UDL: Unleashing Diverse Learners (Universal Design for Learning), Wilkin, Spring 2025

Course Number:	EDX 5710 S16
Instructor:	Eddie Wilkin, Ed.D.
Location:	Online
Dates and Times:	Jan 12 - Feb 22, 2025. January 13 or 14 - 2hr Zoom video meeting based on participants' preference. January 13 - February 22 - On your own with weekly 2 hour Zoom Sessions at a time and day of the week best for the class.
Credits:	3 Graduate Credits
Tuition:	$1,195

Course Description

Embark on a six-week journey to discover the transformative power of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). This course will empower you to create an inclusive and dynamic learning environment where every student can thrive. Through hands-on activities, real-world examples, and collaborative exploration, you'll learn how to seamlessly weave UDL principles into your teaching practice. We'll delve into the core principles of UDL, identify and address barriers to learning, and equip you with a toolbox of practical strategies to design lessons that cater to diverse learning styles, needs, and preferences. By the end of this course, you'll be ready to unleash the full potential of every learner in your classroom!

Audience: Any Educator, Leaders K-12+, Higher Ed Leaders who hold a Bachelors Degree

Course Goals & Objectives

Course Goals: The course aims to teach students the following:

Foundational Understanding of UDL: Develop a comprehensive understanding of the principles, philosophy, and goals of Universal Design for Learning.
Identify and Address Barriers: Recognize and proactively address barriers to learning that may exist within traditional educational settings, ensuring an inclusive environment for all students.
Practical Application of UDL: Acquire practical strategies and tools to implement UDL effectively in lesson planning, instructional design, and assessment practices.
Cultivate Reflective Practice: Foster a reflective mindset among educators, encouraging them to continuously evaluate and refine their teaching practices to better meet the diverse needs of their students.
Promote Student Engagement and Empowerment: Create learning experiences that actively engage and empower students, fostering a sense of ownership and motivation in their learning journey.

Course Objectives:

UDL Foundations: Gain a deep understanding of the Universal Design for Learning framework, its principles, and its significance in creating inclusive learning environments.
Barrier Buster: Identify and dismantle barriers to learning that exist in traditional educational settings, ensuring all students have equal access to learning opportunities.
The UDL Toolbox: Master a variety of UDL strategies and tools to create flexible and engaging learning experiences that cater to diverse learning styles, needs, and preferences.
Lesson Makeover: Transform existing lesson plans or create new ones that seamlessly integrate UDL principles, offering multiple means of representation, engagement, and action & expression.
Assessment Reimagined: Learn how to assess student learning in a UDL-aligned manner, ensuring that assessments are fair, accurate, and provide valuable feedback to all learners.

Course Schedule/Outline:

Module 1: Week 1 - Foundations of UDL

Introduction to UDL: Explore the history, philosophy, and core principles of UDL.
The Why of UDL: Understand the importance of UDL in creating inclusive and equitable learning environments.
Barriers to Learning: Identify common barriers to learning and how UDL can address them.

Module 2: Week 2 - UDL in Practice: Representation

Multiple Means of Representation: Learn how to present information in various formats to cater to different learning styles.
Providing Options for Perception: Explore strategies for presenting information visually, auditorily, and through text.
Providing Options for Language & Symbols: Learn how to clarify vocabulary, symbols, and syntax to enhance understanding.
Providing Options for Comprehension: Discover ways to activate prior knowledge, guide information processing, and support memory and transfer.

Module 3: Week 3 - UDL in Practice: Engagement

Multiple Means of Engagement: Understand how to create learning experiences that motivate and sustain student interest.
Providing Options for Recruiting Interest: Explore ways to optimize individual choice and autonomy, relevance, value, and authenticity.
Providing Options for Sustaining Effort & Persistence: Learn how to foster collaboration and community, optimize challenge and support, and increase mastery-oriented feedback.
Providing Options for Self-Regulation: Discover strategies to promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation, develop self-assessment and reflection, and facilitate personal coping skills and strategies.

Module 4: Week 4 - UDL in Practice: Action & Expression

Multiple Means of Action & Expression: Learn how to provide students with various ways to demonstrate their learning.
Providing Options for Physical Action: Explore strategies for varying methods for response and navigation, and optimizing access to tools and assistive technologies.
Providing Options for Expression & Communication: Learn how to use multiple media for communication, build fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice and performance, and provide options for executive functions.
Providing Options for Executive Functions: Discover ways to guide appropriate goal-setting, support planning and strategy development, facilitate managing information and resources, and enhance progress monitoring and self-assessment.

Module 5: Week 5 - UDL Lesson Planning

UDL Lesson Plan Template: Analyze and discuss a UDL lesson plan template.
Creating UDL Lessons: Collaboratively develop UDL-aligned lesson plans.
Sharing & Feedback: Share lesson plans and provide constructive feedback to peers.

Module 6: Week 6 - Assessment & Reflection

UDL & Assessment: Explore how to assess student learning in a UDL framework.
Reflection & Growth: Reflect on personal learning and growth throughout the course.
Next Steps: Develop a plan for continued implementation of UDL in your practice.

Instructor

Eddie Wilkin, Ed.D.

As a conductor, guest speaker, educator, and pianist, Dr. Eddie Wilkin encourages everyone to find their core being through music and self-discovery. Eddie’s philosophy is built on past experiences at home, in school, and through his recent musical activities. Eddie thoroughly enjoys working with students of all ages in a wide array of disciplines. Eddie is currently the Music Teacher at Nantucket Intermediate School in Nantucket, Massachusetts and course instructor/designer with Castleton's Center for Schools. He is also the Founder of Lighthouse Education and Coaching (providing PD and educational opportunities for the education workforce) and the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Nantucket Community Music Centers’ Community Chorus. Through his enjoyment and craft of leadership, Eddie has received many honors and awards, including but not limited to the GMMDV New Music Educator of the Year (2016), ARSU Teacher of the Year (2017), UVM Teacher of the Year (2017), Grammy Music Educator Semi-Finalist (2018 & 2019), Vermont, Teacher of the Year, Finalist (2018), and GMMDV Music Teacher of the Year (2019).

Required Texts

Novak, K. (2022). UDL Now!: A teacher's guide to applying universal design for learning. CAST Professional Publishing. 978-1930583825

For additional course information

Eddie Wilkin (201) 575-1233

For additional registration information

Center for Schools Team (802) 468-1325