The 21st century learning model: key characteristics

The 21st Century Learning Model: Key Characteristics
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
By G. McClure
The goal of education is not simply the mastery of knowledge; it is the mastery of learning. Education should help turn novice learners into expert learners—individuals who know how to learn, who want to learn, and who, in their own highly individual ways, are well prepared for a lifetime of learning. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach to learning that addresses and
redresses the primary barrier to making expert learners of all students: inflexible, one-
size-fits-all curriculum which raises unintentional barriers to learning. Learners with
disabilities are the most vulnerable to such barriers, but many students without
disabilities also find that curricula are poorly designed to meet their learning needs.
Diversity is the norm, not the exception, wherever individuals are gathered, including in schools. When curricula are designed to meet the needs of the broad middle to the exclusion of those with different abilities, learning styles, backgrounds, and even preferences, they fail to provide all individuals with fair and equal opportunities to learn. Universal Design for Learning helps meet the challenges of diversity by recommending the use of flexible instructional materials, techniques, and strategies that empower educators the tools they need to meet students' diverse needs. A universally designed curriculum is shaped from the outset to meet the needs of the greatest number of users, making costly, time-consuming, and after-the-fact changes to the curriculum unnecessary. UDL has three primary principles that provide the structure for these Guidelines: 9 Principle I: Provide Multiple Means of Representation (the "what" of
learning). Students differ in the ways they perceive and comprehend the information presented to them. For example, those with sensory disabilities (e.g., blindness or deafness), learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia), language or cultural differences, and so forth may all require a different means to approach content. Some may simply grasp information better through visual or auditory means than through printed text. In reality, no one type of representation will be optimal for all students, so providing options in representation is essential. 9 Principle II: Provide Multiple Means of Expression (the "how" of learning).
Students differ in the ways they are able to navigate a learning environment and express what they know. For example, individuals with significant motor disabilities (e.g., cerebral palsy), those who struggle with strategic and organizational abilities (e.g., executive function disorders, ADHD), those who have language barriers, and so forth approach learning tasks very differently and also demonstrate their mastery of tasks differently. Some may be able to express themselves well in writing but not orally, and vice versa. In reality, there is no one means of expression that will be optimal for all students; it is therefore essential to provide various options. 9 Principle III: Provide Multiple Means of Engagement (the "why" of learning).
Students differ markedly in the ways they can be engaged or motivated to learn. Some students are highly engaged by spontaneity and novelty, while others will be disengaged or even frightened by those approaches and prefer a strict routine. In reality, no one means of representation will be optimal for all students, thus, providing multiple options for engagement is essential.

Source: http://westbrook.rockyview.ab.ca/our-school/21c-learning/The%2021st%20Century%20Learning%20Model%20-%20UDL.pdf