EDLD5364-Week3

=**UDL for ALL**=

media type="youtube" key="6jinXRuL-Tw" height="344" width="425" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jinXRuL-Tw

This week was spent discovering UDL, or Universal Design for Learning, and practicing how to plan with integrated technology to reach all students. The video above shows the seven principles underlying UDL, which is an all-encompassing approach to learning in the classroom, especially by reaching all levels of learners and their needs. The most difficult part for this week was creating a unit lesson using the UDL template. I will not lie. It was a challenge. I think what happens is that I (and I will speak for only myself) get used to the students in my classes, and I take for granted that since school has been going pretty well so far, then things must be, exactly that...going pretty well. I love technology, and I incorporate it whenever I can...isn't that good enough?

Well, the answer is NO. Not just no, but a big, capitalized NO. I have taught a blind student before, and he did participate in science labs with his lab group. However, I did not have a text-to-speech program for him. He read along with the class in his braille book, and honestly, I never knew if he was on the same page as us because I do not know how to read braille. The numbers were not printed on the pages! On the front cover, it would say "Texas Science 7 pages 101-185" or something to that effect, and then sweet C. would find his own page. I'm not saying that he purposely read the wrong pages, but there was not a way to ensure that he was getting the appropriate amount of my time, efforts, and fun lessons that I had planned for the class, much less be on the same page.

C. is only one example of the many students who really need MORE. There is so much out there in the way of resources, and we should be able to impact all of our students, not just most of them. Just like public structures have universal design components (think ramps and seating for persons with disabilities), so must our lessons.

My new, favorite teaching book, **//Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works//** by Pitler, Hubbell, Huhn, and Malenoski, again gave me resource upon resource to play with and use in revising my activities. This week was about providing feedback, with examples using Microsoft Word, Promethean ActivBoards and ActivVotes, and websites like Brainpop. Also, we spent a great deal of time planning for technology in the classroom. In the book, it discusses the McREL Technology Solutions (MTS) Lesson Plan Template, and we were required to turn in a created lesson using the UDL Lesson Template. Either way, the four planning questions to use (Pitler, Hubbell, Huhn, Melenoski, page 217) are: 1. What will students learn? 2. Which strategies will provide evidence of student learning? 3. Which strategies will help students acquire and integrate learning? 4. Which strategies will help students practice, review, and apply learning?

Once I created the lesson in the template, I thought, "Why has it taken me this many years to realize that I'm not putting enough into planning?" I will remember to slow down and dive deeper into my planning. It makes sense, and the students will benefit greatly from it.