UDL Initial Practitioner - Level 3

Redesigned UDL Credentials are now available!

The old version of the UDL Initial Practitioner - Level 3 credential is now called Credential 3: UDL Application, and you can re-register at no charge to continue or complete it. 

If you used a Promo Code (“registration” code) to register, use the same promo code to register for the updated UDL Credential. If you forgot your promo code, please email us at support@learningdesigned.org to request a new promo code. If you used a credit card, please email us to request a promo code.

Although the names of the UDL Credentials have been updated, the rubric criteria for each of the UDL Credentials are the same. Any “offline” work you have done on your in-progress credential can be transferred (copy and pasted) to the newly updated UDL Credential. So you can copy your prior work and use it for a future submission to the updated UDL Credential. The order of the questions may have shifted slightly so pay close attention when copying your prior work over to the new online forms.

Please reference these resources to guide you in registering for the new UDL Credential: 

Registration Instructions - Updated UDL Credentials (PDF document)
Registering for a UDL Credential in Learning Designed (MP4 Video)

We trust you will enjoy the updated user experience. If you have any questions or need additional support, please feel free to contact us at support@learningdesigned.org.

Redesigned UDL Credentials are now available!

The old version of the UDL Initial Practitioner - Level 3 credential is now called Credential 3: UDL Application, and you can re-register at no charge to continue or complete it. 

If you used a Promo Code (“registration” code) to register, use the same promo code to register for the updated UDL Credential. If you forgot your promo code, please email us at support@learningdesigned.org to request a new promo code. If you used a credit card, please email us to request a promo code.

Although the names of the UDL Credentials have been updated, the rubric criteria for each of the UDL Credentials are the same. Any “offline” work you have done on your in-progress credential can be transferred (copy and pasted) to the newly updated UDL Credential. So you can copy your prior work and use it for a future submission to the updated UDL Credential. The order of the questions may have shifted slightly so pay close attention when copying your prior work over to the new online forms.

Please reference these resources to guide you in registering for the new UDL Credential: 

Registration Instructions - Updated UDL Credentials (PDF document)
Registering for a UDL Credential in Learning Designed (MP4 Video)

We trust you will enjoy the updated user experience. If you have any questions or need additional support, please feel free to contact us at support@learningdesigned.org.

Select Your Learning Experience

In this part of the credential, you will select a learning experience that you will design with UDL. The learning experience you select could be a lesson, faculty meeting, training, museum exhibit, afterschool event, or any other experience. You will provide some context to help the scorer to better understand the learning experience you selected. 

There are six items in this part. 

  • Item #1 asks you to reflect on your goals for earning this credential. 
  • Items #2-4 are general questions about the learning experience you selected. 
  • Item #5 is optional and asks you to share any standards you might be using. 
  • Item #6 is an opportunity to share any additional information to help the scorer understand the context of your learning experience, such as details about the learners, what came before or after, or other details.

Rubric

There are 6 items in this part. You do not earn any points for this part:

  • Your goal for earning this credential
  • Title and subject
  • Number and age of learners
  • Duration and location of the learning experience
  • Standards (if applicable)
  • Description to help contextualize the learning experience selected

Exemplar

Here is an example of how one educator framed the learning experience they selected:

  • My goal in participating with this credential is to reflect on my lessons. I am an inservice teacher of 12 years and want to deepen my teaching so I am offering the opportunities my students need to develop as expert learners. I have always been a very proactive and reflective teacher.  Learning about and implementing UDL is giving me the tools I need to design for all students. I am eager to keep learning and growing with UDL.
  • The learning experience I have selected is a science lesson on butterfly metamorphosis project with 39 students who are 8-9 years old. It was during one of my 45 minute class periods and this lesson was conducted in our classroom.  
  • The goal for this lesson was for students to be able to understand the stages of butterfly metamorphosis and this was loosely aligned to the Next Generation Science Standard 3-LS1-1: students will develop a model to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death. 
  • Prior to this lesson, students had done an activity thinking about our own human life cycle. After this lesson, students will create a model of their choice that shows their understanding of the four stages of butterfly metamorphosis (egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly) and what happens at each stage.
     

Plan

In this part of the credential, you will share how you planned the learning experience you selected. You will use what you know about UDL to share how you designed for the diverse needs of your learners. 

This part has four sections where you will describe how you:

  • Develop the goal 
  • Anticipate variability and reduced barriers in the assessment(s) 
  • Anticipate variability and reduced barriers in the methods, materials, and environment
  • Promote expert learning

Remember, you can use flexible ways to record your answers. For example, you might choose to record your voice, use a video, include images with descriptions, write, or use another option. Written responses should not exceed 500 words per question and audio/video responses should be less than 3 minutes per question. Evidence submitted should reflect original work. 

1: Develop the goal

In this section, you will share how you developed your goal. Designing the goal is a critical first step for applying UDL. Having clear goals ensures learners know what they are working to achieve, why it matters, and what options are available to help them achieve the goal. 

Rubric

Each of the five items can earn one point. To be proficient in this section, you need to earn at least 4 out of 5 points. 

Success criteria: 

  1. Clearly state the goal for your selected learning experience. 
  2. Describe how the goal will be communicated so it is understandable for the learners.
  3. Describe how the goal will be perceivable in more than one way to learners.
  4. Describe how the goal will be separate from the means, where possible. If the means were  embedded in the goal, share a plan to show how the means is also supported.
  5. Describe how the relevance of the goal will be highlighted for learners.

Exemplar

  1. In my learning experience, the goal is for students to describe an unknown artwork using the language of form. In the previous class, we learned about the language of form.
  2. Students will be made aware of the goal because it is posted on the board, we discuss it, and they will craft their own goal statement either on their paper or digital handout.
  3. Students have the option to discuss and share their own goal statement with a partner.
  4. The goal is separate from the means because students can use flexible ways to describe the artwork using the language of form. They will be able to share their responses in flexible ways.
  5. The relevance of the goal is highlighted because students can choose their own artwork to use to describe the language of form. They can choose something of interest to them, perhaps something from their home, community, church, or school. They could even choose an item from advertising, sculpture, tattoo artwork, or graffiti.

Resources

2: Develop the assessment(s)

In this section, you will showcase how you developed your assessment(s). Having assessment options allows learners to show what they know in a way that is best for them. In this part you will share how you anticipate variability of your learners and reduce barriers in the assessment(s).

Rubric

Each of the five items can earn one point. To be proficient in this section, you need to earn at least 4 out of 5 points. 

Success criteria:

  1. Describe an assessment(s) that will be used in this learning experience. 
  2. Describe how learners will be made aware of the assessment(s).
  3. Describe one barrier in the design of the assessment(s). 
  4. Describe an option to reduce the barrier in the assessment(s).
  5. State a UDL Guideline or checkpoint that relates to the design option you included in your assessment(s).

Exemplars

Here is one example of how one educator anticipated variability and reduced barriers in the assessment(s).

  1. In this lesson, my students are assessed through a final lab report they hand in. The lab report has a series of questions that gets at students’ understanding of how water moves through a semipermeable membrane.
  2. The lab questions are given to students at the start of the lab. Students will be aware of the assessment criteria because we will discuss the questions they will need to answer.
  3. A barrier in the assessment is it is all on paper, so that limits how students might perceive the information (fixed font and size, for example) and respond to the questions (requires writing).
  4. To reduce that barrier, I made a digital version of the lab sheet, so students can choose to use the paper version or the digital lab report. Students can then write, type, or voice type their answers (students have been shown how to use voice type in the Google docs we use).
  5. That design option to have a paper or digital handout aligns with UDL Guideline 4: Options for Physical Action, vary the methods for response and navigation.

Here is another example of how an educator developed their assessment.

  1. In this lesson, I provided this rubric for students to reflect on their progress. I created a single point rubric so students knew what success looked like and they could self-evaluate how they were progressing toward that with me or with their peers.
  2. Students had this rubric at the start of their project and they had the chance to review it and check their work with a partner before they turned in their project.
  3. A barrier in the assessment is students may not really understand what I am looking for in the indicator.
  4. To reduce that barrier, I created a model answer and showed that to students. We talked about what was good about the model answer and what they should strive to do.
  5. This aligns with UDL Action & Expression Guideline: Executive Functions, Support planning and strategy development.

Resources

3: Develop the materials, methods, and/or physical environment

In this section you will showcase how you develop your materials, methods, and/or physical environment.  You will focus on the proactive nature of UDL to anticipate learner variability and reduce barriers in the design. This is important to provide access and engage more learners from the start.

Rubric

Each of the four items can earn one point. To be proficient in this section, you need to earn at least 3 out of 4 points.

Success criteria:

  1. Describe a barrier in one of the materials, methods, or physical environment.
  2. Describe an option that will reduce the barrier in the material, method, or physical environment.
  3. State a UDL Guideline or checkpoint that relates to the design option.
  4. Describe how the option will support the stated learning goal.

Exemplar

  1. In this lesson, my students were given a paper graphic organizer to use as they work on organizing their key ideas from the text. A barrier in the paper graphic organizer is students can only write or draw in order to produce their answers.
  2. To reduce this barrier, I made a digital version of the graphic organizer. Now, students can write, draw, or type or use the voice type feature in Google docs to fill in their graphic organizer. They can also customize the display of the font, contrast, and size using the digital version. They can use either the paper or digital version of the graphic organizer.
  3. Having the digital and paper version aligns with UDL Guideline Options for Perception: Offer ways of customizing the display of information and UDL Guidelines Options for Physical Action: Vary the methods of response.
  4. By having a paper or digital handout, students can focus on the goal, to identify the key ideas in the passage they were reading. They can identify key ideas either in the digital or paper graphic organizer.

Resources

4: Promote expert learning

In this part, you will showcase how you promote expert learning in the design of your learning experience. This is important to promote high expectations and life-long learning for each and every individual.

Rubric 

Each of the two items can earn one point. To be proficient in this section, you need to earn at least 1 out of 2 points.

Success criteria:

  1. Describe how one part of the design of the learning experience (i.e., goal, method, material, physical environment, or assessment) promoted expert learning. 
  2. Describe how the design related to one of the UDL expert learning descriptors.

Exemplars

Here is an example of how one educator promoted expert learning.

  1. In this museum exhibit, participants are encouraged to think like a scientist as they explore the skeletons. We give them an archeological journal that is just like the ones that are used by professional archeologists. They can fill out the journal order to add details to the growing data bank of skeletal remains.
  2. This journal contribution promotes expert learning in terms of becoming resourceful and knowledgeable. This is because the museum visitors are able to build necessary background about how real archaeologists gather data in the field and submit their findings.

Here is another example.

  1. I am working on developing six skills of an art historian with my students. For each lesson, I let them know which one we are working on and we discuss how these skills are used and developed by real art historians. At the end of each day, students reflect on how they are building on one of the skills of art historians.
  2. This aligns with UDL expert learner descriptor “strategic and goal-directed” because they continue to reflect on how they are making progress on becoming an art historian. There are high expectations for each student.

Resources

 

Facilitate or Teach and Gather Feedback

Once you design your learning experience with UDL, you are ready to facilitate, teach, or deliver it. In this part of the credential, you will gather feedback about how your design supported learners to achieve the goal. Choose two of the following options to gather feedback on your design. You can use the templates provided, or modify them to create your own:

Rubric

Each of the two items can earn one point. To be proficient in this section, you need to earn 2 out of 2 points.

Success criteria:

  1. Gather feedback from one source (either from self, observer, or learners). 
  2. Gather feedback from a second source (either from self, observer, or learners).

Exemplar

In my elementary class, at the end of my lesson I gave students an exit ticket where they could give me a thumbs up or thumbs down. They could circle or place a sticker on the exit ticket. They could also choose to tell me their feedback, if they preferred:

  • Did you know what we were learning about today? (Thumbs up/down)
  • Did you have choices to help you with your learning? (Thumbs up/down)
  • Did you think what we were learning about today was interesting? (Thumbs up/down)
  • Could you show me what you learned today? (Thumbs up/down)
  • Did you get stuck in your learning today? (Thumbs up/down)

Resources

Revise the Design

UDL is iterative: the learning design is never completely finished. There are always additional opportunities to consider learner variability and reduce barriers.

In this part of the credential, you will use the feedback you gained. From this feedback, you will:

  • Identify areas of strength in the design of your learning experience. 
  • Identify where there are additional barriers to address in the design. 
  • Offer a suggestion for how to revise the design of your learning experience.

Remember, you can use flexible ways to record your answers. For example, you might choose to record your voice, use a video, include images with descriptions, write, or use another option. Written responses should not exceed 500 words per question and audio/video responses should be less than 3 minutes per question. Evidence submitted should reflect original work.

Rubric

Each of the six items can earn one point. To be proficient in this section, you need to earn 5 out of 6 points.

Success criteria:

  1. Describe what worked well in the design to support the learning.
  2. Align your response to feedback gathered.
  3. Identify an additional barrier based on the feedback gathered. 
  4. Align the additional barrier identified to feedback gathered.
  5. Make a suggestion to revise the design of the learning experience to address the new barrier that was identified.
  6. State a UDL Guideline or checkpoint that relates to the design option.

Exemplar

  1. In my science lab, the integration of the images in the lab procedure worked well.
  2. I know this because I received feedback from my students on the exit ticket.  I asked them to share how they found the image helped them understand what to do in the lab. Out of 26 students, 22 reported that they liked the images. 17 shared that the images helped them understand what the procedure was in the lab because of the images. As a teacher, I also self-reported that I had fewer “help” questions about steps of the lab when I added the images to the lab procedure.
  3. An additional barrier in the science lab is the verbal directions I give.
  4. This barrier was revealed as I found I had to repeat myself several times during the lab. Also, students would ask me when they were confused at times during the lab.
  5. To revise the design, I will make sure to write and say the verbal directions. I will take the directions I had to add verbally and try to incorporate this on the lab procedure as well - so students will have 3 ways to access those directions.
  6. This aligns with UDL Guideline Provide Options for Perception: Offer alternatives for auditory and visual information.

Resources

Reflect

In this part, you will return to your original goal for earning this UDL Level 3 credential. You will have the opportunity to reflect on how you progressed toward this goal and are growing as an expert learner in your implementation of UDL.

Rubric

The one item can earn one point. To be proficient in this section, you need to earn 1 out of 1 points.

Success criteria:

  1. Describe how you progressed toward your stated goal  for obtaining this UDL Level 3 credential.

Exemplar

  • Returning to my own goal for this credential, I hoped to notice the UDL checkpoints that were present in my learning experience and to better understand what barriers still existed in the free choice task.
  • I realized, however, that I needed to shift my perspective of the UDL framework. I saw the framework as a checklist and learned it is actually a tool to help me develop pathways for learners that will help them be successful. Just checking all the boxes was not enough.

Resources

Full Rubric

Download the full UDL Level 3 rubric (PDF).

There are a total of 25 possible points to earn on this credential. You must earn at least 21 points to earn this credential. Please pay attention to the minimum points required for proficiency within each section.

  • There is no point value earned for Select Your Learning Experience. It is marked as complete or not. 
  • Each item in the Plan, Facilitate, Revise, and Reflect sections are given a rating of +1 if it shows evidence of the success criteria and a rating of +0 if it does not show evidence of the success criteria. To earn this credential, you must earn the required points in each section. 

You have two attempts to earn this credential. Once you receive your score and feedback, you may refine and re-submit your application if you did not achieve a proficiency rating.

Select Your Learning Experience 

Each item is marked as complete or not. You do not earn any points for this part:

  1. Your goal for earning this credential
  2. Title and subject
  3. Number and age of learners
  4. Duration and location of the learning experience
  5. Standards (if applicable)
  6. Description to help contextualize the learning experience selected

Plan

1: Develop the goal

You must earn 4 out of 5 points on this section to be proficient:

  1. Clearly state the goal for your selected learning experience. 
  2. Describe how the goal will be communicated so it can be understandable for the intended learners.
  3. Describe how the goal will be made perceivable to learners in more than one way.
  4. Describe how the goal will be separate from the means, where possible. If the means were  embedded in the goal, a plan was shared to support the means in the design.
  5. Describe how the relevance of the goal will be highlighted for learners.

2: Develop the assessment(s)

You must earn 4 out of 5 points on this section to be proficient:

  1. Describe an assessment(s) that will be used in this learning experience. 
  2. Describe how learners will be made aware of the assessment.
  3. Describe one barrier in the design of the assessment. 
  4. Describe an option to reduce the barrier in the assessment.
  5. State a UDL Guideline or checkpoint that relates to the design option.

3: Develop the materials, methods, and/or physical environment

You must earn 3 out of 4 points on this section to be proficient:

  1. Describe a barrier in one of the materials, methods, or physical environment.
  2. Describe an option that will reduce the barrier in the material, method, or physical environment.
  3. State a UDL Guideline or checkpoint that relates to the design option.
  4. Describe how the option will support the stated learning goal.

4: Promote expert learning

You must earn 2 out of 2 points on this section to be proficient:

  1. Describe how one part of the design of the learning experience (i.e., goal, method, material, physical environment, or assessment) promoted expert learning. 
  2. Describe how the design related to one of the UDL expert learning descriptors.

Facilitate or teach and gather feedback

You must earn 2 out of 2 points on this section to be proficient:

  1. Gather feedback from one source (either from self, observer, or learners). 
  2. Gather feedback from a second source (either from self, observer, or learners). 

Revise the design

You must earn 5 out of 6 points on this section to be proficient:

  1. Describe what worked well in the design to support the learning.
  2. Align your response to the feedback you gained.
  3. Identify an additional barrier based on the feedback you gained. 
  4. Align the additional barrier you identified to the feedback you gained.
  5. Make a suggestion to revise the design of the learning experience to address the new barrier that was identified.
  6. State a UDL Guideline or checkpoint that relates to the design option. 

Reflect

You must earn 1 out of 1 points on this section to be proficient:

  1. Describe how you progressed toward your stated goal for obtaining this UDL Level 3 credential.