Many educators struggle to create a learning experience that's a good fit for every student. Not surprisingly, Murphy states, "78 percent of teachers find it difficult to adapt learning for students who require more support, and many believe that more time for planning, new strategies for engagement and better technology in the classroom would help immensely" (Murphy, 2017).
The implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) might alleviate this struggle. UDL is a framework used by educators to produce the ultimate teaching and learning experience for all students. UDL uses the science behind the differences in learning to provide principles for flexible teaching and learning that can benefit all types of learners. UDL focuses on providing opportunities for student engagement and investigation, creativity and expression, and various methods of acquiring knowledge. If educators can provide students these opportunities, each student can achieve the end-goal and transfer content outside of the classroom.
The next topic to explore is intersectionality. This framework, created by Kimberle Crenshaw, is used to describe how the prejudices one faces are due to multiple identities or experiences. This was a social concept I've never thought about. Crenshaw uses the example of African American girls being suspended from school more often than Caucasian girls.
As an educator, how do I prevent student accessibility issues, privacy issues, negative learning experiences, or intersectionality? By taking the following steps, educators can avoid these road blocks. For the ultimate learning experience, utilize UDL principles to provide students with motivation and the ability to express themselves and learn through different methods. I used Adobe Spark Page to create an educational piece to share with my faculty about these topics. After reviewing lesson experiences from other colleagues, I have a better understanding of these two topics and how they connect to one another.
References:
Murphy, A. (2017, October 26). Embracing the UDL classroom: 4 tips to a more flexible education [Web blog post]. Retrieved from https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2017/10/4-steps-implement-universal-design-learning-classroom .
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