Digital Tools for UDL
In my graduate course ‘AI for UDL’ with Dr. Michael Harvey, I’m learning and exploring many different AI tools to make learning accessible, engaging, and student-centered for all learners. This looks like presenting materials in multiple ways such as in a video, graphic organizers, text, audio, or images because it allows learners to customize their learning experience to best comprehend and transfer the knowledge or skill. Here are some valuable AI tools that I’ve incorporated when designing my asynchronous and synchronous materials:
Sway - engaging tool for creating and sharing interactive reports, projects, and personal stories including blogs and presentations
Immersive reader - available as an extension for google docs and in microsoft for word docs, this tool allows you to customize how the documents appear as you edit and read the document. It also allows users to translate the text. You can get the Read Aloud extension from the Chrome store, adjust the voice and speed, and click play to have your document read to you. I like Read Aloud: A text to speech voice reader. This is helpful for language learners or learners who prefer listening to audio.
Edpuzzle - this platform hosts educational videos of various users as well as allows you to upload your original creations. You can embed comprehension questions, check for understanding, and add notes.
Screencastify - record five to nine minutes of yourself giving a ‘lecture’ using your slide deck using this screen recording app. Add your video to the screen for increased engagement. Use a friendly, authentic tone of voice and resist the temptation to over-edit for perfection. ‘Mistakes’ like your dog barking or you mispronouncing a word but catching yourself make you more relatable and approachable. Ask questions and pause from time to time and request that the learner record responses. To add engagement, upload your video into Edpuzzle and add questions to check for under4standing
Video captioning - add these to your YouTube videos so that learners can also read the text and narrations
ChatGPT - use this natural language processing tool to simplify complex concepts. For example you can create a prompt asking ChatGPT to explain something complicated such as ‘why does bread rise’ or ‘what is compound interest’. After reading the response, you can then ask it to ‘revise to explain it to a ____year old or a ____grader’ depending on your audience.
Quizlet - an online flashcard and matching game site. Learners can interact with vocabulary and concepts from their phones or laptops whenever and as frequently as they want. Images and pictures can be used in addition to words.
Kahoot - interactive, engaging quizzes to play together or alone. This gamifies the review process, and the competition element may motivate some learners.
Have fun playing in these tools and keep a list handy (and add it to it as time goes on)! There will always be pros and cons, but it’s most important to continue to seek ways to provide learners with multiple means of representation.
