Technology & Learning Connections

Learner

 

The learner is who is being taught. This is the last domain that is considered and is only addressed when the curriculum and instruction are found to appropriate and the environment accommodating. Variables include motivation, prerequisite skills, organization/study habits, abilities, impairments, and history of instruction.

 

Ideas for Universal Design

 

Provide a variety of tools to enable students with varying cognitive, emotional, physical, and sensory abilities to develop and organize plans for learning, set learning goals, and demonstrate persistence to achieve those goals. Use skill rubrics to help set attainable goals for each student based on student strengths. Provide diverse levels of formative assessments. Support students in the selection, acquisition, and use of assistive technologies and accommodations so they will have ownership in what they use. Provide resources, tools, and options in a variety of areas such as; presentation format, comprehension, listening, following directions, task and materials management, responding. Ensure that the classroom arrangement, furniture, technologies, educational materials, and science lab materials are accessible for all students.

 

Expert learner

Expert learners are students who are purposeful and strategic in their own academic achievement.

 

• UDL and expert learners - http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/expertlearners
• Personalization vs. differentiation vs. individualization - http://www.personalizelearning.com/2013/03/new-personalization-vs-differentiation.html

 

Options for Flexibility – Expert learners self-progress monitor and select tools, resources, and scaffolds as needed to achieve learning goals.

 

Student characteristics

How students feel about themselves and their confidence in themselves can have a tremendous impact on learning. Students can have a sense of hopelessness and can sabotage their own work to keep from being disappointed.

 

• Teaching strategies to build student confidence - http://www.teachhub.com/teaching-strategies-build-student-confidence
• 28 ways to build persistent and confident students - http://teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/10348-28-ways-to-build-persistent-confident-students

 

Options for Flexibility – Use skill rubrics to help set attainable goals for each student based on student strengths. Provide diverse levels of formative assessments.

 

Cognitive processes

There are a variety of cognitive processes important for learning, such as how we work with and organize information, memory, how we express what we know with others, how we plan and evaluate, and many more.

 

• Cognitive processes and learning - https://at-udl.com/tutorials/cognitive-supports/
• Teach cognitive processing strategies - https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/dbi1/cresource/q2/p06/

 

Options for Flexibility – Provide a variety of tools and scaffolds that students can select from to support different cognitive processes during instructional activities.

 

Assistive technology

Assistive technology, as defined in IDEA, is any item, piece of equipment, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of the child.

 

• What is assistive technology? - https://www.atia.org/at-resources/what-is-at/
• Assistive technology for kids with learning disabilities - http://www.readingrockets.org/article/assistive-technology-kids-learning-disabilities-overview

 

Options for Flexibility – Support students in the selection, acquisition, and use of assistive technologies so they will have ownership in what they use.

 

Accommodations

Accommodations are supports that students with disabilities need and are documented in their IEP or Section 504 plan. They support access and progress in the general curriculum.

 

• Accommodations guide for students with brain injury - https://www.brainline.org/article/accommodations-guide-students-brain-injury
• What are some common accommodations for students with dyslexia? - https://at-udl.com/tutorials/jr2018/assets/dyslexia-strategies-for-teachers.pdf

 

Options for Flexibility – Provide resources, tools, and options in a variety of areas such as; presentation format, comprehension, listening, following directions, task and materials management, responding.

 

Accessibility

Students with disabilities may have accessibility problems in a classroom. This could be due to the physical layout of the classroom. It can also be due to the types of educational materials and technologies being used. Accessibility is critical for students with disabilities to participate in and progress in the general curriculum.

 

• Making science labs accessible to students with disabilities - http://www.washington.edu/doit/making-science-labs-accessible-students-disabilities
• Computer access assistive technology - http://assistivetechnology.strikingly.com/

 

Options for Flexibility – Use universal design principles to in the classroom arrangement, type of furniture, technologies, and educational materials.