Universal Design For Learning: Part 2 - Checkpoint 3.3

The three main concepts behind UDL are 1) providing multiple means of engagement, 2) representation, and 3) action and expression. UDL encourages faculty to provide a variety of methods in which students can both learn the material and prove their learning. One area of UDL focuses on comprehension and how the instructor can guide information processing and visualization.

According to UDL Checkpoint 3.3, for a student to transform information knowledge, they must have skills for processing that information. These skills vary from student to student, but Checkpoint 3.3 can be summarized as knowing how to learn. UDL goes on to show how it is key to provide students with tools that help them develop these skills.

Below are a few of the suggestions, as shared on the UDL site, for guiding information processing:

1. Give explicit prompts for each step in a sequential process
2. Introduce graduated scaffolds that support information processing strategies
3. “Chunk” information into smaller elements
4. Progressively release information (e.g., sequential highlighting)
5. Remove unnecessary distractions unless they are essential to the instructional goal

So how does CrossBraining meet these guidelines?

1. CrossBraining allows the instructor to determine how many steps will be in each lesson and can provide detailed instructions on what is expected of the student for each step.
2. Each of these steps are scaffolded and provides the student with the opportunity to focus on each step, one at a time.
3. Not only can they focus on each step individually, but if they make an error on any step, they don’t have to start over, but are able to “fix” their mistakes just in that section.
4. Once they have uploaded their videos, they then will be able to type a script for narration, narrate their video, and then answer any reflection questions the instructor has provided. And as far as removing unnecessary distractions?
5. CrossBraining scrubs background noise out of their original video so they can focus on the skill they are performing and not on what they are saying. Along with this, the 45 second suggested time limit ensures that students are not creating a documentary, but are truly demonstrating that they are able to apply their knowledge to the skill they are performing.

We've built CrossBraining with pedagogy like UDL in mind. You can find out more at crossbraining.com/pedagogy.