1 Jun 2026
Universal Design for Learning: The Shift to Student Led
Universal Design for Learning: The Shift to Student Led
Podcast Outline: Universal Design for Learning: The Shift to Student Led
Segment 1: Intro: What is UDL? (00:10-3:02)
Segment 2: Interview with Jillian Filbert-Earth Science Teacher from Wellsville (00:00-26:12)
How do Project‑Based Learning and Universal Design for Learning come together in your classroom? What does that look like, feel like, or sound like?
When you say learning is “student‑led,” what does that actually look like day to day?
How do you give students real voice and choice during a project in your classroom?
How do you make sure all students can access learning, even when they learn in different ways?
What flexibility do students have in how they show what they know, while still meeting high expectations?
What routines or structures help students collaborate and manage their learning independently?
How do feedback, reflection, or self‑assessment keep students at the center of the learning process?
What impact have you seen on student engagement, confidence, or equity since using Project Based Learning with Universal Design for Learning?
For educators who want to make this shift; what’s one place you’d recommend they start? One piece of advice you would give them.
The interview with Jillian Filbert prompts thoughtful consideration of the intentional work taking place both within classrooms and across the broader educational context. Her reflections establish a foundation for a deeper dialogue—one that emphasizes professional insight, reflective practice, and ongoing growth. In the Q & A that follows with author Katie Novak, Jillian Filbert is joined by Deb Wagoner from Belfast Central, Jerry Parisi from Salamanca City School District, Kelsey Judware Coordinator for Exceptional Ed Pd & Support, and myself as we examine how our work intersects with student learning, professional collaboration, and the greater school community.
·Bonnie: “Thank you for joining us in our conversations about Universal Design for Learning and the Shift to Student Led. As we close out today’s episode, we hope something you heard today sparked a new idea or perspective. We thank all the teachers who joined us in our conversations, and especially Jillian Filbert from Wellsville Secondary School and Author Katie Novak for her insights. Thank you for listening, and we hope you stop back for the next CA Today episode.”
Show notes:
Join host Bonnie Wagner, CABOCES, as she speaks with Jillian Filbert, an Earth & Space Science teacher at Wellsville Secondary School, to reflect on key insights from the book study The Shift to Student-Led Learning and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and explore practical ways to support this shift in classroom practice. This episode explores essential themes such as access for all students, learner agency, project‑based learning (PBL), and how these ideas align with Portrait of a Graduate. Listeners will discover how intentional lesson design, proactive use of assistive technology, and innovative instructional strategies can support all learners from the start. This podcast also includes a Q & A Session held during the book study with Author Katie Novak and how we can support our students in the classroom as we create Universally Designed Instruction Together.
Thank you to today's host!
Bonnie Wagner- Coordinator Exceptional Education
Resources From Today's Episode ·
https://www.novakeducation.com/
The Shift to Student Led by Katie Novak and Catlin Tucker
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