1.5 UDL Principle 3: Design Multiple Means of Action & Expression
Challenge
✅ Continue your work on the How Do I Teach? Checklist that you started earlier.
This time, complete the third (and final) section of the checklist, in order to consider the ways that you already create a learning environment in which students can demonstrate their learning in multiple ways.
What does “Multiple Means of Action and Expression” mean?
Multiple means of action and expression (or the “how” of learning) encourages students to demonstrate their learning through various forms (e.g., exams, multimedia, concept maps, papers, projects), recognizing the variability of learner strengths and preferences. This principle highlights executive functioning, where students apply what they learn by acting strategically. That is, it involves finding, creating, using, and organizing information.
This process can include graduated levels of support, often using tools and technology. Students may find that they are able to express themselves more proficiently in one medium than in another, and applying UDL will provide varied options that honor these preferences. Incorporating graded assignments that allow students to select from a variety of formats is a great way to promote engagement and cater to diverse expressions of knowledge. Other opportunities for multiple means of action and expression include notetaking, in-class assignments, and feedback from various sources. In a learning environment that applies this principle, learners can act upon and express their comprehension in multiple ways.
Remember the “who” of learning, and recognize that learner variability is the rule, not the exception. Providing multiple means of action and expression to accommodate diverse learning preferences and abilities ensures all students have meaningful opportunities to demonstrate their understanding in ways that best suit their individual strengths and needs.
The following short video from the Southern Illinois Professional Development Center offers an overview of this UDL principle.
What might “Design Multiple Means of Action and Expression” look like in the classroom?
This table provides some examples of designing multiple means of action & expression in a postsecondary classroom. Categories are listed on the left, with ideas for implementation on the right.
| Multiple Means of Action & Expression | Putting it into Practice |
|---|---|
| Assignments and demonstration of skills |
|
| Exams |
|
| Opportunities for interaction and feedback |
|
| Student choice |
|
| Assessment anxiety |
|
Web Resources
For more resources on how to provide multiple means of action & expression, see the guidelines and checkpoints from CAST at: Principle: Design Multiple Means of Action & Expression
Reflection: One Small Step
What UDL strategies would you like to try when designing (or redesigning) your next course? Use the following questions for considering this principle in more depth as it might apply to your course (and remember – start with just one small step!).
Questions for Designing Multiple Means of Action and Expression:
- What opportunities exist to incorporate multiple means of expression in assignments? How can these be tailored to meet diverse learning needs?
- How might you incorporate multiple means of expression on exams? Consider alternative formats that support diverse understanding.
- How might you provide more opportunities for feedback?
- What choices might you offer students regarding assignments, communication, and content delivery?
- What course design decisions can you make to mitigate student anxiety regarding assessment?
