Part I: UDL Article Summary
Rao's article "Inclusive Instructional Design: Applying UDL to Online Learning" examines the role of the teacher in lesson planning to create design decisions that include all learners. The article suggest that teachers consider learner variability from the onset to reduce barriers and support student learning of goals. Using the UDL framework in the instructional design process can integrate inclusive strategies for all learners. "Technology-based learning environments and digital tools provide powerful means to put UDL principles into action" (Meyer & Rose, 2005; Ok & Rao, 2019). These digital tools can include hardware, software, and digital learning environments. Many of these tools align with the UDL principles of 1. representation, 2. Action and expression, and 3. engagement.
The article provides an overview of the UDL framework and then addresses learner variability in which there is no "typical" learner. Rao states that learners varied strenghts, abilities, experiences, and preferences should be taken into consideration when creating lessons (this includes accomodations and modifications for students with disabilities or IEPs). To create an inclusive enviroment, the instructor must proactively identify barriers in the curriculum and find supports for students to overcome the barriers.
The article discusses the UDL goal of self agency in students that allows them to become expert learners. The three attributes include: 1. Being purposeful and motivated, 2. Being resourceful and knowledgeable, 3. Being strategic and goal-oriented. Then the article looks at the UDL cycle and how it can be applied to in-person, blended, or online instruction. It expands on each of these to offer general considerations for UDL based designs and then additional considerations for online. Then Rao provides examples of digital tools that can be used to reduce barriers in learning for reading, writing, demonstration of knowledge, and organization/self-regulation. Some of these tools include: text to speech, JustRead, digital organizers such as Lucidchart, Grammarly, Book Creator, Canva, Padlet, Flipgrid, Google Keep, Evernote, Google Forms.
Connection to Lesson
The lesson being presented is a section withing a Director's Promptbook Unit where students will be designing costumes and set. The lesson provides means of engagement through community collaboration as well as self-reflection. The lesson provides multiple means of representation in providing auditory and visual instruction, and kinesthetic opportunities to demonstrate learning. All instructions and samples are easily accessible for the learner to revisit for clarification. The lesson provides multiple means of action and expression by giving students choices in multimedia tools for communication.
Part II: CAST Universal Design for Learning
UDL strategies can be incorporated into the lesson. Checkpoint 5.1 of Action and Expression: Use Multiple Media for Communication is being offered. Students can use whatever form works best to present their designs. Students can use Canva, Google Drawing, other applications, or even hand draw if they so choose. Additionally, the teacher is communicating instructions through various means including verbally, on a Presentation, Video, and website. Checkpoint 8.3 of Engagement: Foster Collaboration and Community is employed when students are in cooperative learning groups with clear goals, roles, and responsibilities. The roles in this lesson are Director, Costume Designer, and Set Designer.
Part II: UDL Strategies to Address Digital Use Divide
UDL also asks that there are various ways for students to use technology and offers alternatives for visual and auditory representation. But to address the digital use divide, strategies for UDL particularly in Action and Expression allow students to use technology in an active and creative way. Students are using technology as a means of communicating their knowledge versus just passively consuming knowledge.
Resources
About Universal Design for Learning - CAST. (2024, March 28). CAST. https://www.cast.org/impact/universal-design-for-learning-udl#.XGn5889Kho4
Office of Educational Technology. (2017). Reimagining the role of technology in education: 2017 National Education Technology Plan updateLinks to an external site.. Retrieved from http://tech.ed.govLinks to an external site.. Introduction and Section 1 (22 pages).
Rao, K. (2021) Inclusive instructional design: Applying UDL to online learning. The Journal of Applied Instructional Design. doi: 10.59668/223.3753. Retrieved from: https://edtechbooks.org/jaid_10_1/preparing_teachers_f
Hi, I really like your statement about students using technology to communicate instead of just as a tool to learn the material. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteExactly—UDL encourages diverse uses of technology for both representation and engagement. By emphasizing Action and Expression, students actively use technology to creatively communicate their knowledge rather than just passively consuming it. This approach helps bridge the digital use divide and enhances meaningful learning.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of utilizing technology tools for inclusionary purposes, such as giving students that have auditory, visual, or vocal deficiencies a voice/way to communicate. Using the technology for student representation instead of just education is another goal for UDL. Thanks for your thoughts!
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