About Monday…
Uncategorized June 24th, 2008Last night’s readings validated a sense of traditional education that has always ruffled my feathers. Education can be downright snobby and elitist, geared toward analytical learners and analytical means of assessment. UDL, as explained in the Rose texts, not only challenges traditional beliefs that students need to comply in order to learn, but it replaces compliance with passionate agreement between the way a student learns best and the manner in which the curriculum functions to address the unique charactieristics of that learner.
Education has seen so many trends and fads that UDL might be misconstrued in this same vein. However, Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age outlined the significance of this framework. It is researched based, drawing on neuroscience and cognitive learning theory. Moreover, it does not dilute previous efforts (such as whole language or phonics) , but rather recognizes that flexbility in representation, strategy and affect is essential in order to meet specific learning needs. Creating flexibility is further expanded within the concept of UDL by capitalizing upon the explosion in digital media, resources that can further expand options for students by designing engaging curricula from the outset, a necessary reality in today’s diverse classrooms.
As a post-secondary transition educator, I have found that my students have a huge range of abilities and difficulties. Overcoming barriers while providing meanigful challenges to motivate learning is an essential element of UDL that applies perfectly to this population. Moroever, UDL had tremendous implications from the standpoint of self-determination. It empowers individual goal-setting, choice-making, and risk-taking, as well as can use simulated experiences to enahcne knoweldge of the real-world. Outstanding!
Too often as a learner, I found that I was completing endless busy work, rather than pursuing knowledge that directly related to my interests. I became driven for grades. I can only imagine the frustration of a student who has had a similar experience without the positive reinforcement of a report card that says, “Well done!” UDL ends that cycle of frustration be replacing it with purposeful learning.
Implementing UDL will be a painstaking process in a traditional environment. However, we do have many “younger” teachers who are itching to use digital media in the classroom. I can foresee a community of practice developing at our school…starting small and building UDL curricula. Administration would be far more receptive to a research-based framework. So I’m definitely ready to make the pitch.
Peggy
June 24th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
You make a great point when you say that UDL does “not dilute previous efforts” in education theories. This is true in that UDL is something that can and should be applied in all forms of learning. UDL is a way of thinking about teaching and learning that can greatly compliment previous educational reform ideas and methods. What’s not to like??
June 24th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Hey-reading the beginning of your post gave me a visual I’ve never had before: maybe the UDL framework (the “way of seeing things”) is like a huge pair of sunglasses through which we see each educational situation. And as we look down at our hands (through our nifty UDL shades…perhaps rose-colored!), we see in our hands the tools to proactively (thanks to Joe for that term) address the potential barriers that surround us. Tools might include not a hammer and wrench but instead differentiated instruction, digital text and multiple intelligences theory. What do you think? Too
July 1st, 2008 at 4:59 pm
It seems to me that, like you said, Peggy, students have to conform to the analytical way of learning for much of their educational years. Only when they venture out on their own do they discover that they are visual learners, audio learners, etcetera through trial and error. With UDL, and its neuroscience-based research, educators have the ability to reach students at an early age by intercepting the elitist learning environment and nurturing their learning STYLES instead. I think this will prevent a lot of frustration, poor report cards and discouragement.
July 5th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I think Karen has the best UDL ad ever: “UDL–what’s not to like?”