Coronavirus: Teaching Online Primer- Unversal Design For Learning (UDL)

This is not an easy time for students or for teachers. Coronavirus has taken our classrooms away and created a rush to teach online. So now is the time for all teachers to get up to speed on how to teach online. Understanding technology alone will not allow you to be a successful online teacher. It is imperitive to have a blueprint for how you will present material, so that it is accessible and, allows students to be engaged online learners.

The following is a list of free web conferencing platforms that may help you get started:

GoToMeeting
Cisco WebEx
TeamViewer
Join.Me
Zoom
Apache OpenMeeting
Google Hangouts

Now that you have found a platform, how are you going to take material and put it out there so students enjoy learning? To be an effective online teacher you should foster universal access to the material for all students. The lessons should be personalized, challenging, content rich and enjoyable for the students. It should not just be reading and writing assignments. Creativity is important. The tenets of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can help you to think through how you are presenting materials so the material is fully accessable and will assure you and your students are successful. The foundation of UDL is that we learn through three networks:

Recognition Networks:
How we gather facts and ideas.

Strategic Networks:
How we organize and express our ideas.

Affective Networks:
How learners get engaged and stay motivated.

Therefore UDL teaching must address all three networks:

Recognition Networks: Use multiple means of representation
Strategic Networks: Differentiate the way students can express what they know
Affective Networks: Offer multiple means of engaging with materials

Along with these networks the following tenets of UDL help you unpack how you should think through online teaching.


1. Equitable Use: Materials should be accessible to diverse learning needs and styles.
2. Flexibility in Use: Use a variety of instructional methods
3. Simple & Intuitive Instruction: straightforward teaching manner
4. Perceptible Information: formats are accessible to students regardless of sensory abilities.
5. Tolerance for Error: there should be a variability in pacing and acknowledgement of skill base.(Mistakes are an part of
learning)
6. Low Physical Effort: this allows students to attend to learning. This means the student should not have to jump through tech
hoops to figure out how to access the material. It should be intuitive and easy to access.
7. Size and Space for Approach and Use: Comfortable appropriate climate for learning. You can help students to find their best
learning spot.
8. A Community of Learners: Encourage active participation and collaboration. Learning online can be solitary. Avoid this by
having students use social media, and other platforms to collaborate and meet virtually.
9. Instructional Climate: should encourage students to meet high academic standards while welcoming their individuality to the
classroom.

Have fun with being creative, for example use cooking for math, creating a rap song for poetry, drawing, dancing, nature walks and importantly reaching out to others online. All of these can be part of learning and assignments. Look at popular culture, what will energize and engage your students right now? Finally, Let's think about critical thinking and problem solving. It is needed right now and perhaps your students can help solve some of the big problems we are facing as a world right now!

As we move into very uncertain times we want to make sure that students feel secure in their learning environment. For now this environment is virtual. As teachers, we can help students to feel cared about by creating engaging and authentic learning activities that will help them through this anxiety filled time. Online learning can open new worlds to both teachers and students. Enjoy the journey!

I welcome your comments and discussion! Please feel free to share your online teaching tips! Thanks and stay safe!

Reference: CAST is a nonprofit research and development organization that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through Universal Design for Learning: http://www.cast.org/