Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is used to individualize instruction for students mainly by given them choices. The UDL focuses on support of differerent learning parts of the brain refered to networks. The three networks are recognition learning, strategic learning, and afftective learning (Rose & Meyer 2002). In a nutshell the what, how and why we learn are the networks and we need teaching strategies and options when teaching and learning to support the different learning styles and ablilities of students.


After planning a lesson in CAST's UDL Lesson Builder, http:lessonbuilder.cast.org/, I can really see the benefit of starting with the end in mind to know what you want the students to learn. Then exploring how the students are going to demonstrate that knowledge and strategies used to continue the learning including homework, reviews and presentations. This is strategy of planning is working backwards in designing lessons for students. The UDL is broken down into so many parts that you really learn what skills, benchmarks, goals, and standards you are addressing and what concepts you want the students to learn.


I did find the process very redundant at times and confusing when trying to type the details into the program. But when I used the word document template provided on the website, the process seemed to move much smoother. We integrated science and technology standards. When I build my next lesson with the UDL program, I will use a lesson already in the curriculum guide and incorporate the technology components which should make the process go much easier.


Overall, I can see the benefit of composing lessons using the UDL model. I wouldn't ask the teachers I work with to do more than one a six weeks though. I am afraid they would boycott. It does require you to evaluate the lesson at the very basics to ensure all students are addressed. You must think of the objectives, skills, lessons, options for students, abilities, cooperative work, individual work, feedback, documentation, assessment and knowledge demonstration. I believe after working through several of these lessons, the process would get easier. But even so, lesson planning would take on a whole new light.

Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Available online at the Center for Applied Special Technology Website. Chapter 6. Retrieved on November 30, 2009, from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/