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Today’s educational landscape recognizes, values and celebrates the diverse learners, with their individual talents, each with their unique strengths and pathways, who participate in learning through many different methods and in various environments. How can we design inherently flexible, inclusive and equitable instruction recognizing the richness that diverse learners bring?
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Inclusive and Equitable Instruction
Diverse learners bring valuable richness to our educational environment. Instruction needs to be inclusive of all learners, drawing from this richness to cater to all differently-abled learners, recognizing and cultivating their individual strengths. UDL principles suggest ways to design equitable opportunities for every learner to succeed. Ultimately, this approach will allow all learners to contribute meaningfully to a more vibrant learning community.
UDL guidelines
Developed by CAST.org they emphasize the importance of providing multiple means of representation, multiple means of action and expression, and multiple means of engagement, e.g:
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Providing learning resources in a variety of formats (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/hands-on);
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Offering varied pathways for learners to demonstrate knowledge and skills (written reports, oral presentations, visual projects, or performances);
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Foster motivation and interest (designing tasks that are basing on student’s choice, that are relevant and authentic to learners’ experiences, providing opportunities for collaboration, and offering feedback that is timely and specific.
By implementing UDL principles, educators can create dynamic, flexible, more inclusive and equitable learning environments where every learner has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Practice:
Option 1. Analyze UDL implementation in instruction.
- Think about a digital educational setting in which you teach or where you learn(ed).
- In this setting, identify one example of instructional activity: how information is presented and what learners were invited to do (for example, a process presentation, knowledge check, or demonstration).
- In your example, consider what elements of the instruction – the different means of engagement, representation and action – ensure inclusivity and equity for learners?
- Share your observations by adding your comment below.
Option 2. Design a short instructional activity or lesson segment that embraces learner diversity.
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Identify a Learning Goal: Choose a specific concept or skill you might teach within your subject area. Write one clear and achievable learning objective for this segment.
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Design for Multiple Means of Representation: Outline at least two different ways you will present information or learning resources related to your chosen goal. Consider incorporating varied formats such as:
- Visual aids (e.g., diagrams, images, videos)
- Auditory resources (e.g., podcasts, audio explanations)
- Kinesthetic elements (e.g., hands-on activities, simulations – describe how these could be adapted or represented)
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Design for Multiple Means of Action and Expression: Describe at least two different ways learners can demonstrate their understanding of the concept or skill. Consider offering options such as:
- Written responses (e.g., short essays, summaries)
- Oral presentations or discussions
- Visual creations (e.g., infographics, concept maps)
- Performance-based tasks (e.g., demonstrations, role-playing – describe how these could be adapted or represented)
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Design for Multiple Means of Engagement: Explain at least two strategies you will use to foster motivation and interest in this learning segment. Consider incorporating elements such as:
- Providing choices in topics or activities
- Connecting the learning to real-world contexts or student interests
- Offering opportunities for collaboration
- Planning for timely and specific feedback
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Consider Feedback and Progress Monitoring: Briefly describe how you would provide feedback to learners on their progress within this activity and how they could monitor their own learning.
Share your UDL-informed lesson segment design by submitting it: use the form below. Add your message as a comment to this page.
Follow-up Activity: Designing with UDL in Mind
Imagine you are designing a learning activity about a topic relevant to your field of study. Write guidelines for this activity, specifying:
- What: What learners are expected to accomplish in this activity.
- Where: The digital space where the activity will take place (e.g., discussion forum, shared document, specific software).
- How: The duration of the activity and whether it is self-directed or instructor-facilitated.
- Quality Criteria: The standards learners need to meet to successfully achieve the objectives. Be specific about how the results will be assessed (e.g., number of required contributions, key elements to include in a submission, rubric criteria).
In your guidelines, explicitly incorporate elements that address at least two of the UDL principles (Multiple Means of Engagement, Representation, and Action & Expression). Clearly indicate how your design choices align with these principles.
Resources:
CAST UDL Tips for Designing an Engaging Learning Environment
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