PD: The UDL Way – Creating Universally Designed Professional Development

We’ve all sat through professional development (PD) that did not provide options for how we could engage in the topic, how the topic was represented, and/or how we could express what we learned. All learners, whether young or adult, should not have limited options in their learning experiences. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) was developed to remove barriers to ensure that ALL learners can fully engage in the learning process.

UDL is an educational framework for learners of all ages and abilities and centers around providing options in 3 areas: engagement, representation, and action and expression. UDL is specifically defined and endorsed by the Every Student Succeeds Act and identified as a framework to be used in EdTech in the 2016 National Education Technology Plan.

However, the implementation of UDL guidelines varies greatly, both in the education of our students and the professional development of our teachers. By using the UDL framework in PD, facilitators can identify and remove barriers so that the teachers can fully achieve the professional development learning goals set by the facilitator. Additionally, modeling the integration of the UDL framework can encourage and support teachers as they work on understanding and implementing the framework.

This presentation will serve as a guide for implementing the UDL guidelines in PD sessions by presenting necessary background information about UDL from CAST, the the needs and wants of adult learners as explained by Elena Aguilar, examples of implementing UDL in PD, and concrete methods for presenters to fully integrate UDL into future PD sessions.

Rebecca Young

Learning Specialist / Instructional Technology Coach, Plainfield 202

Becky Young is a Google Certified Educator and Trainer from the suburbs of Chicago. Since 2009, she has been a high school science teacher, but moved to middle school in 2021 as a Learning Specialist and a district Instructional Technology Coach. Her other EdTech certifications include: Wakelet Community Leader, Level 2 Adobe Creative Educator, Mote Certified Educator, Edpuzzle Coach, Nearpod Certified Educator, and Screencastify Certified Master Screencaster. She earned a B.S. in Chemistry and Environmental Science from Bradley University (2005) and a M.A. in Environmental Studies from University of Illinois - Springfield (2007). Before entering the education world in 2009, she was an environmental specialist in the Chicago area. Becky loves to learn and share ideas about science education and educational technology on Twitter @TechyBeckyYoung.