Universal Design for Learning
Principle of Engagement - Guideline 3 - Criterion 1
When developing a course using the third principle of Universal Design for Learning, there
are three specific guidelines to assist us.
The third, Self-Regulation addresses maintaining focus and
determination.
Criterion 1 of this guideline advocates that we promote
expectations and attitudes that optimize motivation.
Everyone has intimate knowledge of what they find personally
motivating and this is an important aspect to self-regulation. Learners
need to be able to set personal goals that they can reasonably obtain, as well
as foster positive beliefs that they will be able to meet their goals.
Successfully accommodating this will require allowing for ways that
learners can curtail frustration and eschew anxiety that many face while striving to meet their goals. This will
require multiple options for learners to help stay motivated.
To do this, you may consider:
- Providing guides, rubrics, prompts,
and checklists to encourage increasing the length of on task orientation
and elevating the frequency of self-reflection and
self-reinforcements
- Create activities that support
self-reflection and identifying, and assessing, personal goals
- Explicitly and implicitly promote the
use of coaches, mentors, and tutors that help inculcate skills in
goals setting that successfully account for both strengths and
weaknesses.
- Encourage external success coaching
and tutors for additional help, and promote the development of these
services if your institution does not have them.
By following these suggestions, your course will assist students in communicating and expressing their knowledge, as well as being in line with the Principle of Engagement in the Theory of Universal Design for Learning.
