This short book uses the power of analogy to help the reader gain a deeper understanding of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and to ensure its application is inclusive of all learners.

"UDL is like...": Using analogies to activate understanding

Applying UDL is like growing vegetables. UDL is not a temporary strategy, programme, or initiative. UDL is a framework that requires consistent application. UDL is not an event, it is a commitment. It will take you and others time to learn all that is within the framework. In addition, how you understand and apply UDL will change over time. Your depth of understanding directly impacts your application of the framework. All of this equates to intentionality.

You must intentionally learn the framework. You must intentionally take time to apply the framework. You must intentionally identify the barriers that could prevent any learner from achieving the goal. Also, if a learner is not successful, you do not blame the learner. Instead, you use the information within the UDL framework to analyze the learning environment and the instruction to intentionally bring in new ideas and approaches. The takeaway: Applying the UDL framework requires a long-term commitment that is intentionally learner-focused.

Logo with words: The UDL Approach, Loui Lord Nelson, PhD

6. Growing Vegetables Whether you plant vegetables in an allotment or a garden, you must have a strong commitment if you want to grow healthy plants. In fact, your commitment must extend beyond the growing season to something that is year-round.

In addition, to be an effective gardener, you must be intentional. You must take time to learn the methods that work best for your plants. You must consistently check on your seeds. As they grow into seedlings and then blossoming plants, you must consistently seek ways to keep your plants healthy so they will not wilt, lose leaves, or have other illnesses. You must pay attention to the context and make the necessary shifts to ensure your plants are healthy. If they do show signs of illness, you do not blame the plant; you change what you provide to the plant. Your goal is to nurture a successful plant.

5. The Gears Gears are used to make a mechanical device work. The stronger the gear and its cogs (or teeth), the stronger the machine. If one of the cogs of a gear is missing, the gears don't turn as smoothly. The machine continues to work, but it's not as effective.

The practices, skills, and mindsets of UDL are like gears. They interconnect with each other as well as the UDL guidelines to establish an environment in which UDL, and therefore the learner, thrive. Over time, these mindsets, skills, and practices have been recorded by researchers and practitioners around the world. The UDL Gears bring them together in one document. <a href="https://theudlapproach.com/theudlgears/translations/">The takeaway: The mindsets, skills, and practices work together with the UDL guidelines to create optimal learning environments and instruction. </a>

Loui presenting to educators in Australia

Loui posing with educators in Singapore after a workshop

Loui and the participants after a workshop in Cambodia

Loui posing with three educators in Uganda

You opened this book because you are interested in UDL. My hope is that you use this information to investigate your current practices, policies, and systems and ask whether they allow or prevent learners from becoming expert learners. From there, I hope you always look for ways to align with UDL. My cross-continental experience with UDL has shown me that the application of UDL is unique for each context, but just like The Gears analogy, there are mindsets, skills, and practices that hold true across settings. That is where I recommend you begin. Feel free to contact me with questions. Loui Lord Nelson, Ph.D. The UDL Approach <a href="http://www.theudlapproach.com">www.theudlapproach.com</a>

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The Goal of This Book This short book uses the power of analogies to help the reader gain a deeper understanding of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Many UDL tools immediately attempt to answer "how do I do this?" This book offers a different entry point. It takes you into the what of UDL so you can identify your why. After reading this book, you will be able to interrogate your why&nbsp;to ensure your application of UDL is inclusive of all learners.

Change is Needed If you are reading this, you are probably an educational leader. It is also likely that you successfully completed school. Even if you struggled significantly, you eventually achieved the marks or experiences necessary to hold your current position. Because you were successful, you might think that other learners would benefit from the methods and academic traditions you experienced.

Data shows, though, that many learners are not receiving the instructional support they need to be successful. First, what worked for you does not always work for others. Second, we need learners to not only read, write, and apply basic maths, they need to know who they are as learners.

A hand raised to communicate "stop" next to a person who is speaking

We need every single learner to be able to: <ul><li>find purpose in learning, </li><li>identify their motivation to learn, </li><li>know how to tap into the resources around them to gain and apply their knowledge,</li><li>set ambitious goals, and; </li><li>strategically move toward those goals. </li></ul> When learners can do these things, they are empowered learners. UDL has a term for this - it's called expert learner.

Expert learners gain skills and knowledge. Expert learners can be in any context and advocate for their learning needs. Expert learners become leaders of their own learning. We apply UDL so learners can become expert learners. The following six analogies and accompanying links will help you understand the premise and promise of UDL so every learner in the world can become an expert learner.

A light blub is floating above a hand cupped under it.

1. Sunsets Most of the world experiences sunsets. It is the same action every day, but each sunset looks completely different because it is affected by things like where it is viewed and the weather. It looks different because the context changes. All over the world, instructional leaders apply the UDL guidelines. They can use the same framework every day, but what it looks like from setting to setting can be different. Everything from culture and customs to resources and relationships affect the application of UDL. It looks different because the context changes. The takeaway: What the UDL guidelines look like in practice is impacted by the context. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2nH0RjY1dRCfSvbUp9BBQzD3HYNPczus">see video examples of one context</a>)

Half circle with downward pointing arrow sitting on top of wavy lines. Straight lines stem out from the half circle.

2. Pathways A paper map shows all of the routes you can take to reach your chosen destination. While you stay within the borders of the map, you take the paths that are best for you. The UDL guidelines show us all of the different options we can provide to learners as they work toward the goal. We stay within the framework by using the suggested options. We then teach our learners how to choose the routes they believe will be best for them. <a href="https://theudlapproach.com/blog/udl-in-15-minutes-podcast-with-brandon-bean/">The takeaway: We use UDL guidelines to provide our learners with choices so they can become empowered decision-makers in their own learning.</a>

A map icon pointing to a spot on a rectangle wth lines throughout it.

4. An Iceberg When you look at an iceberg, all you see is the top. The bulk of the iceberg is hidden from view. What stabilizes the iceberg is below the surface.

When you ask "what does UDL look like,", all you are focused on are skills and practices. The other major influencer of UDL application is hidden - the mindsets. The mindsets of the instructional leader that influence the skills and practices are unseen. To fully implement UDL, each instructional leader must address their own mindset in addition to their skills and practices. To understand the full iceberg, you need to understand the impact of UDL-aligned mindsets, skills, and practices. <a href="https://theudlapproach.com/theudlgears/why/">The takeaway: There are UDL-aligned mindsets, skills, and practices used by instructional leaders that directly impact the application of the UDL guidelines. For this reason, these "hidden" aspects must be understood.</a>

Interogate your why These six analogies were created to impact your understanding of UDL. Analogies can be a powerful tool to communicate an intangible topic. Analogies can also make something new feel more familiar. That familiarity allows the learner to shift from basic learning to applying what they have learned. That was the goal of this book. The next step is to use this new or deeper knowledge to articulate why you want to bring UDL to your context.

<ul><li>Are you seeking a framework that can respond to your context and help you improve inclusive practices?</li></ul> <ul><li>Do you want your learners to practice making choices when learning?</li></ul> <ul><li>Do you want your educational system to operate as an ecosystem that fosters learners through inclusive design?</li></ul> <ul><li>Do you want to examine the current mindests, skills, and practices that drive your educational system?</li></ul> <ul><li>Do you want to establish a long-term commitment to create learner-focused and inclusive learning environments?</li></ul>

Copyright Published by Loui Lord Nelson, PhD on Bookcreator.com <a href="https://read.bookcreator.com/xtokTSS3NxavCPe9VkOmE007Viw2/FaamKTK5QuOjAVu2VXQx-Q">"UDL is Like...": Using Analogies to Activate Understanding.</a> © 2024 by <a href="https://theudlapproach.com/about/">Loui Lord Nelson, Ph.D.</a> is licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=chooser-v1">CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0</a> Icons are from www.thenounproject.com Images are linked to www.theudlapproch.com Recorded by Loui Lord Nelson, Ph.D.

Table of Contents The Goal	 			Page 2 Change is Needed	Page 3 Sunsets				Page 7 Pathways			Page 8 A Fruit Tree			Page 9 An Iceberg			Page 11 The Gears			Page 13 Growing Vegetables	Page 15 Interogate your why 	Page 19 An Invitation			Page 21

3. A Fruit Tree A fruit tree thrives based on the ecosystem. The roots tap into rich soil. Nutrients flow up through the trunk and branches to create single pieces of wonderful fruit. Sunshine on the leaves causes nutrients to go back down through the tree and into the soil.

UDL also thrives based on an ecosystem. Learner variability is the soil because that variability is what we tap into to design our rich learning environments. UDL requires us to accept that every person's ability to learn is based on the context; not on ability. This means we take responsibilty for creating a the learning environment that is based on the application of the UDL framework. That application leads to the creation of the fruit – expert learners. But the process does not end there. The leaves capture the nutrients of our learners’ success and feed that back into our UDL ecosystem. The takeaway: UDL is an ecosystem.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WClnVjCEVM" style="color: black;"> Understanding and thinking about variability is critical to that ecosystem</a> because that foundation is the soil for the entire ecosystem.

"UDL is like..." Using analogies to activate understanding

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