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THE IMPACT OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING-REPRESENTATION PRACTICES ON CONCEPT MAPS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF QUALITY SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATIONS

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Date Issued:
2010
Abstract/Description:
ABSTRACT The purpose of this action research project was to determine how my practice of implementing Universal Design for Learning-Representation (UDL-R) principles influenced my studentsÂÂ' understanding of content and enhanced their ability to organize their knowledge using concept maps. A secondary purpose of this action research project was to determine if student created concept maps served as a useful tool to enrich studentsÂÂ' written scientific explanations. Students in this study completed concept maps and wrote explanations about adaptations before and after participating in lessons enriched with UDL-R principles that included the use of multi-media sources, website searches, and trade books. The processes used to collect data for this action research project were concept maps, written explanations, student notes, and videotaped accounts of learning from UDL-R principles. The themes that emerged were deeper content understanding for students and greater engagement in learning through UDL-R practices as evidenced through student notes, student discussions and videotaped accounts. The students in this study showed minimal change in the total average scores on concept maps with mixed results for males versus female studentsÂÂ' scores. Although studentsÂÂ' concept maps and written explanations indicated minimal improvement or change, their notes listing thirty to over one hundred facts and their comments indicated their interest and engagement in the learning process supported by UDL-R practices.
Title: THE IMPACT OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING-REPRESENTATION PRACTICES ON CONCEPT MAPS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF QUALITY SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATIONS.
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Name(s): Finnegan, Lisa, Author
Dieker, Lisa, Committee Chair
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2010
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: ABSTRACT The purpose of this action research project was to determine how my practice of implementing Universal Design for Learning-Representation (UDL-R) principles influenced my studentsÂÂ' understanding of content and enhanced their ability to organize their knowledge using concept maps. A secondary purpose of this action research project was to determine if student created concept maps served as a useful tool to enrich studentsÂÂ' written scientific explanations. Students in this study completed concept maps and wrote explanations about adaptations before and after participating in lessons enriched with UDL-R principles that included the use of multi-media sources, website searches, and trade books. The processes used to collect data for this action research project were concept maps, written explanations, student notes, and videotaped accounts of learning from UDL-R principles. The themes that emerged were deeper content understanding for students and greater engagement in learning through UDL-R practices as evidenced through student notes, student discussions and videotaped accounts. The students in this study showed minimal change in the total average scores on concept maps with mixed results for males versus female studentsÂÂ' scores. Although studentsÂÂ' concept maps and written explanations indicated minimal improvement or change, their notes listing thirty to over one hundred facts and their comments indicated their interest and engagement in the learning process supported by UDL-R practices.
Identifier: CFE0003045 (IID), ucf:48358 (fedora)
Note(s): 2010-05-01
M.Ed.
Education, Department of Teaching and Learning Principles
Masters
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): Universal Design for Learning
Representation principles
science explanations
concept maps
elementary
science
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003045
Restrictions on Access: public
Host Institution: UCF

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