To ensure that every student has the opportunity to experience the best learning possible, it is crucial that educators consider the different styles of learning and needs that different students will require. Through our interactive learning resource, my group and I aim to make it as inclusive as possible, so every student is able to engage with the content and material in a way that allows them to gain a deeper and more meaningful understanding of what race is and why it is an important concept to understand.
Our interactive learning resource is targeting children ranging from kindergarten to grade three. Since the ages of these students range on average from 4-7 years old, we plan to present our topic through a virtual interactive storybook. This will allow us to take the three pillars from the principles of the universal design into account which will help cater to every child’s needs. The first pillar is based on having multiple means of representation, meaning that the learners will have options in how they interact with the activities throughout the storybook, providing auditory, visual, and kinesthetic options. We offer an audio option of the book being read aloud for the auditory learners, several video options for the visual learners, and many hands-on interactive activities such as a dancing video, group discussions, and drawing for those who prefer a kinesthetic pathway option. These different activities we have implemented throughout the book will offer these multiple means of representation, allowing the learners to interact with the material through these three different ways of engagement.
Following the first pillar, the second pillar aims at engaging with multiple means of action or expression. This allows the learners to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in different ways such as in the form of a formative assessment. We concluded that the best way to assess these young learners’ subsequent knowledge is through small group discussions. This analysis allows the educator to engage with the students actively and personally, as the students showcase the knowledge they have gained throughout the activity. The teacher will be able to observe the student’s engagement with the material, see how they felt regarding the material, and find out if there is anything else they would like to explore further and continue to grow their knowledge on. After completing the numerous different activities and the storybook we will provide a progressive survey, requiring the learners to engage with the material discussed, and ask them to recall what they had learned and how they intend to take what they learned and use it as a tool to further explore the topic of race.
The final pillar guiding the universal design requires multiple means of engagement. We plan on incorporating a variety of pathways throughout this learning experience for the students which will allow them to engage with the material in different interactive ways while hoping to promote the learner’s self-efficacy regarding our topic and their capabilities as a learner. This will be done through different videos, activities such as drawing and creating their own quotes, and interacting with their peers through group discussions.
Overall, we are looking to make our Interactive Learning Resource engaging and resourceful to all. By creating a design that can benefit all users and tailor to their learning style, it opens the door and allows them to engage and participate in. We have tried to focus on the core principle of the UDL and focus on the limitations of our design rather than any perceived limitations of their learners. Through following this core principle we hope that we have eliminated possible barriers that students may face, and that our resource is found to be accessible to all.
References:
https://edtechuvic.ca/edci335/category/designing-for-inclusion/
Meyer, Anne, et al. Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice. CAST Professional Publishing, an Imprint of CAST, Inc., 2014, UDL Theory Practice, retrieved from: udltheorypractice.cast.org/
Right to Education – Inclusive Education, retrieved from: https://www.inclusiveeducation.ca/learn/right-to-education
Hi Megan, I think you did a great job explaining the three pillars of the universal design and how you plan to implement them into your interactive learning resource. I definitely think that having options in how the students interact with the activities will increase accessibility. I like the idea that your group will assess the student’s knowledge through small group discussions and a progressive survey as well! Overall, great job!
Hi Megan! Thank you for an overview of how your interactive learning resource will ensure that the needs of diverse learners are met. I wonder, what particular Universal Design principles/checkpoints do you plan to integrate? You may also think about how to optimize access to tools and assistive technologies to support learners with special accommodation requests.