UDL

The CAST website has a lot of great features that help explain Universal Design for Learning.  I watched four videos that were all very interesting.  One video discussed brain research which shows that brains process information differently.  "The way we learn is as different as our fingerprint or our DNA."  At CAST they look at three brain networks and the roles they play in learning: Recognition networks - gathering facts (the what of learning), strategic networks - planning and performing tasks, (the how of learning), affective networks - are students engaged and motivated (the why of learning).  Another video discussed the diversity of learners.  Learning disabilities can interfere with concentration, lack of interest and engagement.  Teachers need to be able to respond to differences but are not able to do that with old approaches.  The third video discussed UDL as the blueprint for CAST.  Just as speaker phones and the beeping noise at a crosswalk are designed to help specific types of people use them, they are also helpful to everyone.  Similarly, UDL uses technology to help all kinds of learners especially those who have specific challenges.  Using UDL in the classroom gives students multiple ways of acquiring information, multiple means of expression (giving students multiple ways to show what they know) and multiple ways of engagement (tapping into children's interests and motivation).  But, teachers need flexible tools and materials to make these things happen.  This is where technology and UDL really cross paths.  I have found that many of my students respond well to music and retain information when it is presented in a musical way.  The internet and youtube have so many options for videos to play and fun songs to sing.  If these help musical learners as well as other types of learners better recognize the information (or gather the facts), then using this technology is effective and purposeful.