Universal Design for Instruction

Within the context of instruction, instructors can learn how to implement Universal Design for Instruction (UDI) (Burgstahler, 2012). This concept proposes that there are nine principles which guide this theory which are equitable use, flexibility, simple and intuitive, perceptible information, tolerance for error, physical effort, size and space, community of learners and instructional climate.

Great resource for lesson planning!

Equitable use mandates that every student needs the opportunity to meet the objectives of the lesson plan. Flexibility allows for making necessary adjustments within the instruction. Simple and intuitive requires the decrease ambiguity and complexity in information, breaking knowledge into smaller, more digestible, pieces. Perceptible information provides the information in different approaches which allows for different sensory strengths and weaknesses as used by the learners. Tolerance for error demands that faculty remember that not all students start at the same place and learn at the same pace. Each student arrives in the classroom with a unique set of backgrounds, experiences and abilities. Low physical effort requires that the instructor prepares the best way to maintain student attention and to reduce fatigue. Size and space demands that instructors prepare a way for both materials and physical space to be used during a lesson. In the development of a community of learners and the instructional climate, the goal is to encourage a friendly and learning-centered environment (Darby, 2012).

UDI promotes educators to focus on the individual strengths of each student. Every student brings to the field unique backgrounds, interests, skills and intelligences. Gardner (2006) investigated the cognitive differences within intelligence which makes each individual unique. He proposed that there was more than simply an intelligence but a variety of intelligences. Eight intelligences were identified in his earlier works including verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical, visual/spacial, bodily/kinesthetic, musical/rhythmic, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2009). Later, Gardner offered a ninth intelligence of existentialist (Cortland, 2012). Through the understanding of multiple intelligences, instructors can “highlight the importance of the individual student” (Gardner, 2006, p 51). As students feel their value and worth through the molding of lessons, they will have more success and greater desire to continue on to be successful students and hopefully develop into lifelong learners (Gregory & Chapman, 2007).

Sources:

Burgstahler, S. (2012). Universal design for instruction (UDI): definition, principles, guidelines and examples. Retrieved from www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Academics/instruction.html

Cortland: State University of New York College at Cortland. (2012). Multiple intelligences: Howard Gardner. Retrieved from web.cortland.edu/andersmd/learning/MI%20Theory.htm

Darby, A. (2012). Understanding universal design in the classroom. Retrieved from www.nea.org/home/34693.htm

Gardner, H. (2006). Multiple intelligences. New York, New York: Basic Books.

Gregory, G. (2008). Differentiated instructional strategies in practice: training, implementation, and supervision (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Gregory, G. & Chapman, C. (2007). Differentiated instructional strategies: One size doesn’t fit all. (2nd edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Ornstein, A. C., & Hunkins, F. P.   (2009).  Curriculum: Foundations, principles, and issues. Allyn & Bacon.