Bridging the
Gap…
With Universal Design for Learning
Did You Know??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbdo2vbP
Yu0&feature=related
Bridging the Gap with UDL
The Purpose:
 1. Introduce Universal Design for Learning Concepts
and why they are appropriate for our students.
 2. Identify the obstacles that my be causing some
teachers to be hesitant about the use of UDL.
 3. Bridge these gaps and introduce tools that can easily
be utilized and encourage collaboration between staff.
History of Universal Design…
 Principle was based on:
 1990’s, Architect Ron Mace at North Carolina State
University’s Center for Universal Design.
 His Theory:
 Universal design is the design of products and
environments to be useable by all people, to the
greatest extent possible, without the need for
adaptation or specialized design.
In other words by creating an initial design to
accommodate special needs, we create an
environment that accommodates all!
The Challenges of Traditional
Methods
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkhpmEZWuRQ
Our Current Students…
 They are intuitive learners rather than linear. (They do not
use or easily relate to manuals.)
 They learn via participation rather than passively, as
illustrated in the difference between Wikipedia and
Britannica.
 Their brains have developed a high capacity to multitask
and to rapidly task-switch (hopping).
http://www.zurinstitute.com/digitaldivide_clinicalupdate.html
What is UDL?
 The Principle behind Universal Design for Learning is…
Access for All
 The key to helping all students achieve is identifying and
removing barriers from our teaching methods and
curriculum materials. It focuses on 3 kinds of flexibility.
Book – Teaching Every student in the digital age
Flexibility in…
Representation: The “WHAT”
 Ideas are represented in multiple ways.
•
•
•
•
Provide multiple examples
Highlight critical features
Provide multiple media and formats
Support background context
Slide Show
Flexibility in…
Expression: The “HOW”
 Students have many options
for expressing their knowledge.
• Provide flexible models of skilled
performance
• Provide opportunities to practice
with supports
• Provide ongoing relevant feedback
• Offer flexible opportunities for
demonstrating skill
Flexibility in…
Engagement: The “WHY”
 Engage students in many different ways to
capitalize on their various abilities and strengths.
•
•
•
•
Provide choices of required class projects
Choices of content and skills
Offer choices of rewards
Offer choices of learning context
Any assistance, helps everyone!
Natives VS Immigrants
 Insert new made video here
What it was….
Back in olden times, high-tech teaching
tools consisted of the overhead
projector and a television set wheeled
into the classroom.
Dave Schechter, Senior National Editor CNN Newsroom
Digital Immigrants
 General Characteristics:
 Born before the “digital age” – 1964 or before
 Learn to adapt – some just do it better than others
 Always retain some degree of an “accent”
 printing an email
 Print out a document to edit
 Writing a document before typing
 Showing someone a website vs. sending the link
 Calling to verify that someone got a an email
Digital Natives
 General Characteristics:
 Born in the digital era – example Generation X or younger
 Born with “digital DNA”
 Our current students don’t recognize a time that there were no
computers
 Accustomed to quick access to information
 Comfortable with multitasking
 Reliant on graphics to convey messages quickly
Some Other Learning Differences:
Older – Digital Immigrants
Younger – Digital Natives
Reflective learners – logical and linear
process of discovery
Intuitive learners – discover via actions,
experimentation & interaction
Prefer receiving information slowly,
sequentially
Prefer receiving information quickly &
simultaneously from multiple sources
Prefer singular process & single or
limited tasking
Prefer multitasking, or task switching
Read a book cover to cover
Inclined to read texts in short bursts
High value in deferred gratification &
rewards
Prefer instant gratification and rewards,
do not see value in waiting
Bridging the Gap
Between Students and teachers –
Today’s students are no longer the people our
educational system was designed to teach.
~Marc Prensky, 2001
By adapting our methods, and utilizing
tools that are comfortable and in tune
with our students, we have the
opportunity to grow with them!
Bridging the Gap
Between Native Teachers and Immigrant
Teachers
This is not how we were born. As children we all learnt to
play with our toys, draw with our crayons, and as we
learnt we made mistakes. We did this through
experimentation. It is how we were born to acquire skills,
to learn.
~ Lisa Nielsen, 2010
3 Simple Places to Start:
1.
 UDL Technology Toolkit
3 Simple Places to Start:
2.
Empowering and connecting teachers,
administrators, and parents with innovative
solutions and resources to better
education. Join the conversation today!
Edutopia.org
3 Simple Places to Start:
3.
Thousands of Free Lesson Plans in Math
Social Studies Art Language Arts Music
Physical Education Reading Writing
Geography Science Projects Science ...!
Thinkfinity
Suggestions:
1.
Start Small
2.
Pick one or two ideas
3.
Share & Collaborate – Google Docs
4.
Recognize:
 We all come from different places (natives vs.
immigrants)
 We have the opportunity to help each other ~
which benefits our students!!
 We are all in this together!!
Other Ideas and Resources
 Common Sense Media
 Google Education Tools: google.com/educators/tools.html
 surveymonkey.com - survey classes about …
 Wordle.net - reflection...use for the list of things kids get picked
on reflection piece, combine a class to see what comes up!
 google.com/ig - allowing students to set up their own starter
page to keep current and relevant items
 http://www.wallwisher.com/ - way to create a wall and have
students post a response via "sticky notes"
More Ideas and Resources
 xtranormal (video creation website)
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Math – http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/6137741/math
Wikispaces
Delicious.com
Commoncraft.com
Edmodo.com
Zamzar.com - converting formats wmv-windows media, movquicktime (save to flash or desktop)
Portaportal
storymaker -