Learning Designed For Every Student
By Marcia Davis-Dawkins
The 21st Century has witnessed several approaches to enhance and facilitate students’ learning. One of the new paradigm shift is Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which is a teaching strategy designed to meet the needs of every learner. It is ideal for all students, especially those who have learning and attention concerns. Educators are always looking for innovative ways to impart knowledge since no two students learn the same way.
Here are a few tips about UDL: 
- UDL is the umbrella for differentiating instruction and helping students learn 21st Century skills.
- There is no one kind of learning: –
– learning differs across tasks
– learning differs across development
– learning differs across individuals
- Provide students with multiple means of: –
Representation – (the “what” of learning) accessing information, the visual presentations, audio text support, multimedia presentations
Expression – (the “how” of learning) of knowledge based on students’ unique viewpoint, options for expressive skills and fluency
Engagement – (the “why” of learning) engagement with the curriculum; option to reduce threats and distractions
teachers are accountable for the learning of diverse students:-
-Learning disabilities
-Sensory and physical disabilities
-English language barriers
-Background and cultural diversities
-Emotional or behavioral problems
-Lack of interest or motivation
Overall, people/students do not receive, process or remember information in the same way.
- Curriculum needs to incorporate flexible materials
- Teachers need to be proactive rather than reactive after students falter
- General educators and special educators must collaborate
- Embedded UDL concepts to release the learning potential of ALL learners.
Speaking as an immigrant, I intially doubted myself and enterprises usually seemed bigger and more difficult than they were. The tasks at first seemed overwhelming when I looked at the big picture, but I decided that I didn’t want to be left behind, but to keep up the pace. I have tackled a few missions myself, one of which is the SMART board, and each day I get more excited about using this technology. I look forward to the wonderful opportunities for learning and growing that the pathway of UDL will pave.
As educators we must keep up with the pace – Make learning both enjoyable and relevant to “natives” – Shift your thinking!
Below is a link for of an article highlighting a school in Jamaica that is using technology in education.