Planning K-8 Computer Science through the UDL Framework
In this episode I unpack Israel, Lash, Bergeron, and Ray’s publication titled “Planning K-8 computer science through the UDL framework,” which discusses the potential for using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in CS classes.
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Welcome back to another episode of the CSK8 podcast.
My name is Jared O'Leary, and this week's podcast episode I am unpacking a paper
titled Planning K-8 Computer Science through UDL Framework.
This particular paper was written by Maya Israel, Todd Lash,
Lionel Bertram and Meg Ray.
Apologies for mispronouncing the names.
All right, so here's the abstract for this paper.
Quote, Due to the historic underrepresentation of women,
people with disabilities, and people from a broad range
of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds in computer science,
there is growing demand to provide see opportunities in K-12 settings.
As a result, school districts
are beginning to implement see us for all initiatives.
Consequently, there are increasing demands on teachers to find ways of making
instruction accessible and engaging to a broad range of learners.
Unfortunately, few resources exist to guide teachers
in how to engage a broad range of learners in science instruction.
This paper describes the rationale for using the UDL framework for designing
K-8 US instruction, as well as preliminary findings
from a national Science Foundation STEM policy study that examines
instructional strategies that support students with disabilities
and other struggling learners through Universal Design for Learning UDL.
Secondly, this paper describes the collaborative efforts
between the Creative Technology Research Lab, CTRL Control
and New York City's K-12 CSS for all initiative in support of teachers
in implementing university
design science instruction across grades K through eight.
Lastly, this paper describes resources develop through these initiatives.
Implications for practice in future research directions will be shared.
End quote.
All right, so if I were to summarize this paper
into a single sentence, I would say that this paper discusses the potential
for using universal design for learning in science classes.
As always, if you go to the show notes, you can click on the author last names,
and they'll take you directly to their Google Scholar profile
where you can read more publications by them.
Or if you click on the title for the article,
it'll take you directly to this paper, which I highly recommend reading.
So the paper begins with an introduction
that's basically saying that Udall's new framework, relatively new,
that's being used across education in a variety of subject areas.
However, see, US educators in the field in general
has not really adopted it in a meaningful way,
as the implementation is often quote, in a narrow manner by overemphasizing
the role of student choice
without considering a more holistic view of Udall unquote.
That's from PDF page one.
So in the K eight space and specifically in the elementary, the authors discuss
how there is a general principle of a low floor high ceiling.
Here's a quote from page two that describes the smart
activities of, to begin with, a concrete level of experience
or focus on engagement, creativity and collaboration, i.e.
low floor activities must also conform to the high ceiling condition as well,
allowing the students to move beyond entry level learning experiences.
This allows students
considerable and continual opportunities for achievement, unquote.
Now, another way that I've heard this raised is low floors, white walls and high
ceilings to the white walls, meaning like there's a lot of breadth of engagement.
There are many opportunities to move parallel rather than vertical
to horizontal, moving side to side, and like trying out
different ways of engaging in computer science.
And then the high ceilings being able to dive deep into it or to go really high
in terms of the learnings that you can potentially do.
This is something that I've heard Scotch being described as low
floors, white walls in high ceilings,
but there are many other platforms that have white walls as well.
Here's a little continuation of the idea of the low floors and the high ceilings.
This is also on page two.
If students with disabilities
and other struggling learners are to be successful in CSR activities,
it is essential that they receive the supports allowing them to be able
to not only access and engage in an introductory competing experiences, i.e.
low four, but also continue to advance and expand their computing skills, i.e.
high ceiling over time.
In the offices describe a phenomenon that they call the twice new condition,
which is that the teachers are not only new
to teaching computer science, but they're also often new
to using universal design for learning concepts in their classrooms.
So not only are they struggling with how to teach and implement or integrate
computer science into the classroom, but they're also trying to do it in a way
that they're not familiar with through UDL frameworks or principles.
When we couple this twice new condition with curricula and learning experiences
that do not have UDL frameworks or principles embedded within them,
it is difficult for students with disabilities
to engage in computer science in a meaningful way.
Here's a quote from Page to quote
For example, ATC activities often include ill defined problems
that require students to engage in complex, multi-step problem solving.
This open exploration or semi-open exploration can result in students
engaging in creative problem solving that may be highly motivating.
At the same time, these ill defined problems
in open exploration can also be coupled with inaccessible curricula
low expectations from teachers about who can engage in complex problem
solving within the context of CSR
and lack of well-defined instructional strategies and practices.
Thus, in many cases, students with disabilities and other struggling
learners are being set up for failure
because of lack of access and instructional supports, unquote.
All right, so what can we do about this?
Thankfully, the authors in the next section
titled Supporting Teachers and Implementing UDL
Within Science for All, actually discusses some options that we can do.
So the first one that they discuss is professional development.
So they're arguing that a strong or major component for supporting teachers
who are new to UDL is to provide professional development on it.
This PD should focus not only on CSS education but also
how to apply UDL within CSS education experiences.
So they need to be paired together rather than just decontextualized.
If they are decontextualized like you're going to a PD on just CC instruction
and then going to a separate PD that is just on UDL.
There are need to be some time
to merge the two together and to really think through that.
So one recommendation that I would give
is that you could do that individually or ideally do that in small groups
or even kind of brainstorm some different ideas
with other peers to kind of talk about,
okay, how can we integrate this into our CAC instruction?
So on page three, there's a figure two, and it is titled Continuum of UDL Base PD.
And so on the left side of this continuum is learning general skills.
So using scratch, code.org, platforms, concepts, etc..
The next one too, just to the right of that is learning to use CSS curricula.
So for example, using Google, see us first Code.org Creative Computing
the boot up curriculum that I created.
Now the next one over to the right of that is gaining pedagogical content knowledge
tied to see US instruction.
So not only learning just the platforms in the content,
but learning the pedagogies
that support teaching those particular platforms and content.
So t back is a useful frame framework for this, and I include a link
to Tpac in the show notes so you can learn more about it.
And then on the far right is creating UDL based
CSS activities or modifying CAC curricula to align it to UDL.
In other words, finding a curriculum that has UDL principles embedded
throughout it, or finding a curriculum that does not have it
and then modifying it in some way to expand it to include UDL.
Now the next recommendation
for supporting teachers is embedded instructional coaching.
Here's a quote from page three.
Quote We have found that teachers report an increased level of confidence
in construction and willingness to implement CSS in the classroom
when they participate in instructional coaching.
Teachers report that the supportive, nonjudgmental relationship with a coach
is a motivator for them to move out of their comfort zone and try new strategies.
This also allows the coach to see how UDL is being implemented in the classroom
and to address potential
missed opportunities to increase access for students, end quote.
This is a really important step.
So this is something that we found in our PD and our independent research findings
at Buda is that the teachers that we work with really value
the peer to peer coaching and mentoring, whether it's from a facilitator app
put up or from the instructional coach in the district
or go into a classroom and provide some thoughts and some feedback.
And even having that peer to peer stuff where teachers are watching other teachers
and being able to look at it go, Oh wow, they did this thing really well.
I want to be able to implement that in my classroom.
And if you are the only person at your school,
there are ways to do this kind of coaching remotely.
So, for example, you could record with permission, of course, your classroom
or maybe just yourself
teaching the classroom and send that to appear or to a colleague.
I've seen some other educators do this in like various teacher education groups
or even on Twitter where they will record their class
or a rehearsal if it's like a music educator
and it just shows themself and then they'll ask for some feedback.
So that's one way that you can get this instructional coaching,
even if you're like the only teacher at your school,
like it's a one classroom, one teacher school,
and there's nobody else for a few hundred miles away.
That's one way that you could get some instructional coaching.
All right.
So the next section on here is Sia's curriculum aligned to the UDL framework
so we can support teachers by actually having curriculum that aligns
to the principals in the framework, which I'll talk about in a little bit.
So again, teachers can either find a curriculum that uses UDL,
they can modify an existing curriculum to include more UDL.
And then there's also a thing that they mentioned on page three
is that you can like develop and test UDL based CSS instruction
and see how it works with the students that you're working with.
So you can create your own, but that's only if you have time for it, obviously.
Okay, So these three sections that they recommend for support is providing PD
embedding, instructional coaching and then finding, modifying
or creating CAC curricula that aligns with UDL framework.
I strongly agree with all three of these
and think they're excellent recommendation.
Or just educators.
All right.
So the next section in this paper is UDL in practice four steps for teachers.
So one of the very first things that they say is that they recommend
starting small.
So start with one thing that you can change and implementing it.
Don't just go all in and completely change things
because it might be overwhelming, too difficult, etc..
Another thing with going small is to be able to refine
that thing and basically do like an AB test.
I'm going to try this implementation with this class
and then I'm not going to try it in this other one
and then I'll compare, see how it went, or I will try this implementation one way
and then try the implementation in a slightly different way
with the other class and see how it goes.
So that allows you to test one thing at a time
and really refine these practices.
This can also just give you those small wins where you just
develop your confidence in being able to do this thing.
All right. So there's a figure on page four.
It's called figure four examples of CSS based UDL suggestions,
and it has three columns.
The first column is multiple means of representation.
The second column is multiple means of action and expression.
And the third column is multiple means of engagement.
All right.
So I'm going to read each of these columns.
So the first one, the multiple means of representation.
This is all direct quotes
provide options for perception, model computing, using physical
representations as well as through an interactive whiteboard.
Videos give access to model code while students work independently,
Provide access to video tutorials of computing tasks,
select coding apps and websites allow these students to adjust visual settings
such as font size and contrast, and that are compatible with screen readers.
So the next column Multiple means of action and expression
provide options for physical action.
Provide teachers codes as templates include See us unplugged activities
that show physical relationship or of abstract computing concepts.
Use assistive technology including larger or smaller nice touch screen devices,
select coding apps and websites that allow coding with keyboard shortcuts
in addition to dragging and dropping with a mouse.
Any third column Multiple means of engagement.
Write options for recruiting interest.
If students choices choose project software topic allows students
to make projects relevant to culture and age,
minimize
possible common pitfalls for both computing and content.
Allow for differences in pacing and length of work sessions
provide options to increase or decrease sensory stimulation.
For example, listening to music with headphones or using noise, canceling
headphones and allow for differences in pacing and length of work sessions.
Again, that figure and all of that is on page four.
Those are some excellent examples of how you can
combine UDL with CSS instruction.
Then I highly recommend checking out this free paper
and looking at figure four the last main section of the papers on UDL.
In practice the CSS for all initiative in New York City.
So in that section is basically describing
how they implemented UDL within New York City
and then it provides a link to the blueprint
that that is the blueprint for education in NYC.
And so this blueprint incorporates UDL within it.
And so I will include a direct link to that in the show.
All right.
So that's the basic summary of the paper itself.
But again,
I highly recommend checking out the paper
itself, which you can find in the show notes.
As always, when I'm doing these unpacking scholarship episodes,
I like to talk about some of my lingering questions or thoughts.
So one of them is what pedagogies align well with UDL?
So for example, are there ways to do lectures that align
well with UDL or are there ways to facilitate
that do not align well with UDL
or our constructionist and constructivist approach is generally better
than behaviorist approaches when it comes to UDL.
Just thinking out loud with that.
Now another question that I have is
what are the potential gaps in UDL that aren't being discussed in the field?
So in other words, if we were to write a critique of UDL, what would we say
is missing from this framework or should be modified or expanded?
Is there anything unique about CSS education that requires different
forms of modification that aren't discussed in other subject areas?
Not being an expert in UDL, I honestly don't know is thinking out loud.
Next question I have is how are educators who specialize in other subject
areas using UDL in their classes and what can we learn from them?
So again, if you are
the only see us educator in like a 500 mile radius or whatever,
how could you learn from other educators in your district or in your school
and apply what they're doing with Udall into your classroom?
And then the last lingering question that I have is how has remote
learning improved or exacerbated UDL in your classroom?
So that's just something to think on as an individual,
but feel free to let me know and maybe even send me an email saying
that you'd like to be a guest on the podcast to actually talk about it.
I'd love to have you on the show.
All right.
So that's the summary of this particular paper
and some of my lingering questions or thoughts.
If you enjoyed this particular episode, I hope you consider
sharing it with somebody else or providing a review on the platform
that you are listening to this on as it helps other people find it.
Thank you so much for listening.
I hope you're all staying safe and are having a wonderful week.
Article
Israel, M., Lash, T., Bergeron, L., & Ray, M. Planning K-8 computer science through the UDL framework.
Abstract
“Due to the historic underrepresentation of women, people with disabilities, and people from a broad range of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds in computer science (CS), there is growing demand to provide CS opportunities in K- 12 settings. As a result, school districts are beginning to implement CS For All initiatives. Consequently, there are increasing demands on teachers to find ways of making CS instruction accessible and engaging to a broad range of learners. Unfortunately, few resources exist to guide teachers in how to engage a broad range of learners in CS instruction. This paper describes the rationale for using the UDL framework for designing K-8 CS instruction as well as preliminary findings from a National Science Foundation STEM+C study that examines instructional strategies that support students with disabilities and other struggling learners through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Secondly, this paper describes the collaborative efforts between the Creative Technology Research Lab (CTRL) and New York City’s K- 12 CS For All initiative in support of teachers in implementing universally designed CS instruction across grades K-8. Lastly, this paper provides resources developed through these initiatives. Implications for practice and future research directions will be shared.”
My One Sentence Summary
This paper discusses the potential for using UDL in CS classes.
Some Of My Lingering Questions/Thoughts
What pedagogies align well with UDL?
What are the potential gaps in UDL that aren’t being discussed in the field?
How are educators who specialize in other subject areas using UDL in their classes and what can we learn from them?
How has remote learning improved or exacerbated UDL in your classroom?
Resources/Links Relevant to This Episode
Other podcast episodes that were mentioned or are relevant to this episode
Accessibility and Inclusion in CS Education with Maya Israel
In this interview with Maya Israel, we discuss Maya’s shift from special education into CS education, the importance of universal design for learning (UDL) in CS classes, understanding the spectrum of accessibility for students with a diverse set of needs, the current status of accessibility and inclusion within the field of CS education, problematize deficit framings of students with disabilities, and so much more.
Accessible CS Education through Evidence-based Programming Languages with Andreas Stefik
In this interview with Andreas Stefik, we discuss the importance of using evidence-based programming languages, problems with the lack of replication in CS education scholarship and academia in general, the importance of designing for accessibility and disabilities, lessons learned designing Quorum (an accessible programming language and platform), and much more.
Exploring (Dis)Ability and Connecting with the Arts with Jesse Rathgeber
In this interview with Jesse Rathgeber, we discuss what educators should know about (dis)ability culture and research, person-first language vs identity-first language, suggestions for combating ableism through anti-ableist practices, how the arts and CS can come together and learn from each other (great for sharing with arts educators who might be interested in CS), and much more.
How to Get Started with Computer Science Education
In this episode I provide a framework for how districts and educators can get started with computer science education for free.
Should I Say “Disabled People” or “People with Disabilities”?
In this episode I unpack Sharif, McCall, and Bolante’s (2022) publication titled “Should I say “disabled people” or “people with disabilities”? Language preferences of disabled people between identity- and person-first language,” which summarizes findings from a survey on participant preferences for language around disability and an analysis on language in conference abstracts.
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