EDUC 5313: Week 5

 This week, I read an article that really got me thinking about how we design lessons for all kinds of learners.  It’s called “Universal Design for Learning: Scanning for Alignment in K-12 Blended and Fully Online Learning Materials” by Basham, Smith, and Satter (2016), and honestly, it made me look at my lesson planning in a whole new way. 

 I’m working on a 4th-grade lesson about common and proper nouns, and I plan to use Nearpod to make it more interactive and engaging.  After reading this article, I’m excited to take what I learned about Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and build it into my lessons from the start. 

The big idea from Basham and his team (2016) is that just because something is accessible doesn’t mean it’s usable or effective for learning. They explained that a lot of online materials meet the basic accessibility standards, like captions or readable fonts, but they do not always help students actually learn.  

To fix that, the authors created a UDL Scan Tool, which helps teachers and schools check whether online materials support all kinds of learners through multiple ways to engage, understand, and show what they know.

I loved how they talked about designing with learner differences in mind from the beginning, not as an afterthought.  That really stuck with me.  Instead of thinking, “How can I make this lesson accessible for struggling learners?” the question becomes, “How can I make this lesson work for everyone?”

So, here’s my plan for bringing UDL into my upcoming Common and Proper Noun lesson. I’ll be using Nearpod, which is great for keeping students active and involved instead of just sitting and listening.

I’ll include different ways to learn.  I’ll include visuals, audio directions, and maybe a short video to explain common and proper nouns.  Students will be able to read, watch, or listen, whatever helps them understand best. 

I’ll also include different ways to respond.  Nearpod’s “Draw It” and “Collaborate Board” tools will let students get creative.  They can type examples, draw pictures, or even record quick responses.  I love that Nearpod gives them options instead of forcing everyone to respond the same way. 

Basham et al. (2016) talk about “learnability”, not just accessibility, and that’s exactly what I want to focus on.  I want students to actually connect with what we’re learning, not just go through the motions. 

The 2024 National Educational Technology Plan (NETP) talks about closing the Digital Divide, basically the difference between students who just use technology and those who use it to create and collaborate with it.  

In my lesson, students won’t just be identifying nouns; they’ll be creating short digital stories that incorporate both common and proper nouns in meaningful ways.  This design allows them to use technology to think and communicate, not just click through slides.  It also reflects the NETP’s call to make technology integration authentic and student-driven.

That idea really connects to UDL.  In my Nearpod lesson, students won’t just identify nouns; they’ll actually create short digital stories that include both common and proper nouns.  They’ll share ideas and see what their classmates come up with, turning grammar into something creative and collaborative instead of just another worksheet. 

That’s the kind of learning the NEPT encourages: students using tech to think, build, and communicate, not just consume information. 

Reading this article made me realize that UDL isn’t about adding fancy tech tools; it’s about designing lessons that work for real students with real differences.  My goal is to make sure every student in my class has a way to participate and feel successful, no matter how they learn best.

So when I finally teach this Common and Proper Noun lesson, I want it to feel fun, flexible, and inclusive.  If my students walk away feeling confident and creative…and maybe even liking grammar...I’ll call that a win!

Resouces

Basham, J. D., Smith, S. J., & Satter, A. L. (2016). Universal design for learning: Scanning for alignment in K–12 blended and fully online learning materials. Journal of Special Education Technology, 31(3), 147–155. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162643416660836

CAST. (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. http://udlguidelines.cast.org

Oklahoma State Department of Education. (2021). Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts, Grade 4. https://sde.ok.gov/standards

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. (2024). National Educational Technology Plan 2024: A call to action for closing the digital access, design, and use divides. https://tech.ed.gov/netp