February UDL Connections

Each month this periodical will 1) highlight critical UDL practices, 2) make connections to the UDL guidelines and checkpoints, 3) connect you with great tools and resources, 4) share some ways schools are putting this practice into action and 5) offer additional approaches to utilize this highlighted practice.

1.3.a Break down learning targets into success criteria into multiple pathways/opportunities that allows the learner to develop a clear understanding of the goal(s) and can express expected outcomes that lead to expert learning, which increases the likelihood of learner engagement and reduces stress/anxiety.

Link to the UDL Practice Profile

Success criteria are directly aligned with and help demonstrate achievement of specific learning targets or objectives. In the Universal Design for Learning framework, learning targets provide clarity about the intended outcomes of instruction, while success criteria communicate the observable ways students can show they are meeting those targets.

1. The Differentiator can be used to help classroom teachers create rigorous learning targets, tasks, goals, and objectives. In the spirit of UDL, be sure your creating firm goals and flexible means!
2. Ludia AI can help you create success criteria that align with your learning targets. Simply type in your learning goal and ask Ludia to create success criteria.
3. Magic ToDo will automatically break a large task into smaller tasks. Use it to help you plan the agenda for your next staff meeting or create a timeline for a big project!
4. Using interactive Standards Walls will help your students monitor their progress towards a learning target. Check out this video from Suzy Pepper Rollins.

One privilege of being an educational consultant is getting to see the creativity and passion of educators from a variety of districts. The images below highlight ways teachers communicate their Success Criteria with students. Whether it's designating a whiteboard, bulleton booard, or printing on handouts, I'm glad educators are thinking about ways to breakdown big ideas into managebale chunks with multiple entry points for our learners.

The pictures below are some of the ways I've noticed this being done in classrooms in my area.

CHALLENGE: I would love to see how you are using Success Criteria in your classrooms! - So, I challenge you to share your innovative ways with me.

• How are you communicating these ideas to students?
• How are you helping them understanding their importance throughout the lesson?
• How are you removing barriers to success and allowing students to engage with them in multiple ways?

If you are interested in sharing, please feel free to email them to csmith@sst6.org.

What is the connection between learning targets and success criteria? Success criteria are directly aligned with and help demonstrate achievement of specific learning targets or objectives. In the UDL framework, learning targets provide clarity about the intended outcomes of instruction, while success criteria communicate the observable ways students can show they are meeting those targets. Some key relationships between the two include:

• Learning targets are statements of what students will know and be able to do by the end of a lesson, unit, project, etc. They identify the core knowledge and skills students are working to acquire. Here are some additional resources on learning targets: Making Learning Targets Clear to Students (article); The Differentiator (tool to create firm, flexible goals)
• Success criteria outline the tangible, measurable behaviors and products through which students can exhibit their mastery of the learning targets. They translate broader targets into clear guidelines for demonstrations of competency. Here are some additional resources on learning targets: What You Need to Know When Establishing Success Criteria in the Classroom (article); How to Implement Learning Intentions and Success Criteria (video - Fisher and Frey)
• Multiple success criteria should be provided for each learning target to accommodate various student profiles and learning styles. Criteria allow for flexibility in how targets can be met. Ask Ludia AI to create success criteria that align to your learning targets for an upcoming lesson.
• Direct alignment is essential between specific criteria and the associated targets. Evaluators should be able to judge if criteria were fully achieved based on the original targets.
• Developing success criteria with students engages them in the learning process and builds understanding of the targets they are responsible for achieving. Listen to this podcast from Cult of Pedagogy on Co-constructing Success Criteria with Students

Finally, read how this teacher incorporates Success Criteria throughout her lessons: https://madlylearning.com/how-to-use-success-criteria-in-your-classroom/

Celina Schools require teachers to use success criteria in their classrooms. Below are two examples the district has shared with me that showcase how success criteria are used within their district.

• Watch this quick video of Celina High School teacher Drew Braun describing how he uses success criteria in chemistry.
• Another of my favorite videos from Celina Primary School features Casey Hinton discussing their district strategy. Notice her Success criteria and Learning Targets in the background. They are images that relate to student learning. I love how she has made them student-friendly and uses them throughout the lesson to help students know where they are going (in terms of learning) and how she will help them get there.

Educational leaders can employ success criteria in various ways to enhance their leadership and drive continuous improvement. Here are different ways to use success criteria in educational leadership:

• Staff and Team Meetings: Define success criteria for productive meetings. Success criteria will provide evidence that the meeting accomplished what it was designed to accomplish.
• Professional Development: Outlining success criteria in job-embedded professional learning will provide clarity about expected outcomes of professional growth.
• Observations and Evaluations: Include success criteria discussion in observations and evaluations to highlight and guide constructive feedback and inform future growth.
• Data Analysis: Disaggregate assessment data using success criteria to identify trends, gaps, and areas for improvement among different student groups.
• Inclusive Culture & Practices: Collaborate with stakeholders to develop inclusive success criteria that ensures diverse needs, cultural competence, and student and staff well-being are addressed within a positive and inclusive school culture.
• Decision Making: Inform decision-making processes with success criteria to ensure the use of data-driven insights to guide resource allocation and improvement initiatives.
• UDL Implementation: Guide feedback conversations using this great UDL Look-fors At-a-Glance from Katie Novak! This is a great example of success criteria for UDL implementation! You can find the original pdf version HERE to download a copy.

This school year the UDL Collaborative Implementation Workgroup created a version of the UDL Practice Profile Skill Builders for the Adult Learning Context. These documents align with the Ohio UDL Collaborative's Practice Profile's Ideal Implementation Level, but are written for the adult learning context to make clearer connections for school leaders. In a way, these are success critera for implementing Universal Design for Learning at more of a system-level.

Hopefully these Skill Builders will help you, the leader, think about what it takes to successfully design adult learning at any level, including state, district, or building.

Join us for UDL Theory to Practice Brown Bag Sessions during your lunch once a month, and plan on sharing how you are using, have used, or plan to use the practices and resources mentioned in the UDL Connections.

January's Brown Bag session was a success! There were some great ideas, resources, and feedback shared during one-hour.

Remember, no presentations will be planned during these sessions. Participants are ask to

1) Share a resource/practice from UDL Connections that you've tried OR

2) share and ask for feedback, OR

3) share and ask questions, OR

4) Share what you'd like to try and why.

Everyone is also invited to listen and learn from one another.

Our next Session is Feb 23, 2024 11:00 AM

These sessions occur every month on the Fourth Friday until May 24, 2024

Mar 22, 2024 11:00 AM

Apr 26, 2024 11:00 AM

May 24, 2024 11:00 AM

Join Zoom Meeting

https://sst6-org.zoom.us/j/81521788853

Meeting ID: 815 2178 8853

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.

Monthly: https://sst6-org.zoom.us/meeting/tZUodeivpjMiH9efaLqXpBQ94dKUurebRpJn/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGpqzkrHdyduByERpwcGYjod-3xiFxHgvpYmh7JEhhDQDKvYuZpB6dtFdri

Lisa and I can't wait to see you this February!

March 15th SIG meeting:

For quarterly collaboration with peers from around the world who are focused on Implementing Universal Design for Learning, don't miss the UDLIRN Implementation SIG's meetings! Great resources and ideas are always shared, like the Origami Swan above. To learn more, visit their page at https://udl-irn.org/implementation-sig/ or click the button below.

July 30th & 31st, 2024
Pre-conference sessions on July 29th
Online and in-person
Hyatt Regency Sacramento, CA

This year, for the first time, CAST’s Annual Symposium and the UDL-IRN Summit are joining forces to create the world’s largest International UDL Convention.

For more information and to register, visit https://www.cast.org/products-services/udl-con-international-2024

Cherie Smith began working at State Support Team Region 6 in July 2015. She has a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and the Inclusive Classroom. Most of her experience has been in special education as a supervisor and an Intervention Specialist at the secondary level. She has taught students wtih disabiliteis in both Florida and Ohio.

Cherie is currently a co-chair of Universal Design for Learning Implementation and Research Network's Implementation Special Interest Group and is a member of the Ohio UDL Collaborative.

As an SST6 Consultant, she supports districts in the Ohio Implementation Process as a Regional Data Lead. She leads Universal Design for Learning and supports districts with IDEA Internal Monitoring, Postsecondary Transition, PBIS, and College and Career Readiness.

Email: csmith@sst6.org
Website: https://www.sst6.org/UniversalDesignforLearning.aspx
Location: 1045 Dearbaugh Avenue, Wapakoneta, OH, USA
Phone: 419-739-0170
Facebook: facebook.com/SST6ohio
Twitter: @SST6

As the lead UDL consultant for SST 16, Lisa coaches educational leaders in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and provides professional learning to build the capacity of UDL practitioners. She is a member of the Ohio UDL Collaborative purposed with building the capacity of regional UDL facilitators in order to build state-wide capacity for UDL implementation.

Lisa is licensed as an Intervention Specialist in the state of Ohio and with MA in Counseling she brings a unique skillset to the field of education.

Email: lisa.arthur@sst16.org

Website: https://www.sst16.org/

Location: 21 Birge Drive, Chauncey, OH

Phone: 440-735-8565

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sstregion16