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A principle of the Universal Design for Learning framework, providing students with opportunities to engage with multiple representations, will provide more equitable access to learning opportunities. The three guidelines for multiple representations call for educators to provide multiple representations for learners to perceive, communicate about, and comprehend content and ideas.
When considering representations for learners to perceive information, learners will benefit from multiple forms of representation (e.g. visual and auditory) as well as multiple options of customizable choice related to a form of representation. For example, videos can be created that offer various options related to playback speed or subtitles/captions.
Working with multiple means of representation will not just provide students with multiple access points to understand content, but it will also provide students with opportunities to make connections and develop deeper understanding. This will improve students’ abilities to apply ideas to other classes and settings. It will also improve long term retention of information.
Examine selected research on multiple representations.
Roberts, K. D., Park, H., Brown, S., Cook, B. (2021). Universal design for instruction in postsecondary education: A systematic review of empirically based articles. Journal of postsecondary education and disability. 24(1), 5-15. Retrieved July 13, 2021 from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ941728
Schelly, C. L.,Davies, P. L., Spooner, C. L. (2011). Student perceptions of faculty implementation of universal design for learning. Journal of postsecondary education and disability. 24(1), 17-30. Retrieved July 19, 2021 from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ941729
Rau, M. A., Matthews, P. G. (2017). How to make ‘more’ better? Principles for effective use of multiple representations to enhance students’ learning about fractions. ZDM - Mathematics education. 49 531-544. Retrieved July 31, 2021 from https://link-springer-com.mantis.csuchico.edu/article/10.1007/s11858-017-0846-8
Wu., S. P. W., Corr, J., Rau, M. A. (2019). How instructors frame student’ interactions with educational technologies can enhance or reduce learning with multiple representations. Computers & education. 128, 199-213. Retrieved August 3, 2021 from https://www-sciencedirect-com.mantis.csuchico.edu/science/article/pii/S0360131518302483
Chang, J., Cheng, M., Lin, S., Lin, J. (2021). Exploring students’ translation performance and use of intermediary representations among multiple representations: Example from torque and rotation. Teaching and teacher education. 97. Retrieved August 3, 2021 from https://www-sciencedirect-com.mantis.csuchico.edu/science/article/pii/S0742051X20314001
Ready to apply multiple representations to your teaching? Here are some ideas and strategies to get you started:
List ideas or strategies for application and outline of implementation steps.
Invest some time to create advance organizers for some of your class activities, lectures, or independent reading.
EXPLORE | LISTEN | WATCH | READ |
Multiple Means of Representation (College STAR) UDL GuIdelines (CAST) | Multiple Means of Representation (Jennifer Cronk) | UDL Principle One: Multiple Means of Representation (Texas Education Agency) | Universal Design for Learning: Representation and Science Content (Finnegan & Dieker) |