Lesson 1 – What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?

In Module 1, we learned that our students are a diverse group who differ from one another in how they take an interest in information, perceive information, make sense of information, and act on that information.

It is important to understand this about our students because it will impact how – and what – we teach.

By making adjustments, we give all students an opportunity to learn. How we design and teach our courses can determine student success by giving students options in how they will access and use learning materials.

Multiple Means of Engagement

There are nine UDL guidelines, each with a list of suggestions or considerations to make our courses more inclusive. We will begin with student engagement, focusing on essential components of learning, like curiosity, emotion, and authenticity (Eyler, 2018).

Some students feel connected to their lessons when we share relevant stories from our industries. Some students experience authentic connection when they can solve client problems or have the opportunity to explore new curiosities. Students need to make choices in the learning process to feel responsible for their learning. All students must see themselves represented in their learning. As UDL practitioners, we can be flexible in how we design and deliver our courses so that all students feel connected to their learning.

This is what we mean by Design Multiple Means of Engagement. Students are strongly influenced by their emotional connection to their lessons and they “differ markedly in what sparks their motivation and enthusiasm for learning” (CAST, 2024). it is important for students to bring their authentic selves to class and connect to what matters most to them (CAST, 2024).

Reflection

As we prepare to learn more, let’s revisit some earlier prompts.