Objectives

Participants will briefly review the importance of goal setting, individualized instruction, and assessing progress from the CAST Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age book about UDL (participants should have gained this knowledge during the scavenger hunt, but just in case, a guiding matrix will be provided for the purposes of this activity as well as for facilitator use as Handout 1)
Participants will analyze their own lesson plans for elements of UDL which already exist
Participants will identify elements of UDL that can be added to their lesson plans such as identifying the goals, identifying the true purpose of the goals, identifying the learning network central to the task, and identifying areas where flexibility/scaffolding might be provided
Participants will develop ways in which technology might be used to incorporate elements of UDL and enhance student learning

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Activities

The facilitator should review the guiding matrix (Handout 1) with participants to the extent he/she deems necessary to refresh participants' memories about the principles and concepts of UDL
Participants will bring their own lesson plans. They can work on individual lesson plans but should work collaboratively with another participant who is either at the same school, same grade level, or in the same content area in order to "bounce ideas" off one another
Facilitators should remind teachers that UDL is intended to build flexibility into lesson plans in an effort to reach a broader audience
Participants will analyze their lesson plans using the matrix provided (Handout 2). Participants will have access to resources (Handout 3) that might be helpful to them in completing the lesson plan analysis and matrix
Participants will share their new and improved lesson plans with the group using one of the technologies used in Modules 1 and 2: PowerPoint, Inspiration, KidBook, Read&Write, ReadPlease, and/or a word processor

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Guiding Matrix: Analyzing Lesson Plans

(Module 3, Handout 1)

Questions to Ask	Examples of UDL
GOAL SETTING
What standard does this lesson address?	From national, state, or local standards; well-developed standards emphasize learning how to learn and are not too narrow or specific; they should not be overly focused on factual knowledge or skills
What is the true purpose of the goal? Is it clear?	The true purpose should be the ultimate learning goal of the outcome. For example, if the standard states "All students will write an essay" is the true purpose the mechanical act of writing or the act of composing an essay? Once you have established the true purpose, determine whether or not the true purpose is apparent to students. Will students know whether you are focusing on their mechanical writing skills or their composition skills? The true purpose, once it has been identified, is what must remain constant for all students. Everything else is flexible and scaffolding can be used to meet individual learners' needs.
Is the goal separated from the means of attaining it?	The goal should not specifically include or mention the means of attaining it. The more options your materials offer the easier it is to separate the goal from the means.
What aspects and learning networks are central to the true purpose?	Recognition network: the "what" in learning; who, what, when, where, and why—content is key Strategic network: the "how" in learning; skills and strategies—the process is key Affective network: the "why" in learning; appreciation and enjoyment—engagement is key
How is the performance criteria determined for each student?	Should be based on individual students' strengths and weaknesses. Use Vygotsky's idea of the "Zone of Proximal Development"—more challenging than what a student can achieve on his/her own, but not too challenging that the student cannot achieve it with scaffolding and support
INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION
What teaching methods are being used in this lesson?	Identify the methods and instructional strategies being used, e.g. lecture, multimedia, etc. Methods should be varied and offer a variety of formats.
Do the methods used correspond with the central learning network?	Some methods work better for certain types of learning. Recognition network: Provide multiple examples and non-examples; Highlight critical features in examples presented; Use multiple formats; Provide background content through, for example, hyperlinks to additional information sources Strategic network: Provide multiple and varied models of skilled performance as well as counter-examples; Provide practice in the skills with optional supports and scaffolding for secondary aspects of task; provide ongoing feedback from teacher and technology; Provide multiple tools for expression and demonstration of skills Affective network: Provide a choice of content and tools; Provide a choice of learning context; Provide adjustable levels of challenge; Provide a choice of rewards (think intrinsic)
What materials are being used? What, if any, curriculum barriers are present?	Are the materials you are using—such as textbooks, videos, charts, etc.—putting up barriers for some of your students? You may want to use the UDL Curriculum Barriers Finder at http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/
ASSESSING PROGRESS
How is the lesson currently being assessed?	How are you evaluating student progress? Are you using the same test and the same format with all students?
Does the assessment accommodate individual differences within the 3 learning networks (recognition, strategic, affective)?	For the test to be fair for all students, it should not measure talents irrelevant to the instructional goal. For example: Recognition network: paper and pencil tests evaluate skills in visual acuity, word decoding, reading comprehension, etc. Students with weaknesses in this area are at a disadvantage. Strategic network: timed test, multiple choice, and essay tests all require students to plan and self-monitor. Students with difficulties in this area are at a disadvantage. Also, students who are capable of planning but have a physical disability that prevents them from carrying out this plan would be at a disadvantage if the test is in a paper and pencil format. Affective network: For a student to truly demonstrate his/her knowledge he/she needs to be trying his/her best. The test should not be "high stakes" and should not cause anxiety for any student regardless of his/her motivation and/or engagement level. Embedded assessment—flexible and ongoing—also helps to reduce anxiety associated with tests. In essence—assessments should be offered in a variety of media—reliance on one medium will always favor some students over others and will inaccurately assess progress toward an instructional goal.
Is the media being used for assessment the best choice for the instructional goal?	The traditional medium associated with assessment is text-based and printed. But is this always the best choice for all instructional goals? For example, in art class, if the teacher wants to assess students' understanding of a particular painting technique, does it make more sense to give them a paper and pencil test or to ask them to paint a picture demonstrating the technique? What about a language arts teacher who wants to assess students' understanding of mood and tone? Would it be better for this teacher to ask students to write the definitions of these terms or to demonstrate their understanding through an oral reading or presentation of a story or poem containing these elements? We should consider other media not usually associated with assessment when deciding how to evaluate student progress toward an instructional goal. You may also want to try several approaches with your students to find which media yields the most accurate assessment of their learning.
Are appropriate scaffolds and support available?	As long as the central instructional goal is not being scaffolded, then allowing supports for other variables is perfectly reasonable and, in fact, provides a more accurate assessment of the content or skill being tested. For example, if mastery of content is the main objective and not reading skills, then allowing a student with reading difficulties to use a text reader will not compromise the assessment of his/her content knowledge. Scaffolds normally used by students in classroom learning should not be removed when assessing the learning accomplished.
Is assessment flexible and ongoing? Does it occur at multiple points during the unit of study?	An end-of-the-unit test might not be the best way to measure student progress. Instead, assessment should be embedded within the curriculum. Multiple snapshots of students progress should be taken through assessment that occurs regularly and in a variety of ways throughout the process of attaining an instructional goal (e.g. a portfolio approach).

Lesson Plan Analysis

(Module 3, Handout 2)

	Lesson As Is	What Kind of Flexibility or Scaffolding Might be Offered?	Role of Technology
GOAL SETTING
What standard (if any) does this lesson address?
What is the true purpose of the goal? Is it clear?
Is the goal separated from the means of attaining it?
What aspects and learning network are central to the true purpose? (Is the focus on the "what," the "how," or the "why" of learning?)
How is performance criteria determined for each student?
INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION
What teaching methods are being used in this lesson?
Do the methods used correspond to the central learning network (recognition, strategic, or affective)?
What materials are being used? What, if any, curriculum barriers are present?
ASSESSING PROGRESS
How is the lesson currently being assessed?
Does the assessment address individual flexibility in learning approaches?
How do you accommodate individual differences within the three learning networks (recognition, strategic, affective)?
Is the media being used for assessment the best choice for the instructional goal?
Are appropriate scaffolds and support available?
Is assessment flexible and ongoing? Does it occur at multiple points during the unit of study?

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Helpful Resources for Lesson Plan Analysis

(Module 3, Handout 3)

Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age, Chapter 5: Using UDL to Set Clear Goals: http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/chapter5.cfm

UDL Goal Setter http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/tools/udlgoalsetter.cfm

Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age, Chapter 6: Using UDL to Support Every Student's Learning (Individualized Instruction): http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/chapter6.cfm

Curriculum Barriers Finder: http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/tools/curriculumbarriers.cfm

Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age, Chapter 7: Using UDL to Accurately Assess Student Progress: http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/chapter7.cfm

Interdisciplinary Middle Years Multimedia Project: FAQs about Electronic Portfolios: http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/ks4/tech/imym/faqs/portfolios.html

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For Facilitators

(Module 3)

Estimated Time to Complete: 2 to 3 hours

Guidelines and Tips:

Facilitators should review the guiding matrix as a refresher. This module should not be completed by anyone who has not completed Module 1 as the guiding matrix is based on the principles and concepts of UDL covered more extensively and completely through the activities in Module 1.
Facilitators should stress that teachers should recognize that UDL is intended to increase the flexibility of curriculum to make it as accessible to a wider range of student abilities as possible but does not claim to make curriculum accessible in every incidence.
Facilitators should encourage participants to go beyond the questions and suggestions in the guiding matrix when completing their lesson plan analyses.
Facilitators should encourage participants to explore the helpful resource links provided, but to not get sidetracked. Teachers need to keep the "big picture"—the overall goal of the lesson—in mind.

Contents:

Objectives

Activities

Guiding Matrix: Analyzing Lesson Plans

Lesson Plan Analysis

Helpful Resources for Lesson Plan Analysis

For Facilitators