Thomas Degner, Josh Egan, Karly Allen, Loui Lord Nelson & Mackie Norris were part of the CAST UDL Symposium session.”UDL in 15 Minutes with Students.” Nelson interviewed students Thomas, Karly, and Mackie. Thomas and Mackie have had teachers using UDL, and Karly just graduated as an education major and will be a lead elementary teacher. Mackie talked about a teacher using “fishbowl” discussions and ensuring everyone had a chance to prepare and talk. However, Mackie mentioned that some students still felt uncomfortable sharing. Thomas had a writing assignment in which he could choose which animal to write about. Karly spoke about the courses she took and what they learned to be better educators. One professor, Karly, had always clearly stated the objectives and purpose of the assignments and lessons. Karly’s teacher used videos, documents, and notes to provide options for learners. Mackie described a poster design activity in eighth grade. Students could use/select different options in an assignment Thomas had. He used a speech-to-text tool. Each of the three students shared their experience and how it empowered them to participate and learn more.
