Applying UDL to Separate Goals from Methods

The framework of the three brain networks guides interpretation of learning standards in two ways. First, by considering the wording carefully we can determine if the true purpose of the standard centers on learning information (recognition networks), learning skills or processes (strategic networks), or engagement (affective networks). When we can pinpoint the main focus of the goal, we can identify the aspects that must be held constant for all students. Second, and equally important for the process of individualizing instruction, knowing the real purpose of a goal helps determine where we can offer flexible options and where we can provide scaffolds without removing the challenge. Let's take a closer look at what's involved.

Determining Which Network is Central to a Standard

You may recall that setting goals and monitoring progress are the domains of strategic networks. Still, attaining any goal involves the whole brain. To illustrate, consider what is involved in attaining your goal of drinking a cup of coffee: Your recognition networks are in full gear, enabling you to identify the cup; its size, location, and heft; recognize the table and your hand; and monitor the changing location of your arm and hand as you reach for the cup. Strategic networks are centrally involved in setting the goal, initiating your reach, monitoring your progress, and making any necessary course corrections. Affect motivates you to lift the cup because you are curious about our experiment, thirsty, or tired and in need of caffeine.

Although pursuing goals involves the whole brain, most learning goals do tend to fall primarily into the domain of one brain network, one kind of "knowing." Some goals emphasize information and facts, the "what" of learning-the domain of recognition networks. Some goals emphasize skills and processes, the "how" of learning-the domain of strategic networks. Less common (but we believe, just as important) are the goals that emphasize the value and importance of ideas and connections to students' lives, the "why" of learning, the domain of affective networks. Determining which network is central to a standard is the first step in separating goals from methods. Below, we provide some general guidelines.

Recognition goals. Standards that ask students to identify "who, what, when, and where" prioritize the learning of specific content. This is the domain of recognition networks. Examples of such standards include.

• Understands the genetic basis for transfer of biological characteristics from one generation to the next.
• Knows the location of places, geographic features, and patterns of the environment.
• Understands and applies basic and advanced properties of functions and algebra.

Strategic goals. Standards that ask students to learn "how" to do something emphasize skills and strategies, the province of strategic networks. Examples of these standards include :

• Demonstrates competence in general skills for reading a variety of literary texts.
• Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process.
• Understands the nature of scientific inquiry.

Affective goals. Standards related to affect are still rather rare, and are relatively easy to identify. Examples include:

• Students should enjoy, appreciate, and use mathematics, just as they should enjoy, appreciate, and use music, art, and literature.
• Students will select a variety of materials to read for discovery, appreciation, and enjoyment, summarize the readings, and connect them to prior knowledge and experience.

Determining a Standard's True Purpose

Knowing which network is most central to a particular standard helps us determine what its true purpose is. Only then can we know which aspects must be held constant if the standard is to be met and which aspects can be varied to support individual learning differences. Speaking very broadly, the following guidelines apply:

• For recognition goals, focused on specific content, that content is key.
• For strategic goals, focused on a specific process or medium, that process or medium is key.
• For affective goals, focused on a particular value or emotional outcome, that emotional outcome is key.

Considering Multiple Means to Goal Attainment

When the true purpose of a standard is understood, teachers can explore the various means students might use to attain that standard and various supports we might provide to help them do so.

Consider this standard: "The student will demonstrate competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process." This standard focuses on process and is rooted in strategic networks. Because the content is not specified and is not key to this particular standard, we could increase students' engagement by encouraging them to select content that interests them and setting the challenge at individually appropriate levels.

A tougher question is whether a teacher could be flexible about supporting the actual writing skills targeted in the standard. The writing process involves the ability to create a draft, elicit and use feedback, and revise and share one's work-processes that can be learned and practiced in numerous media, including text, sound, animation, images, and video. Although it is true that for students to attain this standard, they must ultimately be able to compose in text, we could scaffold their learning by encouraging composition and editing in these other media. Further, because this goal focuses on writing process and not writing mechanics, we could use text-related scaffolds, including speech recognition, word prediction, spell checking, and text-to-speech.

Here is another example: "Students will identify and express the major causes of the United States Civil War." This goal is content-specific-rooted in recognition networks-but both the means of obtaining the content and demonstrating knowledge are open to interpretation. Students could derive their understanding of the causes of the Civil War by exploring Internet sites, viewing appropriate videos (such as the 1990 series created by Ken Burns), reading text resources with or without support for decoding, visiting a museum, or interviewing Civil War experts in person or online. Moreover, we could allow them to demonstrate their knowledge in many ways.

When affect is more widely recognized as a critical component of learning, specific affective goals will become more commonplace. In fact, many teachers already pursue affective goals. For example, Mr. Hernandez placed the affective goal of recharging Patrick's emotional batteries front and center. Other goals became secondary as he supported and built on Patrick's enthusiasm. For some students, at some times, it may be more important to build engagement than to attempt to develop knowledge or skills. Balancing these three networks as we develop goals is in part a fine art.