Why Blended Learning and UDL?

The intersection of blended learning and universal design for learning (UDL)

Blended learning is active, engaging learning offline combined with active, engaging learning online. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) supports blended learning by enhancing the flexibility of the learning experience while maintaining high expectations for all students. Source Dr. Caitlin Tucker, The UDL journey from CCEE (California Collaborative for Educational Excellence)
By integrating blended learning and UDL, educators can design learning experiences that cater to diverse learners while capitalizing on the potential of technology. This approach empowers students, placing them at the center of their educational journey, and promotes an exciting future for education, grounded in learner-centric practices.
What to expect from this page:
We direct you to two videos from Dr. Caitlin Tucker where she describes how UDL and Blended Learning connect and provides guidance on the necessary mindsets and potential first steps for implementing these approaches.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Blended learning

Go to the page from CCEE (California Collaborative for Educational Excellence). On the page there are three short films UDL and Blended Learning: Part 1 (3.24 min), Part 2 (4.30 min) and Part 3 (4.57 min). Please watch the first two parts of Dr. Tucker's micro lecture on this topic. You can also access the PDF-transcript on this page for each of the videos.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Blended learning

Our text summary of the first two videos

Part 1:

The intersection of blended learning and universal design for learning (UDL) represents an innovative approach to education that aims to enhance student engagement, inclusivity, and equity. Blended learning combines active and engaged online and offline learning, empowering learners to take control of their education by determining the time, place, pace, and path of their learning. Within this umbrella term, various models are designed to cater to diverse student needs.

Universal design for learning, grounded in brain-based research, emphasizes the understanding that students have distinct learning requirements. In traditional classrooms, accommodating individual needs can be challenging. UDL encourages educators to make learning inclusive and accessible, ensuring all students progress towards learning objectives.

With the advent of the pandemic, the need to increase accessibility, inclusivity, and equity in blended learning models became evident. The synergy between blended learning and UDL offers a promising solution to address learner variability, as students will always have unique needs, skills, backgrounds, and preferences. Additionally, technology's ubiquitous presence in modern life reinforces the importance of leveraging technology in education.

By integrating blended learning and UDL, educators can design learning experiences that cater to diverse learners while capitalizing on the potential of technology. This approach empowers students, placing them at the center of their educational journey, and promotes an exciting future for education, grounded in learner-centric practices.

Part 2:

The video covers Universally Designed Blended Learning (UDL) and its core principles:

Acknowledging Learner Variability: The norm is that learners have diverse needs and abilities. Designing a single learning experience for such a diverse group may not be effective. Teachers should have a collection of instructional models to meet the varying needs of students.

Acknowledging Learner Variability: The norm is that learners have diverse needs and abilities. Designing a single learning experience for such a diverse group may not be effective. Teachers should have a collection of instructional models to meet the varying needs of students.
Teachers as Architects of Learning Experiences: Teachers should identify and proactively remove barriers that might exist in a learning experience. Incorporating student agency and meaningful choice empowers learners to decide what, how, and what to create for demonstrating their learning.
Flexible Paths to Reach Goals: All students can achieve standard-aligned goals, but the paths they take may differ. Teachers need to design learning experiences that allow students to progress in a way that suits them best. Some may need more support (scaffolding) to reach their goals.
Cultivating Expert Learners: All students can and should become expert learners – resourceful, motivated, strategic, and self-aware. Blended learning environments promote partnership between teachers and students, with students taking more responsibility for their learning.

The exciting aspect of blending UDL and blended learning models is that it facilitates operationalizing UDL in classrooms, making education more inclusive, accessible, and equitable. Blended learning models, like station rotation or flip classroom, give learners agency to make key decisions and access differentiated learning experiences. Teachers can provide support to small groups and individual learners, while students gain control over their pace and engage in metacognitive routines to develop expertise as learners and advocate for their needs.