ways and they also bring various interests, identities, emotional capacities, and varying degrees of effort and persistence. 

Action and expression deal with how learners interact with accessible learning tools and technologies, how they share ideas and communicate to express their learning, and develop strategies to set goals and meet them. 

In the Digital Multimeter activity/lab project, I implemented Universal Design for Learning by adopting the following strategies:

Representation

Perception: I provided information for the activity / lab and assignment in clear text format which can be recognized by a screen reader. Canvas has a built in screen reader called ReadSpeaker which offers a suite of reading and studying tools. Using this tool, the learner can harness multiple auditory and visual options to access text content.   

Building Knowledge: I presented key information for the lab using text and illustrated this with photographs to convey meaning quickly and effectively. For all images, I added alt text and captions so knowledge transfer can happen via a screen reader as well.  

Engagement

Welcoming Interests and Identities: I enabled learner autonomy by offering the entire content of the activity on Canvas for learners to explore. I also used Canvas to convey rewards (grades in this case), opportunities to practice during (during the in-person lab), and sequence of timing for task completion. I also used activities (how-to run various measurements on the multimeter) that reflect the purpose of the task clearly to learners, and encouraged active participation and exploration.

Sustaining effort and persistence: I clearly stated the goals & objectives of the activity using the TILT template, and clearly mentioned in the criteria section of the TILT template that while standards are high, every student can succeed in the activity using the resources provided and expressing the need for additional support if needed.  

Action and Expression

Expression and Communication:  I offered multimodal options for students to communicate and respond to the assignment, using either a self-created video, a written response or a PowerPoint deck.  This ensured the assignment remained construct relevant and students could respond in the mode they felt most comfortable with. 

Strategy Development:  I ensured students set meaningful goals by posting goals, objectives and schedules clearly on Canvas, used prompts on the assignment to ensure students 'show and explain their work', and shared a clear and detailed rubric to enhance their capacity for monitoring progress.