EDLD 5364 - Week 4

I still continued my research on Universal Design Learning (UDL). According to Rose and Meyer (2002) there are four barriers to accurate assessment: the lack of acknowledgement of individual learning differences, media constraints, lack of appropriate supports, and lack of integration with curriculum. “When we consider individual differences in recognition, strategic, and affective networks, we realize that a common test format and administration method will always favor some students and hurt others.” The quote made me further examine how exactly do educational administrators expect varied learners to pass the same traditional assessment. This stressing desire shows a disconnect between the supporters of extrinsic and intrinsic learning.

Instead of educational leaders pressuring teachers and students to satisfy one traditional measurement, the pressure should be placed on curriculum designers who can incorporate numerous mediums of assessment to measure the progress of ALL students. My coursemate also added that educational leaders should also be pressured to revamp state assessments to accommodate all learning needs, which I agree. We can gain a richer understanding of what students know by assessing content with media. We can also note students’ progress from the students themselves (eportfolios and blogs). No assessment should be used that will intentionally hurt some students. Any student assessment that does not properly measure student’s progress runs the risk of making off-base instructional decisions. (Rose and Meyer 2002). I  feel that I'm on the right track with my UDL lesson plan because I designed a project based lesson based on the primary brain networks that needed multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement. This was before I watched a video clip from Edutopia.org. The clips of students' enthusiasm outdoors for science (for example) encourages me that the effort required to build this template lesson plan will  pay off. All teachers want to see is their students having fun learning.
Edutopia.org (nd). project Learning: An Overview. Retrieved March 19, 2012, from http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-overview-video
Rose D., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Chapter 7. Available online at the Center for Applied Special Technology Web site. Retrieved March 19, 2012, from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/chapter7_3.cfm