UDL and Blended Learning: Thriving in Flexible Learning Landscapes

UDL and Blended Learning: Thriving in Flexible Learning Landscapes

By Katie Novak and Catlin Tucker

You can develop the skills to meet the needs of learners in any learning environment. 

This approachable, in-depth guide unites the adaptability of Universal Design for Learning with the flexibility of blended learning, equipping educators with the tools they need to create relevant, authentic, and meaningful learning pathways to meet students where they’re at, no matter the time and place or their pace and path. With step-by-step guidance and clear strategies, authors Katie Novak and Catlin Tucker empower teachers to implement these frameworks in the classroom, with a focus on cultivating community, building equity, and increasing accessibility for all learners. 

As we face increasing uncertainty and frequent disruption to traditional ways of living and learning, UDL and Blended Learning offers bold, innovative, inclusive solutions for navigating a range of learning landscapes, from the home to the classroom and all points in between, no matter what obstacles may lie ahead. 

Endorsements (3)

“Whether you are new to the world of blended learning with UDL or could teach a course on both, this book is sure to set you ablaze with new ideas to reach and teach with equity in mind for all learners.”  

—Andratesha Fritzgerald, author of Anti-Racism and Universal Design for Learning

“If you care about giving students more flexibility to personalize their learning through a blend of in-person and online environments, you’ll want this book.”

—Jay McTighe, educational consultant and coauthor of the Understanding by Design® framework

“Throughout this book, you will learn strategies that will help you remove barriers to learning, create more personalized learning experiences, and teach students how to become expert learners. This is something every teacher needs to read, discuss, and think about how to put into action.” 

—Katie Martin, PhD, chief impact officer at Altitude Learning and author of Learner-Centered Innovation

Pick up your copy on Amazon.com or Amazon.ca today!

 

 

UDL Implementation Rubric

Below is a blog post from Katie Novak, author of UDL Now! and best selling book  Innovate Inside the Box written with George Couros!

 

If you’ve had a chance to review the UDL Progression Rubric, you probably recognize that UDL isn’t a framework that you can implement overnight. It takes years – not weeks or months – to reach expert level and it’s easy to see how anyone, even the most experienced teachers, could get overwhelmed. For those just getting started, evaluating where you are in the UDL implementation process on a checkpoint by checkpoint basis might simply be too much.

When Melissa Toland of Ocean View School District reached out suggesting a simplified version for the time-strapped or overwhelmed teacher, I was totally sold. I love collaborating with others who are equally inspired by the promise of UDL and loved her quick-start UDL Implementation Rubric so much that I wanted to share it with you all.

This rubric is a great tool for self-evaluation and self-reflection in regards to big picture UDL implementation and also serves as a fantastic reference tool for remembering overall themes of UDL. When you are ready to get a little more granular, the UDL Progression Rubric builds upon this one.

When Melissa introduced the rubric to her district’s middle school educators, she encouraged them to use the tool as a road map for next steps to incorporate the principles of UDL into lessons and units.

As you review the tool, Melissa recommends thinking about:

  • What are your next steps in terms of implementation?
  • Based on your current level of practice, what is one goal you have for today?
UDL Implementation Rubric by Melissa Toland

Making commitments to yourself after you self-evaluate is a wonderful way to get started with the process. Remember, UDL implementation is a learning process, one that takes engagement, motivation, grit, resourcefulness, and creativity. You are not alone on this journey. You deserve the same tools, resources, and support that your students will get from you as you implement UDL.

We are always open to sharing new ideas and tools for UDL, so if you have something like this to share, please reach out!

Download the UDL Implementation Rubric

Ready to take your UDL game one step further? Enroll in one of our online courses and experience UDL first hand from UDL experts.

 

Don’t forget to grab your copy of Innovate Inside the Box to further your learning in the areas of UDL and the Innovator’s Mindset!