Part 1: Principles of UDL
This semester's first project was to design a brochure, poster, or infographic detailing the Principles of Universal Design of Learning. Universal Design of Learning (or UDL) is a set of "principles for curriculum development that is designed to meet individual learning needs" (Site located here). It's a set of guidelines that helps instructors tailor learning opportunities to a learner's individual needs. UDL offers flexibility in how instruction is delivered. It allows instructors to meet the needs in the best possible way. UDL aims to drive motivation and learning results by tailoring to an individual's need.
This project goes over the principles of UDL. It details representation, action/expression, and engagement which are the 3 stages of UDL. My undergrad degree was in graphic design so getting back into designing infographics was a nice change of pace from always dealing with technology issues and needs. With my design, I wanted to create something that would grab the individual viewer while providing an overview of UDL. I also wanted to make sure the design was accessible so I verified via Photoshop that my color swatches and design were able to be viewed by those with either Protanopia or Deuteranopia color blindness.
As for what I learned so far in this class I'll admit I knew little about UDL. While I knew things needed to be accessible while designing and presenting infographics, I didn't know the official name of it. I also did something I've never done before which was ensuring my design was accessible for those with colorblindness. Thanks to the gloriousness of an app called "Coolors" and Adobe I was able to choose a color swatch that had colors that met those requirements.
My Principles of UDL infographic is below:
