Impact of Growth Mindset and UDL

I live for technology integration in my program, and it is my goal to continue to improve my student's educational experience and their learning opportunities by expanding and improving what I have already implemented. Being of a growth mindset for most of my life, especially in my career, I do not see failure as a setback but as a learning opportunity. I assess what happened, adjust, and start again. Five years ago, when I stepped into education, I quickly thought to myself, there must be a better way to do this, there must be a better way for my students to learn. For me to improve my student's learning, I had to learn and grow in my own knowledge. For me, that was and still is an exciting challenge.

What, how, and why are all important aspects of learning and pursuing life goals. If what is not asked, then how cannot be asked nor can why. I don’t feel like you can have one without the others, these words have a symbiotic relationship. For example, what are my goals? Sure, you can answer that question but if it is not followed by, how I am going to achieve my goals? the question of what my goals are is useless and simply becomes an answered question that is dead in the water with no sail nor wind to take it anywhere.

The question of why is just as important, this helps validate the what and the how. I do not teach my students a new skill and do not explain why we must perform the skill that way. If the why is not given, then people do not find it important and will become complacent. This can lead to someone not performing according to the guidelines set and in my profession that can lead to a poor outcome for a patient and worst-case scenario, death. Universal Design in Learning (UDL) means that all learner's needs are met by means of a flexible curriculum that is designed to address what, how, and why networks of learning.