California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Universal  Design  for  Learning

Principles  for  Deep  Student  Learning

Ginny  CriscoCo-­‐Director,  Writing  Program

California  State  University-­‐Fresno

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Goals• Introduce  you  to  Universal  Design  for  Learning  (UDL)

• Discuss  some  pedagogy  behind  UDL• Provide  some  examples  of  UDL  for  the  first-­‐year  writing  (FYW)  classroom

• Apply  UDL  practices  to  FYW  and  reflect  on  implementation.

• What  goals  do  you  have?

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Poll

• What  do  you  know  about  Universal  Design  for  Learning  (UDL)?  – I  use  UDL  in  my  curriculum  design  and  classrooms– I  have  participated  in  some  UDL  training– I  have  heard  about  UDL  but  I’m  not  exactly  sure  what  it  is

– I  have  never  heard  of  UDL.

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

What  is  UDL?• “Disability  exists  in  the  curriculum  and  the  environment  not  necessarily  in  the  learner.”  (Meyer,  Rose,  Gordon  66)

• Universal  Design  for  Learning  advocates  for  a  strong  link  between  the  expert  learner  and  a  flexible,  accessible,  and  challenging  curriculum.

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Overview:  Universal  Design  for  Learning• For  all  students  – assumes  a  range  of  abilities  

-­‐-­‐ not  just  for  students  with  disabilities  

• Designed  in  advance  for  a  variety  of  learners

• The  goal  is  to  cultivate  Expert  Learners

• Guidelines  include  Multiple  Means  of  Representation,  Action  and  Expression,  and  Engagement

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Video:  The  Myth  of  the  Average

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTpQYDTgq7E

• Pay  attention  to  his  idea  of  “designing  to  the  edges”

• What  might  be  the  “edges”  we  need  to  pay  attention  to  in  FYW?

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

The  Myth  of  Average• Womack  “Ultimately,  though,  there  is  no  normal,  primary  way  of  learning,  only  normalized  methods  made  primary  through  frequent  use”  (497)  

• Womack:  “.  .  .  culture  disables  people  by  creating  barriers  to  inclusion,  and  integrating  people  requires  flexible  accommodations”  (498)  

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Growth  MindsetChallenge and Effort are valuable (10)

Personal qualities can be cultivated (10)

Student is open to accurate information about abilities (11)

Setbacks are converted into successes (11)

Success is stretching self to learn something new (15)

Choose harder tasks (17)

Seize chances (18)

Pay attention to information that grows ability (18)

Risk and effort reveal inadequacies (10)

Personal qualities are unchanging (10)

Student inaccurately accounts for abilities (11)

Setbacks are failure (15)

Success is proving one is smart or talented (15)

Choose simpler tasks (17)

Avoid exposing deficiencies (18)

Pay attention when feedback judges individual ability (18)

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

• Qualities  of  Expert  Learners• http://www.udlcenter.org/ab

outudl/expertlearners

• UDL  Guidelines  (2018)• http://udlguidelines.cast.org/

Screenshare

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

What  We  Already  Do  Well

• Promote  Transfer  of  Learning  • Sustain  Reading  and  Writing  Processes• Facilitate  Reflection  and  Assessment  

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Teaching  Reading/  Writing  and  UDL

Students  and  teachers  create  goals  for  

learning.

Using  learning  goals,  teachers  structure  choices  for  students  based  on  Multiple  

Means  of  Representation,  Action  and  Expression,  and/  or  

Engagement.

Using  formative  assessment,  teachers  and  students  assess  their  abilities  and  

progress  toward  their  learning  goals  based  on  the  choices  they  made.

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Multiple  Means  of  Engagement• Get  students  interested  in  the  topic  or  have  them  choose  

topics  of  interest,  help  students  to  sustain  their  effort  and  develop  persistence,  and  help  students  to  cultivate  abilities  to  self-­‐regulate  (CAST).  

• For  the  writing  classroom  – help  students  to  access  prior  knowledge,  – choose  topics  and  tasks  that  are  interesting  and  relevant  to  them,  – use  collaborative  learning  often,  particularly  the  kind  that  

supports  “positive  interdependence”  (Fisher  and  Frey,  66)– help  them  to  develop  strategies  to  go  deeper  into  their  learning,– help  them  to  assess  their  abilities  as  readers  and  writers.  

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

For  Example:  Engaging  Students  • Prepare  students  for  a  reading• Help  students  to  manage  challenges  they  might  face  with  reading  and  writing  assignment

• Ask  students  to  reflect  on  facing  challenges  in  their  reading  and  writing.

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Application• What  are  some  ways  you  can  imagine  or  already  practice  multiple  means  of  engagement  in  FYW?  

• To  contribute  your  response,  please  activate  your  mic  or  share  your  ideas  in  the  chat.

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Multiple  Means  of  Action  and  Expression• Access  to  tools  and  technology;  use  of  multimedia  or  other  

tools  for  communication  and  construction  and  to  build  fluency;  goal  setting,  planning,  and  strategy  development,  managing  information  and  monitoring  progress  (CAST).  

• For  the  writing  classroom,  – be  open  to  different  ways  that  students  can  demonstrate  their  

learning,  through  oral  presentation,  visual  images,  multimedia  texts,  and  standard  writing  projects.  

– help  students  to  be  aware  of  their  processes  for  work,  their  strategies  to  complete  that  work,  and  their  ability  to  reflect  on  or  assess  their  work  as  they  move  into  new  kinds  of  literacy  tasks.  

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

For  Example:  Literacy  Autobiography• Goal:  Students  tell  a  story  about  their  literacy  and  reflect  on  the  importance  of  their  literacy  history– Students  could  create  a  podcast– Students  could  create  a  video– Students  could  write  a  paper– Students  could  make  a  presentation

Assessment  and  Reflection  (toward  becoming  an  expert  learner):  What  process  did  you  use  to  create  your  literacy  autobiography?  How  can  you  use  those  strategies  in  future  rhetorical  contexts?    

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Application  

• What  are  some  ways  you  can  imagine  or  already  practice  multiple  means  of  action  and  expression  in  FYW?  

• To  contribute  your  response,  please  activate  your  mic  or  share  your  ideas  in  the  chat.

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Multiple  Means  of  Representation• How  students  perceive  information;  understand  language,  expressions,  and  symbols;  comprehend  information  (CAST).  

• In  the  writing  classroom  – texts  can  be  read  with  technology,  for  example,  that  can  read  it  aloud,  or  they  can  use  technology  for  translation.  

– visual  media  or  drama  to  support  understanding,  – outlines  of  key  or  big  ideas,  – graphic  organizers  to  help  students  see  relationships  between  ideas.

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

For  Example:  Engaging  a  Reading• If  students  don’t  have  to  read  the  same  text,  choose  a  

written  text,  a  podcast,  and  a  video  that  focuses  on  similar  topics.

• If  students  do  have  to  read  the  same  text  (or  if  you  want  to  provide  more  or  additional  support  for  reading  different  texts),  you  can– Give  students  different  reading  prompts  to  provide  different  

levels  of  opportunity  for  critical  thinking– Help  students  to  recognize  the  role  of  annotation  and  note  taking  

to  their  understanding  of  a  text.– Introduce  students  to  genre  elements  so  they  can  pay  attention  

to  and  note  those  as  they  read.

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Application• What  are  some  ways  you  can  imagine  or  already  practice  multiple  means  of  representation  in  FYW?  

• To  contribute  your  response,  please  activate  your  mic  or  share  your  ideas  in  the  chat.

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Reflection• What  will  it  take  for  you  to  apply  these  concept  to  your  FYW  

classes  or  program  or  take  it  to  new  levels?• What  would  help  you  make  the  transition  to  implementing  

more  UDL  into  your  teaching  and  program  admin?• What  are  you  still  unsure  about?  What  are  you  confident  

about?

To  contribute  to  these  questions,  please  activate  your  mic  or  write  responses  in  the  chat  (contribution  not  required).

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Works  Cited• Adler-­‐Kassner,  Linda,  Irene  Clark,  Liane  Robertson,  Kara  Taczak,  and  Kathleen  Blake  

Yancey.  “Assembling  Knowledge:  The  Role  of  Threshold  Concepts  in  Facilitating  Transfer.”  Critical  Transitions:  Writing  and  the  Question  of  Transfer. Eds.  Chris  M  Anson  and  Jessie  L.  Moore.  Fort  Collins,  CO:  The  WAC  Clearinghouse  and  University  Press  of  Colorado,  2016.

• Barwarshi,  Anis  S.  and  Mary  Jo  Reiff.  Genre:  An  Introduction  to  History,  Theory,  Research,  and  Pedagogy.West  Lafayette,  IN:  Parlor  Press  and  The  WAC  Clearinghouse,  2010.

• CAST  “Universal  Design  for  Learning  Guidelines  version  2.2”  2018.  Accessed  1  June  2018.

• CAST.  “UDL  and  Expert  Learners.”  National  Center  on  Universal  Design  for  Learning.  2014.  Accessed  7  Sept  2018.  

• Edmundson,  Cary.  “111129Academics021”  California  State  University-­‐Fresno.  Accessed  17  Sept  2018.  

• Fisher,  Douglas,  and  Nancy  Frey.  Better  Learning  Through  Structured  Teaching:  A  Framework  for  the  Gradual  Release  of  Responsibility. ASCD,  2008.

California  State  University,  Fresno  – Department  of  English

Works  Cited,  Cont.• Giangreco,  Michael  F.  Illustrated  by  Kevin  Ruelle.  “Clearing  a  Path  for  Peopled  with  Special  

Needs  Clears  the  Path  for  Everyone.”  Peytrals Publisher  Inc.  2002.  • Mamabolo,  Roche.  “Fixed  Mindset  vs.  Growth  Mindset.”  rochemambolo:  Doing  Work  that  

Matters.  6  June  2015.  Accessed  10  Sept  2018.• Meyer,  Anne,  David  H.  Rose,  David  Gordon.  Universal  Design  for  Learning:  Theory  and  Practice.  

Udltheorypractice.cast.org.  • Prince  George’s  County  Public  Schools.  “What  is  Universal  Design  for  Learning?”  Accessed  18  

Sept.  2018• Perez,  Chris.  “Reflection.”  Stockvault.  Ed  Eric  Shafer.  31  Dec  2012.  Accessed  10  Sept  2018.• Rose,  L.  Todd.  “The  Myth  of  Average.”  TEDx  Sonoma  County.  9  Jan  2017.  • Vallo,  Chris.  “Our  Copernican  Shift  from  the  Curriculum  to  the  Learner.”  Universal  Design  for  

Learning:  Theory  and  Practice.  Meyer,  Anne,  David  H.  Rose,  David  Gordon.  CAST  Inc,  2014.  68.• Womack,  Anne-­‐Marie.  “Teaching  is  Accommodation:  Universally  Designing  Composition  

Classrooms  and  Syllabi.”  College  Composition  and  Communication.  68.3  (Feb  2017):  494-­‐525.