Cultivating multiple ways of knowing and making meaning is a universal design for learning (UDL) guideline that supports multiple means of representation. The UDL guidelines were developed by an organization called CAST. This article will explore how teachers and other educators can help a variety of learners remember and organize information.
Cultivating multiple ways of knowing and making meaning in Universal Design for Learning
Cultivating multiple ways of knowing and making meaning means helping learners acquire skills to process or organize the information they are studying. For instance, learners can gain knowledge in diverse ways when they:
- Solve problems
- Tell stories
- Use holistic thinking, linear thinking, and algorithms
Through models, scaffolding, and feedback, learners can discover how to use a variety of these strategies to acquire and retain their knowledge.
Moreover, cultures from around the world have diverse ways of gathering and organizing knowledge, including Indigenous ways of knowing. All learners should respect and benefit from the diverse ways that people can learn about and understand the world.
Teachers can use many strategies for cultivating multiple ways of knowing and making meaning. For instance, teachers can use multiple ways of knowing to teach content, including:
- Stories
- Movement
- Problem solving
- Classmates learning from each other
Learners can appreciate that they can discover and remember similar information in ways that are different but equally valid and valuable.
Furthermore, teachers can point out when learners should follow steps in order. For example, learners solving algebraic equations need to follow a specific “order of operations” known by the acronym BEDMAS:
- Brackets
- Exponents
- Multiplication or division
- Addition or subtraction
In addition, teachers can present learners with models they can interact with to enhance their knowledge. For instance, a teacher can guide learners through an example equation and state which step they are following at each stage of the solution. This sequence should help learners recognize when they should separate tasks into smaller tasks that are easier to remember and follow.
Alternatively, other types of information can be organized in multiple ways. As a result, teachers should show learners different methods to organize information, such as data points arranged in charts or graphs.
Chunking Information
Moreover, teachers can “chunk” information into small sections. For example, teachers can chunk information with:
- Headings
- Lists
- Tables
- Other visual styles
Chunking content is most often used at the level of the lesson. Comparably, at the unit level, teachers can reveal information in manageable modules, instead of all at once. For example, in an online course, teachers could publish course content one or two (1-2) modules at a time.
On the other hand, learners can study other types of content in any order. For example, a literature teacher may screen a film in class after learners have studied the book the film is based on. While some learners appreciate this order, others might understand the book better if they view the film first. Therefore, the teacher could invite learners to view the film either before or after they read the book. Instead of spending time in class watching the film, the teacher would have more time for analysis and discussion.
Teachers should scaffold use of all these strategies. In other words, learners may at first need reminders about how best to organize and process information. While some learners will always use these reminders, others will need fewer reminders as they gain skill in information processing and organization.
Furthermore, teachers should minimize distractions so that learners can concentrate on information processing as they study.