UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is more than a framework for curriculum design. UDL begins with the belief that ALL students are capable of learning and that intentionally designed instruction can create pathways for every learner to succeed. Join Savanna Flakes, a CAST-certified Universal Design for Learning Facilitator, for an interactive professional learning experience exploring UDL in action. Through the three UDL principles—Representation, Action & Expression, and Engagement—participants will experience and gain evidence-based instructional strategies, innovative technology tools, and practical resources they can immediately use to reduce barriers, increase access and engagement, and design more flexible learning experiences for ALL students. Participants will also explore ways to foster student advocacy and autonomy by empowering learners to make choices, set goals, monitor their progress, and take an active role in their own learning.

Engagement: Multiple Ways to Motivate & Actively Engage Learners

Engagement is essential to meaningful learning, yet what motivates and engages one learner may not engage another. Participants will explore how to intentionally design learning experiences that spark curiosity, increase active participation, and empower students to become more invested in their learning. Participants will gain practical instructional strategies and innovative technology tools and resources to increase student voice and choice, reduce teacher talk, promote active learning and collaboration, optimize challenge, and sustain effort and persistence. Educators will also explore strategies for helping students recognize and monitor their own progress through goal setting, feedback, visuals, organizers, and opportunities for reflection.

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Representation: Multiple Pathways to Access & Understand Learning

Learners differ in how they perceive, process, and make sense of information. Participants will explore how to design flexible, multimodal learning experiences that provide ALL students with multiple pathways to access and understand content. Participants will gain practical instructional strategies and innovative technology tools and resources to present information in multiple formats, activate background knowledge, clarify complex concepts, support diverse learning needs, and reduce barriers to understanding. Educators will leave with ready-to-use approaches for providing greater choice and flexibility in how students access and interact with learning.

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Action & Expression: Multiple Ways to Demonstrate Learning

There is no single way of demonstrating learning that is optimal for every student. Participants will explore how to expand opportunities for students to act, communicate, create, and demonstrate what they know while maintaining rigorous learning goals and expectations. Participants will gain practical instructional strategies and innovative technology tools and resources that provide flexible options for student response and expression. Educators will discover ways to increase student choice, scaffold organization and executive functioning, remove unnecessary barriers, and provide multiple pathways for learners to successfully demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and understanding.

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