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Section 4: Action & Expression Hoisington

Reflection Assignment #4: Action & Expression

Ashley Hoisington
EDUC 4702
December 6, 2020

The strategic networks are essential for ALL learning tasks, as this portion of our brain is

in control of our executive functions (or "Air Traffic Control," as Brain Story calls it) and other

areas necessary for movement, skill learning, and

fluency. Without the strategic network, we would not be

able to apply any action or expression to the world

around us (hence, the connection to this UDL

principle). The strategic network encapsulates three

main areas of the brain: the primary motor cortex,

which is responsible for movement and basic action;

the secondary motor cortex, which is responsible for

coordinating movement into fluent skills and actions; and the prefrontal cortex, which is

responsible for all of our executive functions.

Before moving through the content in this section, I was not aware of the great

importance that this network had. Not only that, but I had never taken the time to consider how

the primary and secondary motor cortex could be part of a learning network, but after digging

deeper and seeing the direct connection with the UDL principles, it makes sense. When planning

and executing lessons, it is necessary to account for the significant variability that is seen within

students regarding this network, specifically the executive functions; without executive functions

(the ability to plan, organize, regulate, set goals, etc.), or support for EF, students will struggle,

and they won’t feel like they can be successful. Moving forward, I recognize that I need to be

more cognizant of this network and purposefully address these things in my planning. I always
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Section 4: Action & Expression Hoisington
thought about physical access and organization, but it never intentionally aligned with a UDL

principle.

I have seen these supports in action, mostly in my PS2 classrooms, as my TAs provided

many options for physical access in many forms from low-tech (pencil grips, larger text, etc.) to

high-tech options (iPad, voice-to-text, audiobooks, etc.), which were available for all students.

Giving students the opportunity and choice to show what they know gives all students the ability

to select which might work best for them and provide the most success. Having these options

empowered students to choose and take charge of their learning and needs. I think this principle

of Action & Expression ties all of the principles together. You cannot have meaningful

engagement if you don't consider physical and cognitive access. You also can't provide multiple

means of representation if you do not consider your students' executive function skills and work

to support them at the level they are at.

When I think about the principle of Action & Expression, it comes off as inherently tied

to an assessment. From previous courses, we know an assessment needs to be valid, fair, and

reliable. Ralabate’s five points about assessment align with this previous understanding but takes

it one step further to make an explicit connection with UDL. An assessment is meant for students

to demonstrate their learning on a particular topic at a specific time, which means it needs to be

designed to assess only the desired knowledge (not secondary skills). The assessment format

must be accessible- if you have a student with visual impairments, and do not consider that when

placing small boxes to check on your assessment, you are now assessing that student's ability to

see instead of their knowledge. Assessment must be flexible- if you have a written assignment

using pen and paper, but you have a student with dysgraphia who struggles with handwritten

work, you are suddenly assessing that students’ printing skills instead of their knowledge.
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Section 4: Action & Expression Hoisington
Ralabate talks about fairness, validity, and reliability, which ensure that students are given every

opportunity to perform to the best of their ability. I think that assessments are difficult enough

for students; it is the least we can do to remove as many barriers as possible. Most students have

assessment anxiety or attach their self-worth to grades, so it is important to remember that the

assessment has a farther reach than your grade book, and if you have a poorly designed

assessment, its consequences may be much more significant than a low mark.