UDL - Principle of Representation, Guideline 3 - Comprehension

(This a series on Universal Design for Learning)

Universal Design for Learning

Principle of Representation - Guideline 3 - Comprehension 

The first principle of Universal Design for Learning, 'provide multiple means of representation', help promote an inclusive learning environments on many levels. When developing a course and focusing on this principle, there are three guidelines to follow. They are:

1. Perception
2. Language and Symbols
3. Comprehension.

We are now going to take a deeper the third guideline.

Education is about teaching learners to transform information into usable knowledge.  Making the information accessible is just the first step for learners to process the information. We also need to promote active processing of the information to construct knowledge that can be accessed in the future.  This rests not only on perceiving, but by employing active learning that includes information processing skills like:

• selective attending,
• integrating new information with prior knowledge,
• strategic categorization, and
• active memorization.    

Learners vary greatly with these skills and their ability to access their prior knowledge that will assist them in assimilating new information as knowledge.  Good design presents the information such that it scaffolds so all learners have can access to construct knowledge. When doing this, you should:

1. Activate or supply background knowledge
2. Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships
3. Guide information processing and visualization by encouraging the application of meta-strategies.
4. Maximize transfer and generalization so students can apply learning to new contexts.  

By adopting this instructional strategy, more learners benefit. The design and presentation will provide the scaffolds necessary for all learners to access the information and construct usable knowledge.