How does a ULD classroom feel, sound and look?
Applied strategies involving basic principles. Part 1

By Gisela Lopez

As teachers, we always look for the best teaching/learning strategies that we can use in our classes to capture the attention of the children and, at the same time, allow us to allow all our students to achieve the proposed goals. However, sometimes we specialise or always prefer to use and repeat those activities that are easier for us to handle or that we have more confidence in doing. Often it is difficult for us to try new ideas because we are not sure positive reception by children; we can also hesitate to implement unknown proposals because it will require more time and effort in their preparation.

But what does neuroscience says concerning learning and its close relationship with the variety of strategies we use in the classroom? Is it just about variety in the presentation of information? Or is it necessary to understand the concept of variety from the ULD guidelines?: different ways of presenting information, allowing students to show their learning and a wide range of strategies to sustain motivation throughout the process.

Remember that there are three brain networks involved in learning:

1. RECOGNITION NETWORK. They specialised in perceiving information and assigning meaning to it.

2. STRATEGIC NETWORK. Specialised in planning, executing, and monitoring motor and mental tasks.

3. AFFECTIVE NETWORK. Specialised in assigning emotional meanings to tasks.

In this article, I share some examples of activities according to the first principle of universal learning design.

The first principle of the ULD: Network of recognition

Multiple means of representation means that the way to make the information known will most of the time be different. Strategies to present information involve visual, auditory, and teamwork stimuli, among others.

1. Gamification: With the use of online games or specific material that fosters interest in new knowledge. Here are two websites that I usually use:

https://kahoot.com/ 

The new information is presented through closed multiple-choice questions and a guide through images. After answering each question, the children who guessed the correct alternative could justify their answer. Thus, conceptual understanding is built collaboratively.

https://jeopardylabs.com/ 

It's the typical score trivia game. It has the same purpose as the KAHOOT. Concerns through intuition or previous knowledge of class participants. After answering each question, the children were allowed to justify their answers.

2. Development of critical thinking: Present new information and encourage critical thinking through the use of thinking routines:

Here are some examples. You can see all the routines on the Project Zero page: http://pz.harvard.edu/thinking-routines

Routine 1: See, Think, and Wonder. http://pz.harvard.edu/resources/see-think-wonder 

Routine 2: Color, Symbol & Image http://pz.harvard.edu/resources/color-symbol-image 

Routine 3: Headlines http://pz.harvard.edu/resources/headlines 

3. Collaborative work: Using a free access website, the class is built interactively with the participation of 100% of the children.

One of the most functional websites I have found is NEARPOD. The possible activities to present are diverse, for example, poll, entrance survey, image association, matching word-picture, multiple choice questions, videos, opinion board, etc.

Class model in Nearpod: https://app.nearpod.com/?pin=HMWSK 

4. Video Note-taking: Children watch a short, engaging, entertaining video with relevant information. Everyone jots down words or phrases related to the video they are watching.

Kids can write shorter sentences or texts. It is the first contact with new information. Once the video is finished, the notes are shared, complemented by a second viewing. The answers are also written on the blackboard or screen.

5. Spot the error: Here, the inverse pedagogy is worked; it is sought that the children can infer procedures having intentionally posed exercises with errors as a stimulus.

6. Readings - underlining / highlighting: From short texts related to new knowledge that is read audibly in class, the children's collaboration is requested to identify keywords or strong ideas that summarise or synthesise the reading.

For today, we will only see activities related to the first principle. In a future post, we will address the other 2. We realise that creativity is a fundamental part of being able to create and propose different ways of presenting new information.

Food for thought:

1. On a scale of 1 to 10, how much variety do I use in presenting new information

to my students?

2. Regarding question one: What do I need to make this rating closer to ten?

3. Who can I join or partner with to get closer to that ten more easily?

4. Neuroscience affirms that we are all neurodiverse.

Therefore, our brain needs varied stimuli to acquire information.

Let's continue searching for creative ideas; neuroscience tells us they are necessary!