About the Canvas Module
As part of my coursework for my Masters in IDT, I took a course on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Principles. The final project for the course was to redesign an existing learning object using UDL principles to make the course more accessible for all learners. I chose to redesign a lesson from Lincoln Learning Solutions’ SchoolsPLP Consumer Math B course, which my school was using during remote learning due to COVID. This is a screencast of my final project, a Canvas module designed to give learners multiple opportunities for engagement, representation, action and expression.
Related Documentation
The paper below explains each of my design choices in the development of the Hourly Wages Canvas module and how they relate to UDL principles.
Reflection
Developing this Canvas course gave me the opportunity to make changes to a “canned” curriculum that my district had purchased. Over the course of the school year, I had noticed that many students struggled with the text-based curriculum, which gave very few opportunities for feedback before students completed the summative assessment. The lesson itself was on an essential financial concept that students needed to know: how to calculate pay given an hourly rate and the number of hours worked. Developing the Hourly Wages Canvas Module gave me a better understanding of some of the challenges of incorporating UDL principles into online settings, especially when one is limited to a specific LMS. I was able to use Canvas, which allowed for embedding learning activities from multiple outside sources (Boom Cards, Nearpod, EdPuzzle, etc.), which was not possible in the curriculum’s platform. By incorporating outside technologies, I was able to create an authentic and accessible module that met the needs of all learners. After developing this module, I have a deeper appreciation for UDL principles and have strived to include them in both my IDT projects as well as my professional work. UDL principles have given me a stronger lens through which to examine educational technology, and I strive to use UDL principles to give my students learners multiple opportunities for engagement, representation, action and expression.
Emma Farrow 