Katie Novak - UDL and Blended Learning: Thriving in Flexible Learning Landscapes

Katie Novak and Catlin Tucker take readers on an amazing learning adventure in the book UDL and Blended Learning. With a perfect mix of practical tips and solid theory, they give a road map for blended learning no matter what barriers the learning environment presents. Whether you are new to the world of blended learning with UDL or could teach a course on both, this book is sure to set you ablaze with new ideas to reach and teach with equity in mind for all learners.

Andratesha Fritzgerald, author of Anti-Racism and Universal Design for Learning: Building Expressways for Success

A compelling must-read! In this dynamic partnership, Novak and Tucker bring UDL and blended learning together in a fresh way that is inspiring, accessible, and actionable. With empathy and respect, they clearly articulate the mindset, models, strategies, and relationships necessary for students to thrive as expert learners. This book is a gift to all educators and those they serve. If you are ready to leverage the power of UDL to design blended learning that meets the needs of ALL learners, this book is required reading.

Lainie Rowell, lead author of Evolving Learner and contributor to the 2019 National Standards for Quality Online Teaching

When two leading voices on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and blended learning join forces, the whole is greater than the parts. Indeed, Katie Novak and Catlin Tucker have produced an important and timely book. Novak and Tucker point out that UDL and BL do not simply specify techniques that teachers can doboth reflect more fundamental beliefs about holding high expectations for all learners while providing multiple and flexible pathways for helping students meet them. If you care about giving students more flexibility to personalize their learning through a blend of in-person and online environments, youll want this book.

Jay McTighe, educational consultant and co-author of the Understanding by Design framework

This is a must-have book! The authors brilliantly (and through an engaging writing style with great stories and visuals) take you through how to design teaching and learning through the lens of UDL and blended learning. This book will support you as you create pathways for students to be more effective learners. Youll also find that you have gained strategies for your tool kit to better connect with learners in a meaningful and authentic way.

Nathan Lang-Raad, consultant, speaker, and author of five books, including Everyday Instructional Coaching and The Teachers of Oz

We know every learner has different strengths, talents, and challenges. Instead of teaching to the mythical average learner, its time to design learning experiences to meet each learner where they are. In this must-read book, Katie Novak and Catlin Tucker team up to synthesize the UDL and blended learning frameworks to provide educators with a roadmap to navigate the future of education. Throughout this book, you will learn strategies that will help you remove barriers to powerful learning, create more personalized learning experiences, and teach students how to become expert learners. This is a book every teacher needs to read.

Katie Martin, Ph.D., chief impact officer at Altitude Learning and author of Learner-Centered Innovation

Novak and Tucker have written a delightfully engaging book about the intersections of UDL and learning technologies. From date nights to duck boats, from pigeon racing to pizza delivery, from crossword puzzles to paper dolls, they bring their respective expertise together in a way that is incredibly powerful and immensely practical. UDL and Blended Learning is packed with thoughtful, actionable ideas and structures. Whether youre a classroom teacher, instructional coach, or principal, this instructional design book will occupy prime territory on your favorite bookshelf.

Dr. Scott McLeod, associate professor at the University of Colorado Denver, and founding director of CASTLE

How do we prepare students for their future, rather than our past? Building on years of personal, professional and practical experience, Dr. Catlin Tucker and Dr. Katie Novak invite the reader to engage in collaborative discussions that provide essential questions and connections to the issues that education is currently facing, as well as some insight into how to prepare all learners for a complex, equitable, and interconnected future. The authors help educators understand how to embrace technology, variability, and diversity where high expectations, relationships, and personalized pathways serve as the guideposts for where we are going and, more importantly, how we will get there.

Maria S. Hersey, Ph.D., principal advisor, Global Education Advisors

Katie Novak and Catlin Tucker offer strategies for supporting students in this time of great change in education, but these same practices will not go out of style as education continues to shift and adapt to new realities. Their blending of personal stories and concrete strategies for teachers makes this book both enjoyable and practical. Every teacher who cares about equitywho wants to offer a rich and robust educational experience to all of their studentsneeds to read this book!

Mike Anderson, education consultant and author of Learning to Choose, Choosing to Learn

UDL and Blended Learning offers a blueprint for the future of education where reactive adaptations are replaced by an equitable, proactive approach and an unwavering belief that all students can reach sophisticated learning goals, a future where learners are authentic partners in determining what those goals are to begin with. Packed with theoretical foundations, practical strategies, relevant and timely topics, and fun anecdotes, Novak and Tucker invite readers to reimagine whats possible for a twenty-first-century classroom. This book should be studied by teachers, administrators, and all other stakeholders.

Tom Schimmer, author, speaker, and consultant

UDL and Blended Learning is centered around what matters in education: meeting the students where they are, providing flexibility, removing barriers, and instilling empowerment. Dr. Novak and Dr. Tucker provide practical guidance that any educator can apply to their courses. Whether you are a teacher, a professor, or an instructional designer, this book can and will help you create a more meaningful learning experience for your students.

Luke Hobson, EdD, Program Manager at Massachusetts Institute of Technology