We All Vary: Why Universal Design is for All of Us

More than Cool: FETC's Discussions on EdTech with Leading Educators

There is no "average learner" for whom we can design instruction. We need to design and deliver instruction that recognizes learner variability from the start.One of the common misconceptions about Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is that it is only for special education learners. On the contrary, UDL is for all learners, because we all vary. We are all on a continuum when it comes to our abilities. This challenges the labels (“special needs,” “gifted”) we have placed on learners based on their divergence from the mythical average learner.

We have known about the “myth of average” since a military researcher started challenging the concept more than 60 years ago. More recently, the latest findings from neuroscience, aided by brain imaging studies, have further challenged this idea in relation to the learning brain. Despite the evidence, education continues to buck the trend toward personalization in other fields. While innovative educators have created pockets where personalization is thriving, on the whole education is still designed around an average learner, in a one-size-fits-all manner.

In this session, we will explore the key assumptions and beliefs about learning that make UDL a much needed framework for designing education to meet the needs of today’s diverse learners. While UDL can be implemented with or without technology, the latest developments in technology make the implementation of UDL easier by providing more options for how educators can represent information and learners can show their understanding. Thus, in this session we will also look at a few examples of technology tools that support the adoption of UDL. Please register below.