Rhonda Fuelberth: Universal Design for Learning

Summary

Rhonda Fuelberth discusses universal design for learning (UDL) in music education, emphasizing its origin in architecture and its goal to create inclusive environments. UDL principles aim to provide multiple learning options, benefiting all students through flexible presentation, expression, and engagement methods. The application of UDL in classrooms involves digital tools like Noteflight, promoting accessibility and motivation in learning. The talk encourages educators to consider UDL in their teaching practices to reach a broader range of learners.

Takeaways

• 🎓 The speaker, Rhonda Fuelberth, is an associate professor of music education at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, focusing on universal design for learning (UDL).
• 🏫 UDL aims to create a classroom environment where equity is the norm, students are treated as individuals, and everyone has access to high-quality music and arts instruction.
• 🔍 UDL originated in architecture, promoting inclusive environments that accommodate the potential abilities of all people, regardless of age or disability.
• 🛠 The application of UDL in education involves proactive principles and strategies to create inclusive classrooms and accessible course materials.
• 📈 UDL asserts that increasing learning options benefits all students, representing a shift from individual accommodations to inclusive teaching for the entire class.
• 🧠 UDL is based on the science of neural networks, focusing on recognition, strategic, and affective networks to enhance learning.
• 📝 UDL includes three core principles: multiple methods of presentation, expression, and engagement, each with accompanying guidelines and strategies.
• 🎼 Principle 1 emphasizes varying modes of presentation, including the use of digital materials and multisensory activities to support recognition learning.
• 🎤 Principle 2 focuses on providing multiple methods of expression, allowing students to demonstrate their understanding through various musical activities and continuous assessment.
• 💡 Principle 3 aims to ensure meaningful engagement by offering choices in content, challenge levels, rewards, and learning context to motivate students.
• 🌐 Digital tools like Noteflight are highlighted for their ability to manipulate musical materials, support color-coded notation, and provide real-time interaction for students.
• 🔑 The conclusion suggests that embracing UDL reduces the need for additional accommodations, as it inherently considers diverse learner needs and promotes problem-solving strategies for inclusive education.

Q & A

What is the speaker's professional background?

The speaker, Rhonda Fuelberth, is an associative professor of music education at Glenn Korff School of Music, University of Nebraska Lincoln.

What is the main topic of discussion in the script?

The main topic is universal design for learning (UDL) and its implications for music education classrooms.

What does Franklin Covey suggest in 'The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People' regarding planning?

Franklin Covey suggests beginning with the end in mind, which means planning with the desired outcome in view.

What is the goal of an ideal classroom according to the speaker?

The goal is to create a classroom where equity is common, students are treated as people not labels, all students have access to high-quality music and arts instruction, and everyone feels valued and recognized for their strengths.

What is the origin of universal design?

Universal design originated from the architectural world, influenced by the civil rights and disabilities rights movements in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.

How does universal design aim to make everyday tasks more accessible?

Universal design aims to make everyday tasks more accessible by creating an inclusive environment that considers the potential ability of all people through the design of products and environments that everyone can use, regardless of age, physical condition, or degree of disability.

What is the core assertion of universal design for learning in education?

The core assertion is that when instructors increase the number of learning options available to students, everyone benefits, representing a paradigm shift in accessibility in education.

What are the three principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?

The three principles of UDL are: 1) Provide multiple, flexible methods of presentation to support recognition learning, 2) Provide multiple, flexible methods of expression and apprenticeship to support strategic learning, and 3) Provide multiple, flexible options for engagement to support affective learning.

How can digital materials enhance the application of UDL in music education?

Digital materials can enhance UDL by allowing for multilevel and multisensory activities, manipulation of musical materials in real time, and the use of color-coded notation to aid in the interpretation and learning of music.

What is the significance of pre-teaching in the context of UDL?

Pre-teaching is significant because it provides students with exposure to musical materials before they encounter them in the classroom, which can make the difference between having a meaningful experience and not.

How does the use of Noteflight as a digital tool support UDL in music education?

Noteflight supports UDL by allowing students to interact with musical materials, manipulate them in real time, isolate specific musical lines, adjust tempo without changing pitch, and use color-coded notation to reinforce learning.

What is the speaker's final advice for educators considering the application of UDL?

The speaker advises educators to consider how UDL can be used in their daily experiences as college students and to envision how it can help them reach more learners more of the time.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Introduction to Universal Design for Learning in Music Education

Rhonda Fuelberth, an associate professor of music education at the Glenn Korff School of Music, introduces the concept of universal design for learning (UDL) and its importance in creating inclusive music education classrooms. She emphasizes the need to start with an end goal in mind, envisioning a classroom where all students are treated equitably and have access to high-quality music education. UDL originated from architecture, aiming to make environments accessible to everyone regardless of physical abilities. The principles of UDL, established by the Cast Organization and based on neural networks, include providing multiple methods of presentation, expression, and engagement to accommodate diverse learning needs. This approach shifts the focus from individual accommodations to creating a more accessible learning environment for all students.

05:02

🎼 Applying UDL Principles in Music Education

The video script delves into the application of UDL's three principles in music education. Principle 1 focuses on supporting recognition learning through multiple and flexible presentation methods, such as using digital materials and varied repetition to enhance learning opportunities. Principle 2 addresses strategic learning by offering various methods of expression, including singing, playing, moving, and composing, along with continuous and low-stakes assessments for feedback. Principle 3 emphasizes affective learning, aiming to motivate students by providing meaningful experiences, choices in content, and adjustable levels of challenge. The script also highlights the use of digital tools like Noteflight for manipulating musical materials and the importance of color-coded notation for reinforcing pitch recognition.

10:05

🔧 Conclusion and Encouragement for Implementing UDL

In conclusion, the script suggests that embracing universal design for learning can minimize the need for additional accommodations, as it inherently considers the diverse needs of students. It encourages educators to think about their role in implementing UDL in their teaching practices and to consider how UDL can help reach a broader range of learners. The video ends with an invitation for viewers to contact the speaker with any questions, emphasizing the importance of ongoing dialogue and problem-solving in the pursuit of inclusive education.

Keywords

💡Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Universal Design for Learning is an educational framework that aims to make learning environments more inclusive by anticipating and accommodating the diverse needs of all students. It is central to the video's theme, emphasizing the importance of creating an inclusive classroom where every student has access to high-quality, engaging music and arts instruction. The video discusses UDL's origins in architecture and its application in education to provide learning options that benefit all students, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.

💡Equity

Equity in the context of the video refers to the fair and just treatment of students, ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to succeed. It is a foundational concept for the envisioned classroom where students are not labeled but are treated as unique individuals with their own strengths and needs. The script mentions equity as a common practice in the ideal classroom, highlighting its importance in creating an environment where all students feel valued.

💡Inclusive Classroom

An inclusive classroom is one that is designed to cater to the needs of all students, ensuring that they can participate fully in learning activities. The video discusses the concept of an inclusive classroom as a place where students' strengths are recognized and where teachers, students, and peers work together as partners in learning. It is a key element of the UDL approach, aiming to create a space where every student can thrive.

💡Architectural World

The term 'architectural world' is used in the script to trace the origins of universal design, which began with the civil rights and disabilities rights movements to make buildings and structures more accessible. The video uses examples from everyday life, such as push-button doors and curb cutouts, to illustrate how universal design principles have been applied to make the physical environment more accommodating for everyone.

💡Accessibility

Accessibility in the video refers to the degree to which learning materials and environments can be used by everyone, including those with disabilities. It is a key aspect of UDL, which seeks to create learning experiences that are inherently accessible to all students from the outset, rather than relying on retrofitted accommodations. The script discusses the shift from considering accommodations for individuals to creating accessible learning for everyone.

💡Learner Variability

Learner variability acknowledges the fact that all students have unique learning styles, preferences, and needs. The video emphasizes that this variability is a constant and that UDL principles are designed to address this by providing multiple learning options. It is a fundamental concept in the video, underpinning the need for diverse teaching strategies and materials to cater to all students.

💡Cast Organization

The Cast Organization is mentioned in the script as the entity that established Universal Design for Learning. It is based on the science of neural networks and has been influential in shaping the principles and guidelines of UDL. The video credits the Cast Organization for developing a framework that supports diverse learning needs through its focus on recognition, strategic, and affective networks.

💡Recognition Networks

Recognition networks, as discussed in the video, are part of the neural basis of UDL and relate to how learners gather and organize facts, what they see, hear, or read. The script explains that UDL includes providing multiple methods of presentation to support recognition learning, such as using varied repetition and multisensory activities, to enhance students' ability to process and retain information.

💡Strategic Networks

Strategic networks are another neural component of learning discussed in the video, focusing on the 'how' of learning, including planning and performing tasks. The script relates this concept to UDL's second principle, which involves providing multiple methods of expression and apprenticeship, allowing students to demonstrate their understanding of musical concepts in various ways.

💡Affective Networks

Affective networks pertain to the 'why' of learning, addressing how learners become and remain engaged in the learning process. The video script highlights the third UDL principle, which focuses on providing multiple options for engagement to support affective learning, such as offering choices in content, challenge levels, and rewards to motivate students.

💡Noteflight

Noteflight is a digital tool mentioned in the script that supports UDL by allowing students to interact with musical materials in real time. It offers features like color-coded notation, which can help students with pitch recognition and interpretation. The video uses Noteflight as an example of how technology can be leveraged to provide flexible and accessible learning experiences in music education.

Highlights

Introduction to universal design for learning and its importance in music education classrooms.

The concept of beginning with the end in mind, inspired by Franklin Covey's 'Seven Habits of Highly Effective People'.

Imagining a classroom where equity is common, and students are treated without labels.

Access to high-quality, engaging music and arts instruction for all students as a key principle.

Recognizing students' strengths and fostering a partnership between teachers, students, and peers.

Origins of universal design in architecture, linked to civil rights and disabilities rights movements.

Examples of universal design in everyday life, such as automatic doors and curb cutouts.

The goal of universal design to create inclusive environments for all people, regardless of ability.

Application of universal design to education, focusing on proactive principles for inclusive classrooms.

The paradigm shift in accessibility from individual accommodations to inclusive classroom strategies.

The inevitability of learner variability and its central role in universal design for learning.

Establishment of universal design for learning by the Cast Organization, based on the science of neural networks.

Three core principles of universal design for learning: recognition, strategic, and affective learning.

Providing multiple methods of presentation to support recognition learning.

Using digital materials and varied repetition for pre-teaching musical concepts.

Offering multiple methods of expression and self-peer evaluation to support strategic learning.

Encouraging affective learning through multiple options for engagement and motivation.

Utilizing digital tools like Noteflight for manipulating and reinforcing musical materials.

The potential of universal design for learning to reduce the need for additional accommodations.

Encouraging educators to consider the role of universal design in their daily experiences and future practice.

Transcripts

Hi my name is Rhonda Fuelberth and I'm an associative professor of music education here at Glenn Korff School of Music at The University of Nebraska Lincoln.

Today we're going to talk about universal design for learning and its implications

for music education classrooms. Franklin Covey

speaks to use in the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People about beginning with the end

in mind, and because of that we're going to be thinking about a classroom.

So I want you to imagine a classroom where equity is common place, where students

are treated as people and not as labels. Where all students have access

to high quality engaging music and arts instruction

Where all students feel valued. Where are students strengths are recognized.

and where teachers, students and peers are partners in creating

and problem solving. Universal design came to us from the

architectural world. Beginning with civil rights movement

in the 60's and the disabilities rights movement in 70's, 80's and 90's.

We have found a way to give access to more buildings and more structures

than ever before. Think about things that you use in your everyday life

whether you are carrying an instrument and push a button to

move you and all of your instruments and bags through the door. That is an example of

universal design in architecture. Or using curb cutouts

at every intersection, or pulling along a suitcase as you navigate an airport,

or pushing a baby in a stroller. All of these are examples

of way we make everyday tasks and activities more accessible.

In Architecture Without Barriers Johns Ceralest tells us the focus of universal design is not on providing special,

segregated facilities, ramps or lifts for physically

disabled person to enter and use the built environment, but rather

seeking to provide an inclusive environment that considers the

potential ability of all people through the creation of products

and environment that everyone can use regardless of age

, physic and degree of disability.

As we think about this universal design and make application to education

thinking about structures that anticipate individuals that anticipate individuals with various needs

and we accommodate those needs at the outset.

When we apply that to education we think about proactive principles

and strategies, techniques for creating inclusive classrooms

and accessible course materials.

At its core is the assertion that when instructors increase the number of learning options

available to students everyone benefits. This

represents a paradigm shift in the way that we think about

accessibility in education. In our previous model

in terms of accessibility, we ask what does the student provide?

Or have that makes course work accessible?

We moved from thinking about accommodations or adaptations

or modification to what we might do for

an entire classroom to make learning more accessible for everyone

This makes us shift from our focus on one student who make need

a particular of variances in our instructional technique.

To small groups or even to the entire class.

One thing is constant and this is

the most important thing to remember. We will always have learner variability

Universal design for learning was established

by the Cast Organization, and it has been

with us for quite sometime. Its based on the science

of neural networks. We have recognition networks

that "what" of learning, how we gather facts or organize

what we see or hear or read.

Two strategic networks, the "how" of learning. Planning or preforming

tasks, how we organize or express our ideas.

And affective networks or the "why" of learning.

How learners get engaged and how we can keep them engaged in the learning

process. Universal design for learning includes a

set of three principles. A set of guidelines to accompany

those principles and strategies to help us carry out those guidelines.

Principle 1: To support recognition learning,

we provide multiple, flexible methods of presentation.

Principle 2: To support strategic learning, we provide multiple,

flexible methods of expression and apprenticeship. In other words

we vary the ways that students can show us what they know.

In Principle 3: To support affective learning, we provide

multiple, flexible options for engagement. This is the most

motivation principle and concerns how students are encouraged

to continue learning. Principle 1

:is to vary in modes of presentation, how we're presenting material

to students. We think about materials that are student

centered in this approach. Everything that is spoken should be

reinforced in print, and everything that is in print should be

also be spoken. The idea of repetition

and redundancy is very importance, and not use repetition but

varied repetition to allow for multiple opportunities

to learn. Pre-teaching is very important, providing

recording or exposure to musical materials before

they're encounter in the classroom can be the difference between a student having meaningful

experience and not having a meaningful experience in the music classroom.

Use of digital materials is very

important. In fact it is a central component of universal design

for learning, and we always want to encourage

activities that are multilevel and multisensory.

Principle 2, methods of expression, this principle

has to do with students showing us what they know

We want to give students options for demonstrating their understanding of musical

concepts. We want to provide plenty of opportunities for students

to sing, to play, to move, to improvise,

and to compose. Also in this principle

we have a lot of self and peer evaluation. Opportunities for students

to examine their own musical learning

Continuous assessment is also important. Continuous and

low stakes assessments. Students have many opportunities

for feedback from the teachers, from peers and

their own feedback is essential in this principle.

Graphic organizers can be a way for students to show what they know

in a different format than is customarily found in music

classrooms. Principle 3, meaningful experience

, we want every student to have a meaningful experience

in music classrooms. Whether this is offering choices

of content and materials, offering adjustable levels

of challenge, offering choices in terms of rewards,

or offering choices in the learning context. We're trying to

see if we can help students be motivated in their learning.

We'll focus for a moment on principle 1

to support recognition learning multiple, flexible methods of presentation

I'll give you a few examples of how this might be played out in

a classroom. Both of these using digital materials

In the solfedge activity we see a line on

the slide that represents the melodic contour of

a warm up that we might typically find in a choral rehearsal.

First we'll ask students to shape that contour and we'll go

a little further and imagine that they're carrying or holding a paintbrush in

their hand. Might vary even the size or the

way that that paintbrush works, but we will see that melodic contour

followed. (singing)

On the next slide we'll see the solfege syllables

graphically represented so that they demonstrate how low or high

the pitch is. I'll also reinforce that with some

hand signs. (singing)

On the next slide we see a combination of those representations

and then we reinforce that with a picture image of those

hand signs. So students can go ahead and practice

and we can manipulate those materials.

Noteflight is another one of those digital tools that can help us manipulate musical materials

students can interact with Noteflight with a free account

they can access a teachers examples and can manipulate

these materials in real time

the added benefit is the use of color coded notation. We'll include a few

examples here, and you can see that every pitch is represented

by a particular color. Sometimes a musical staff can be very

complicated to negotiate and interpret and so

always having that color reinforcement of sat doe

and so always coming back to those anchors

pitches can be very helpful for students. They can

manipulate these musical materials to isolate one particular

musical line, they can also slow the tempo without

altering pitch and you can even have a video recording

timed on the bottom of the screen, so you can help

reinforce those ideas of pitch and hand sines solfedge.

In conclusion if universal design for

learning becomes a process, very few additional accommodations or

modifications will need to be made. When we have a student come

to us with a greater set of needs we can problem solve and think about

strategies that will allow for meaningful access to musical materials

in the classroom. Think about moving into this

profession. You're now a student and thinking about your role

as educator. How do you see examples of universal design

being used in your day to day experience as a college student?

How would you envision universal design allowing you

to breach more learners more of the time? Thanks for watching

today, please contact me if you have any questions.