| |9 NOVEMBER 2018HIGHERReviewAccording to UDL principles, each area of curriculum should provide multiple, varied and flexible options for representation, engagement and expressionBut, is academia paying attention to the changing attention builders? When we think about the modern classroom, several new elements have come up, such as digital classrooms. However, technology alone can-not solve a problem that might have deeper roots. You cannot rehash the same schoolbook content in a digital classroom. The message needs to fit the medium as well. This is where the use of `Universal Design Lan-guage' (UDL) comes in. Originally, a part of architecture, UDL came into prominence in the late 1980s as a re-sult of alignment of three conceptual shifts ­ advancements in architectur-al design, development of education technology, and discoveries from brain research. Back in the 1980s, brain imaging conducted while people were en-gaged in learning tasks such as read-ing or writing revealed that three networks were at work during learn-ing ­ the recognition network (the what of learning), the strategic net-work (the how of learning) and affec-tive network (the why of learning). Parallel to that, UDL in architecture had come to a point where retrospec-tive thinking about making buildings accessible was being replaced by in-corporating universal accessibility in the design itself. The same thinking was incorporated in learning design as digitized text opened up other ave-nues of reaching out to students. Universal Design Language framework has a simple goal to `teach every student'. But, learning styles differ, just like ability to comprehend differs from student to student. This is where technology benefits UDL the most. According to UDL princi-ples, each area of curriculum should provide multiple, varied and flexible options for representation, engage-ment and expression.UDL Principles 1. Principle 1: Provide multiple means of representation 2. Principle 2: Provide multiple means of action and expression 3. Principle 3: Provide multiple means of engagement This is where the use of digital classrooms, games, mobile apps, so-cial learning, elearning, immersive learning can come to maximum use. However, technology remains an enabler and to bring UDL to high-er education, one needs to think about fundamental ways about how the curriculum is presented and the outcome measured. This will mean relooking at the textbook, measuring the flow of the content and distributing the content into multiple forms of representation (for example, a business theory can be broken down into a a simulation, an animated video and a mobile app driven game that presents users with multiple scenarios to test it out.). The benefit of UDL is that is pure-ly outcome based, and therefore does not leave any stone unturned to reach out to its audience. Secondly, multi-ple means of engagement ensures that the sum of all its parts much larger than the whole. However, implementing UDL would also mean thinking like the digital native and viewing technology from a perspective that catches their attention the most, and that's an in-teresting task to handle. Tannistho Ghosh Tannistho holds a Masters degree in Literature and a PG Diploma in Mass Communications. Over the last 15 years, he has worked on several communication projects for brands like Unicef, Star TV, ITC, and others. A trained Learning Designer, he has also developed several elearning programs for organizations like Mckinsey & Co, OrangeUK, Florida Virtual School, DPR Construction, Save the Children and others. In his present role, he heads the eLearning and New Initiatives Vertical at Manipal Digital Systems.
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