Define Your WHY Chapter 5: WHY use Universal Design for Learning?

In this chapter, you will be introduced to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and why it starts with the WHY of learning. You will explore the framework of the UDL Guidelines and checkpoints to discover your strengths, competencies, challenges, and obstacles. With this information, you can then design your Learner Profile and build your Personal Learning Backpack with tools, apps, learning strategies, skills, and competencies.

The three UDL principles:

• Multiple Means of Engagement = The WHY of Learning
• Multiple Means of Representation = The WHAT of Learning
• Multiple Means of Action and Expression = The HOW of Learning

Resources

• CAST
• The UDL Guidelines
• Post on UDL Starts with the WHY
• Episode #92: Creating Student Agency, Ownership, and Empowerment with Andelee Espinosa
• Example Student Portfolios
  http://bit.ly/studentportfolio-mohammad 
• Episode #25: Building the Why for Learning with Michael Mohammad

Tools and Apps mentioned in the chapter: 

• PearDeck https://www.peardeck.com/ 
• FlipGrid is now MicrosoftFlip https://info.flip.com  
• Wakelet http://www.wakelet.com/ 
• Book Creator: https://bookcreator.com/ 
• Trello: https://trello.com/ 
• Buncee: https://app.edu.buncee.com/ 
• My eCoach https://my-ecoach.com

Guiding Questions

1. What are the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles? Why does UDL start with the WHY of learning?
2. How does the UDL Guidelines structure organize the principles and scaffold options to build motivated, self-directed learners?
3. How will you use the UDL Guidelines with the corresponding checkpoints for more detailed suggestions and links to strategies and research?
4. What stands out about you as your top five or six strengths and competencies and the same for challenges and obstacles?
5. What did you come up with for your Learner Profile?
   1. Strengths and Competencies
   2. Challenges and Wishes
   3. Interests, Talents, Aspirations
   4. Descriptive Words
6. Read Andelee Espinoza’s story and discuss how the Learner Profile develops the IEP.
7. Summarize what you wrote and if anything stands out for you now.
8. What are you passionate about and wish you could learn?
9. How can your Personal Learning Backpack help you with meeting your goals?
10. Read Mike Mohammad’s story and discuss the questions he shared to learn about each student. How can portfolios help you demonstrate what you learned?

Go to Chapter 6

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