Experiment with UDL Book Builder

I loved creating a little book through the UDL Book Builder. I felt slightly challenged since like normally I do not like to read directions. I like to just jump in and start messing around, which is not always the best way. After a couple of pages and looking at the page reviews I figures it out. I could see so many positive ways to use this tool in a classroom for the students, possibly even in mathematics (especially with the use of the little animated coaches which can provide hints). I imagine this project could work in two ways, being student or teacher created. I believe students could do a great research projects with the Book Builder with incorporating pictures, text, speech, etc. Of course this would again be time consuming, and would have to be balanced out with the rest of the curriculum to ensure all the required TEKS are covered. I would love to have time in my math classes to do something like this. I am thinking may be after the dreaded TAKS test is over I can take the time to experiment and see how these activities will work in my class.

Creating a Learning Unit

I found it to be very interesting to create the learning unit for the week 3 assignment. I can see how students can learn by becoming themselves involved with the learning process when teachers create fun flexible group oriented projects that involves all students and allows them to be creative and use technology to research and present digital media oriented projects. Instead of the typical, boring teacher oriented lecture, students are involved in their learning process and take ownership over what they are learning, how they are learning and how they can present what they have learned. The flexibility of this universal design allows for multiple means of expressions and exploration to help struggling students and students with disabilities finding ways to learn and express themselves, which traditional teaching does not offer.
However, I do believe schools in Texas still have a long way to go until they reach the point of being able to truly modernize schools and allow student to learn how they need to be able to keep up with the demands of this 21st century economy.