I recently visited the Center for Applied Special Technology's (CAST) website which shined some light on UDL for me. Their original goal was to transform tools and approaches so students could access a print-based curriculum. Now their goal is to transform curriculum using technology, to accommodate the wide variety of learner needs.
I really liked CAST's point that the barriers are not coming from student's abilities, these barriers are from inflexible materials and methods. What a realization! It is in our hands as educators to eliminate those barriers, by tapping into each student's strengths and assist with their challenges.
There are many helpful links on the site: from resources and UDL templates to an entire book, which introduces the concept of UDL and then helps with the practical application of it.
Through my exposure to information about UDL, albeit brief, I have found that it seems like a positive (and necessary) approach to instruction. However, it also seems a little overwhelming. I do believe when I'm in a classroom and am getting to know my students it may come a bit more naturally.
Reference: CAST
No comments:
Post a Comment