Great LINCS on UDL and Planning Educator PD

Using Universal Design for Learning to Design Self-Paced Professional Development Modules for Adult Education Instructors 

by Amanda Bastoni, Luis Pérez, and Cassandra Sell, CAST

https://lincs.ed.gov/professional-development/resource-collections/profile-9256

The goal of this article is to argue that two key UDL-based design concepts - accessibility and relevance - can be used to increase the effectiveness of professional development for adult educators.

Below are some questions that were asked of education instructors, administrators, coordinators, community group facilitators, and state-level directors to lend to the development of UDL-based, self-paced PD. 

We invite you to share your experiences and perspectives!

Questions:
• How do you support the variability in learners?
• How do you help students become independent learners? 
• How do you support all learners (English learners, racially diverse learners, students who have been traditionally marginalized, and those with learning differences)?
• Where do you find strategies to apply in your classroom?

    Comments

    How do you support the variability in learners?

    CAST's UDL interactive framework on their website is a great place to start. When you click on each section, it will open up with further information and some examples of how that might look in a learning environment. 

    Practically, I model learner variability in class. I let learners know when I've spent an entire day before class in meetings and am struggling to listen. I let them know that it means the may need to give me extra time to make sense of questions that are asked orally. Normalizing needing information in different ways helps empower learners to advocate for what they need. 

    How do you help students become independent learners? 

    Since the goal of UDL is to foster expert learners, UDL is the path to independent learning. I also like to highlight for my learners that they learn all the time. They don't need to learn how to learn but rather how to learn in a way that works best for them to minimize fatigue and frustration.

    • How do you support all learners (English learners, racially diverse learners, students who have been traditionally marginalized, and those with learning differences)?

    I believe that this kind of support begins with understanding and with being willing to reflect in sometimes uncomfortable ways. Did everyone have access to my class? Not equal access but the access that they needed. If not, why? How can I be less reactive to providing supports and more proactive? It is a process, and one that doesn't have an end. There is never a perfect because of the nature of learner variability and changing classes and content.

    • Where do you find strategies to apply in your classroom?

    I really enjoy hearing strategies that are shared in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Learners With Disabilities LINCS groups. These groups help me reflect on my own teaching. Additionally, being part of the Career, Technical, and Adult Education special interest group through CAST has been a great way to find community in UDL. 

    Thank you, Erin, for some insightful thoughts and practices. I particularly like, "I also like to highlight for my learners that they learn all the time. They don't need to learn how to learn but rather how to learn in a way that works best for them to minimize fatigue and frustration." We all learn a little differently and this message creates a safe environment in which to learn. 

    Members, please share your thoughts and experiences! Thank you, again, Erin.