UDL Framework Applied to ID Lesson Plan

Adapting Innovative Technologies to Education

Below is a critique of a lesson plan I created at the beginning of the semester. You can see how I held it up to the UDL (Universal Design for Learning) guidelines and how it measured up (it didn’t, which was a critical point of this lesson). In the space below, I identified some features of the lesson that supported these UDL guidelines and also identified some obvious barriers in the lesson that would disable students from learning.

Click here to review my lesson plan “Creating E-Portfolios Using Google Sites.”

UDL Guidelines – Educator Checklist
I. Provide Multiple Means of Representation:	My notes
1. Provide options for perception
1.1 Offer ways of customizing the display of information	FEATURE: written or audio/visual instruction options
1.2 Offer alternatives for auditory information	FEATURE: subtitles on tutorial videos
1.3 Offer alternatives for visual information	FEATURE: audio linked to video instruction
2. Provide options for language, mathematical expressions, and symbols
2.1 Clarify vocabulary and symbols	BARRIER: web design terminology is left undefined
2.2 Clarify syntax and structure
2.3 Support decoding of text, and mathematical notation, and symbols
2.4 Promote understanding across language	BARRIER: tutorials offered in English with English subtitles
2.5 Illustrate through multiple media	FEATURE: multimodal instruction with multimodal assessment
3. Provide options for comprehension
3.1 Activate or supply background knowledge
3.2 Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships
3.3 Guide information processing, visualization, and manipulation	FEATURE: tutorials organized, hierarchy of information clearly identified
3.4 Maximize transfer and generalization
II. Provide Multiple Means for Action and Expression:	My notes
4. Provide options for physical action
4.1 Vary the methods for response and navigation	BARRIER: Google Sites is the sole assistive technology explained in the design of ePortfolios
4.2 Optimize access to tools and assistive technologies
5. Provide options for expression and communication
5.1 Use multiple media for communication	FEATURE: multimodal instruction: video, audio, web, text
5.2 Use multiple tools for construction and composition	BARRIER: lesson plan limits ePortfolio creation tools to Google Sites
5.3 Build fluencies with graduated labels of support for practice and performance
6. Provide options for executive functions
6.1 Guide appropriate goal setting
6.2 Support planning and strategy development
6.3 Facilitate managing information and resources
6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress	BARRIER: no existing tool for managing progress
III. Provide Multiple Means for Engagement:	Your notes
7. Provide options for recruiting interest
7.1 Optimize individual choice and autonomy	FEATURE: students are directed to follow a template, but have individual choice to customize the ePortfolio, and have some control of creativity of appearance, content, and overall presentation
7.2 Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity	FEATURE: relevance to “real world” and value is addressed
7.3 Minimize threats and distractions
8. Provide options for sustaining effort and persistence
8.1 Heighten salience of goals and objectives
8.2 Vary demands and resources to optimize challenge	BARRIER: no existing options for advanced learners to optimize challenge
8.3 Foster collaboration and community	FEATURE: open forum during class for the peer critique and assessment
8.4 Increase mastery-oriented feedback
9. Provide options for self-regulation
9.1 Promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation
9.2 Facilitate personal coping skills and strategies
9.3 Develop self-assessment and reflection	FEATURE: performance tasks include a reflection of design strategies and e–portfolio plan