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UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING
OPTIMIZE
This phase is all about enhancing and optimising your UDL implementation. At this stage, UDL implementation is not viewed as a project or an initiative. Rather, it is how your system does things. The optimise phase is characterised by continuous improvement.
There are three guiding questions:
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To what extent are the UDL characteristics visible within your learning culture?
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How can ongoing data analysis help you optimise UDL implementation?
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What does the future hold for your UDL implementation?
During this phase you will:
He Pikorua
This implementation phase is linked to Whai Whakaaro and Mana Motuhake. It is the opportunity to collaborate regularly as a team while considering systemic and targeted approaches. It is a time when progress can be evaluated by making shared decisions based on ongoing data collection and adjusting the implementation as needed. A sense of empowerment within a team can be achieved by sharing collective knowledge and accountability, allowing teams to take charge and make informed decisions based on their acquired knowledge and experiences. This approach enables teams to lead confidently and fosters a sense of empowerment among team members.
NURTURE A UDL CULTURE
Culture is a complex construct. Within an organisation it can be referred to as “the deeper level of basic assumptions and beliefs that are shared by members of an organisation.” (Schien, 1985 cited by Stoll, 1998). Simply put, it can be viewed as how things are done within your organisation.
Building a UDL culture, takes time but within it, variability and collective learning is routinely celebrated. A UDL culture will also display a commitment to continuous improvement and will nurture a growth mindset.
School culture is one of the most complex and important concepts in education. In this article, Professor Louise Stoll delves into the correlation between school improvement and school culture.
MAXIMIZE IMPROVEMENT
Creating, optimising, and sustaining a meaningful and sustainable transformation will take time. It will require you to apply the innovative aspects of your UDL implementation system-wide to maximise positive impact. At this stage, it will be helpful to adopt a continuous improvement mindset that is centred on growth-oriented reflection. According to Fullan (2001) embedding continuous improvement starts with reexamining your moral purpose and then consistently evaluating and reevaluating meaningful results.” (Fullan, 2001, cited in Ralabate & Berquist, 2020, p. 144). In regards to your UDL implementation, it means repeatedly using data to identify potential barriers, refine your planned outcomes, and enhance your professional learning strategies. Using a cycle of inquiry will support you to track the benefits of your implementation.
He Pikorua is a model built upon an inquiry approach. Utilising the phases of this model not only aligns with our Learning Support Delivery Model but is synonymous with our casework.
Timperley, Kaser and Halbert’s Spiral of Inquiry is an example of an inquiry model. This article is entitled 'A framework for transforming learning in schools: Innovation and the spiral of inquiry' (2014).
PREDICT AND RESPOND
As you engage in continuous improvement, it is important that you begin to predict and plan for possible barriers to success. We know that within schools, plans can change very quickly due to budgetary constraints, personnel and a number of other factors. Therefore, it is important to take the time to predict what could potentially derail your UDL implementation. If you can do this, you can plan for it. Scenario planning is a way for your UDL PLG to investigate potential challenges, Snow, Lynn, and Beer (2015) define scenario planning as “a process for building flexibility into strategy by surfacing several possible futures and then exploring how strategic decisions might play out under different conditions. “ (Ralabate & Berquist, 2020, p. 148).
This video explores Scenario Planning- a strategic planning tool that helps organisations prepare for possible future scenarios. It involves identifying potential future events and trends, evaluating their impact, and developing a range of plausible scenarios.
This article provides some examples of scenario planning in education, including the ares of curriculum development, online learning, educational policy, career guidance and lifelong learning.
This infographic about Scenario Planning may be a useful prompt to explain this approach to your team:
