Universal Design for Learning Resources - Research Paper Example

 Universal Design for Learning Resources [Name] [Institution] Universal Design for Learning Resources 1. Graphic Organizers Graphic organizers refer to visual representations of concepts, knowledge and ideas to assist students to comprehend meaning and relationships amongst terms and facts in a learning task (Graphic Organizers, 2015). These are some of the most important Universal Design for Learning Resources that not only help students to classify ideas and improve their communication but also provides the needed visual apparatus that aid students comprehend lessons that they might not grasp. The graphic organizers offer a powerful visual picture of information and permit the mind to understand relationships and patterns. The graphic organizers help students organize main concepts and related details. Moreover, they assist students in mapping out concepts visually. They are visual aids for instruction and learning. The graphic organizers aid students to actively engage in their learning process. They help students find out new information and make links that they did not know or think of previously. On the other hand, graphic organizers permit students to visually organize ideas, concepts, thoughts, feelings and data. Selecting the suitable graphic organizer relies on the kind of elements that require organizing and analyzing. After completing the organization process, comprehending multifaceted decision making, ideas and solving problem becomes less difficult. Graphic organizers can be obtained through online shopping at books store. An individual needs to have a great selection of the available graphic organizers at the book store to secure them. An example of graphic organizers includes K-W-L chart that is divided into three columns namely K, W and L. The K-W-L chart is utilized to list what the students previously recognize, what they desire to be acquainted with and what they learned at the culmination of the unit. It activates the students' previous knowledge and makes them think on the subject and what they would like to know. It permits students to coordinate the information they are learning and make them involved and absorbed in the unit. Further, it helps students organize their opinions and learning and assists teachers to give instruction during the unit. Through assigning students the capability to work in groups or individually to make graphic organizers of the readings, they can better comprehend what they have read and share with others what they have grasps and understood (Kavanagh & Hoover, 2014). These outlines also allow students you use the textbook as a resource or as a quick reference in the future. The ability to utilize pictures and symbols are great to assist students comprehend the stages required to accomplish and comprehend the foundations of numerous math glitches. Further, the graphic organizer can be utilized to aid students breakdown word hitches to better comprehend. In line with the 3 principles of UDL, the graphic organizers help in the provision of options for multiple means of representation, options for multiple means of expression or action as well as provide options for multiple means of engagement (National Center on UDL, 2015). For example, with regard to the options for multiple means of representation, graphic organizers present a diverse number of options such of which may include alternatives and options for visual information, language, symbols and auditory information. On the other hand, with regard to options for multiple means of expression or action, the graphic organizers provide options for practice and performance, communication, multiple means of navigation and options supporting planning and strategy development. Finally, graphic organizers contribute to multiple means of engagement by providing options for organizing ideas, concepts, thoughts, feelings and data (National Center on UDL, 2015). 2. UDL Editions The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) edition is an online learning apparatus that assists students comprehend elements of stories together with useful tools to build understanding. It has distinct levels of support hence any student can utilize it to enhance comprehension and reading skills (CAST UDL Editions, 2015). The UDL Editions utilize digital media to reach all students. The teachers can select a variety of literature ranging from minimal to maximum support to support every student. The UDL Editions site teaches and strengthens the utilization of reading plans. Through UDL Editions, the students can highlight phrases and words in many colors. The students can choose a part of the text to search in the dictionary to gain in-depth meaning and comprehension. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) includes a wide range that comprises; nonetheless is not limited to technology tools, engineered settings, content delivery and instructional methods. UDL minimize barriers and improves opportunities for all students. Universal Design for Learning reaches and engages all learners by taking advantage of the flexibility of digital media (Kavanagh & Hoover, 2014). To acquire UDL Editions, an individual needs to register and shop at various online book stores such as Kobo (kobobooks.com) and Google eBooks Reader Store (http://ebookstore.sony.com/google-ebooks) among others. The UDL editions are readily available at the book store and can be secured through online shopping. The UDL offers educators with practical techniques and plans to guarantee that all learners achieve high anticipations. Through the use of UDL framework, the students can gain guidelines, tips and methods for applying UDL principles to the design of curriculum units and lessons that should be aligned to standards of learning. A student can have a functioning know-how of the theory and research basis of UDL comprising on how personal inconsistency plays out in the diverse educational milieu. UDL enables teachers to have strategies for utilizing new technologies to make the curriculum more effective. Moreover, it provides strategies for assessing and enhancing lessons to reach more diverse learners and to provide high echelons of involvement and accomplishment for all learners. The Universal Design for Learning Editions by CAST refers to a web resource with dozens of leveled e-books and digital texts obtainable by teachers and students. The site offers a broad set of apparatuses that are easy for students to navigate and utilize. The students can utilize the Texthelp Toolbar to read enthusiastically and foster in-depth understanding (Kavanagh & Hoover, 2014).The Dictionary tool reads the definition, the word, and pinpoints the part of speech. Furthermore, there is a Google search function wherein a student merely highlights a word in the book, presses the button, and a search through Google is conducted. Additionally, there are four distinct colors of digital highlighters that students can utilize. The students can utilize the Texthelp Toolbar to gather the sections of highlighted text in a distinct window and assemble them by color. In addition, the students can utilize the additional functions offered by UDL Editions, for instance, strategy support, an extensive glossary, author's craft, and resources. Generally, the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a greatest practice framework and set of principles to offer all students equal chances to learn. Utilizing the UDL standards in the general education classroom makes curriculum and instruction available and engaging for all learners. By using UDL standards, learning is supported, curriculum barriers are minimized, and students gain skills, knowledge and enthusiasm for learning. 3. Webspiration Webspiration is an important cloud-computing resource for visual thinking, collaboration, and brainstorming. As an important UDL resource, Webspiration currently offers a wide range of visual thinking models that can effectively be implemented in classroom settings to enhance universal learning by guiding diverse students in information processing. The application is particularly devoted to promoting success in a knowledge-centered community. It provides students with all the requirements for organizing information, solving hitches, brainstorming ideas, planning projects, studying, writing, and communicating more effectively (Webspiration Classroom, 2015). Moreover, it enables work to be readily available and safely stored online. With Webspiration, review and collaboration become easy and any person invited can create, edit and comment on the same document. Students can use Webspiration in a group or individually to brainstorm ideas, take notes, plan, study, learn, and write. Webspiration can be utilized to visually outline concepts to plan for debates, organize thoughts for presentations, illustrate tough scientific ideas, compare concepts and understandings with classmates, and organize notes whereas reading the textbooks. Students are required to read, decode symbols and interpret illustrations when reading content information in Webspiration. Webspiration can be secured through online shopping. Webspiration permits teachers and students to make visual presentations. It is presently in public beta testing, that is; it is now accessible for free online. Securing Webspiration requires an individual to sign up for a free thirty day trial of Webspiration Classroom or sign up monthly at a fee of six dollars monthly. Besides, schools can buy an account for the whole for different prices. The Webspiration Classroom offers a safe and reliable online learning milieu that aids students enhance their thinking and writing skills. The proven visual learning techniques offer the students a framework to collect and organize information, brainstorm concepts, build understanding, and develop written papers, reports and essays. The educator and student resources comprising lesson plan concepts and study tips, support integration of curriculum, and online access enables collaboration, peer review, and interaction between student and the teacher; thus, engages students, extends learning time, and increase attainment across the curriculum (Webspiration Classroom, 2015). Webspiration’s diagramming milieu can be utilized to generate bubble flow charts, diagrams, process flows, concepts and other visual representations that encourage and mirror a student's thinking. It assists in developing and linking concepts. It has powerful outlining abilities that help in note taking, expanding ideas, and organizing work that translate into developing writing into study guides, plans, reports, papers and other broad documents (Kavanagh & Hoover, 2014). Webspiration eases the collaboration and sharing of documents through sending an invite. Every individual works on a similar document and contributes ideas, view changes and post comments. Webspiration is suitable for study groups, team projects, co-authoring materials, reviewing and making comments on documents. Finally, with webspiration, students can access documents online without discs, email or drives. They can work at a friend's house, home, office, local coffee shop and the library. The webspiration and documents are accessible anywhere there is an internet. This is particularly because it offers a wide range of visual thinking models that can guide students in information processing. Generally, the Universal Design for Learning framework guides educators to embody information in numerous media and formats, provide manifold pathways for students' expression and strategies, and offer multiple ways to involve students' motivation and interest. UDL aims to enable people to gain knowledge, enthusiasm, and skills for learning. References CAST UDL Editions. 2015.Universal Design for Learning. 2015. Retrieved on November 14, 2015 from http://udleditions.cast.org/ Graphic organizers. (2015). Classroom Resources. Retrieved on November 14, 2015 from https://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/ Kavanagh, K., & Hoover, J. (2014). Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the Academic Library: A Methodology for Mapping Multiple Means of Representation in Library Tutorials. College & Research Libraries, crl14-595. National Center on UDL. (2015). UDL Guidelines Graphic Organizer. Retrieved on November 14, 2015 from http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines/udlguidelines_graphicorganizer Webspiration Classroom. (2015). Webspiration Classroom. Retrieved on November 14, 2015 from http://www.mywebspiration.com/ Read More