Based off of when I took the course last Spring, the one thing I would recommend changing for a lecture coming up in April is accessing at least one more mode of representation when it comes to applying Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the classroom. In April, we will be having a snake and lizard lecture where Dr. Balcom shows a DVD on the basic care and enclosure setup for common reptiles. The problem is, for those two days of lecture, Dr. Balcom relies solely on the DVD to teach the common practices of owning pet reptiles. The main reason she does this is because she know little about the caretaking and management of reptiles and has limited experience herself working with them. My recommendation to her would then be to take this lecture opportunity to reach out to an expert on reptile handling such as that of a rescue or breeder, and have them to come to one of these class periods to give her students another form of representation for this topic. It is going to be my goal to make this happen, since I will be teaching the lecture before this on a reptile overview and I have access to my pet cornsnake on campus and a breakdown of her enclosure as well. So not only am I able to provide a live reptile to our class, but I will also have an enclosure for students to visualize and get their hands on. These multiple modes of representation, I believe, will ultimately become beneficial to the ANSC250 students when it comes to preparing for their third exam.
ANSC250
COurse modification
Photo used under Creative Commons from delta407