2019
Empower All Learners With a Personal Learning Backpack
Presented by Kathleen McClaskey and Diana Petschauer
January 30th, 2pm at SOUTH 310D – Orange County Convention Center
We want all our learners to take ownership of their learning. In this interactive session, participants will have an opportunity to explore a variety of tools, apps, and resources to build a “Personal Learning Backpack” that can support their learner’s challenges and strengths. Learn how to create “Learner Profiles” that consider the learning strategies and skills students need in order to be more independent and self-directed. Templates will be provided for each participant. Demonstrations will include apps and tools that provide students with voice and choice to access and process information, engage with content, and express what they know and understand.
______________________________________________________
February 7-9, 2019
Salem Convention Center
Salem, Oregon
February 8, 2019
The Power of Story – Co-Keynote with Luis Perez
In this presentation you will hear two powerful stories related to the impact of the UDL Lens as a means for bringing self-determination and agency into the lives of all learners. First, you will hear from Dr. Luis Perez on his experiences as both an English Language Learner and a person with a visual impairment who achieved success in school by shifting his perspective on disability and using photography and video to tell his story as an advocate for the rights of all learners, especially those in the margins of education. Next, you will hear from Kathleen McClaskey and her personal story of her dyslexic son whose experiences now drives her mission to ensure all educators discover the learner in every child. She will then share her story as a teacher who entered education in the 1980’s where she embraced the idea that in order to teach every child she needed to build relationships with her learners by listening to their stories. Together, Luis and Kathleen believe that when we empower children to tell their stories, we validate them and show them that we trust and respect them as learners.
***
Empower Learners with the UDL Lens: Build a Personal Learning Backpack for Agency and Self-Advocacy
February 8, 2019 – Workshop Co-presented with Luis Perez
Agency and self-advocacy are critical qualities in becoming a lifelong learner that is college and career ready. An expert learner is one who has agency and can self-advocate based on a good understanding of his or her strengths, challenges and personal interests. The goal of this workshop is to provide participants with a process and a set of practical tools that will guide every learner in developing self-advocacy skills through the application of the UDL Lens of Access, Engage and Express in order to create a more learner-centered classroom that emphasizes agency and self-regulation.
______________________________________________________
March 4, 2019, 12:30-1:45
Austin, TX
Mentor Session
Talk to me about:
– How to personalize learning for all learners using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Lens.
– How to empower learners with the learning sciences to share their story about the what, how, and why of their learning to develop an inclusive learning culture with equity at the center.
– How to use the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Lens in daily instructional practice and develop agency and self-advocacy skills with all learners.
______________________________________________________
March 25th – 27th
The Orlando Doubletree by Hilton Hotel at the Entrance to Universal Studios
March 25, 2019 – Pre-Conference Workshop (Pre-register)
Workshop Co-presented with Luis Perez
Personalize Learning with the UDL Lens: Empower All Learners with Agency and Self-Advocacy Skills
When each learner can understand and advocate for how they learn, barriers to learning can be removed and engagement and motivation can result. But where do you begin? Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and personalized learning can be the perfect match to have every learner realize agency and self-advocacy skills so that they can take ownership to learning. UDL leverages the latest research from the neurosciences in order to create more inclusive learning experiences, but how can we use UDL to empower every learner with the tools and skills to become independent self-directed learners with agency? In this workshop, participants will learn a clear process and a set of practical tools that can guide every learner to understand how they learn using the UDL Lens of Access, Engage and Express, gain agency in their learning and acquire the self-advocacy skills to be prepared for college, career and life.
______________________________________________________
May 30th
Featured Session: “Discover the Learner through The Power of Story”
Story is where we came from and where we’re going. It is in the story that we make meaning of our lives. Our story is what defines us, sets us apart and allows us to connect and build relationships with each other and to be known. Story is powerful! The question is: In what ways can we empower our learners to share their story of who they are, how they learn and what they aspire to be? Join me in this session to discover the learner through the power of story.
Workshop Session – “Discover the Learner Using the UDL Lens”
When each learner can understand and advocate for who they are and how they learn, barriers to learning can be removed and engagement and motivation can result. But where do you begin? Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and personalized learning can be the perfect match to have every learner realize agency and take ownership to learning. UDL leverages the latest research from the neurosciences in order to create more inclusive learning experiences, but how can we use UDL to empower every learner with the tools and skills to become independent self-directed learners with agency, learners who are future ready for college, career and life? In this interactive 2-part session, participants will step into a learner’s shoes and apply the UDL Lens of Access, Engage and ExpressTM in a practical 3-Step “Discover the Learner” ProcessTM to understand the value of knowing learners’ strengths, challenges and aspirations as a foundation for acquiring the lifelong skills of agency and self-advocacy.
Listen to the Westside Personalized Podcast with Kathleen McClaskey: http://westsidepersonalized.com/podcast/a-conversation-with-kathleen-mcclaskey-co-author-of-how-to-personalize-learning-ep-60/
______________________________________________________
Join me on Monday, June 24th, 2019; 10:30 – 11:30
Personalize Learning with the UDL Lens: Empower All Learners with Agency
How can you have every learner develop agency? Discover how you can empower your learners with profiles using the learning sciences to share the what, why and how of their learning and to develop lifelong skills with tools and apps so they become agents of their own learning.
______________________________________________________
Empowering Learners to Become Expert Learners using a Personal Learning Backpack
presented by Kathleen McClaskey and Luis Perez
Thursday, August 8th, 1:15-2:45
UDL and personalized learning can be the perfect match to have every learner realize agency so they can take ownership to learning. UDL leverages research from the neurosciences to create more inclusive learning experiences, but how can we use UDL to empower every learner with the tools and skills to become expert learners? In this workshop, participants will learn a process and a set of practical tools that can guide learners to understand how they learn using the UDL Lens of Access, Engage and Express and acquire the skills to become expert learners, prepared for college, career and life. Register here.
____________________________________________________
presented by the Center for Communication and Learning
at Universities at Shady Grove
9630 Gudelsky Dr. Rockville, MD 20850
October 19th, 9:15 – 10:15
Discover the Learner Through the Power of Story
presented by Kathleen McClaskey, M.Ed.
Story is where we came from and where we’re going. It is in the story that we make meaning of our lives. Our story is what defines us, sets us apart and allows us to connect and build relationships with each other and to be known. Story is powerful! The question is: In what ways can we empower our learners to share their story of who they are, how they learn and what they aspire to be? Join me in this session to discover the learner through the power of story.
—
October 19th, 10:30 – 12:30
Empowering All Learners with Agency and Self-Advocacy Skills:
Personalize Learning through the UDL Lens
presented by Kathleen McClaskey, M.Ed.
When each learner can understand and advocate for who they are and how they learn, barriers to learning can be removed and engagement and motivation can result. But where do you begin? Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and personalized learning can be the perfect match to have every learner realize agency and take ownership to learning. UDL leverages the latest research from the neurosciences in order to create more inclusive learning experiences, but how can we use UDL to empower every learner with the tools and skills to become independent self-directed learners with agency, learners who are future ready for college, career and life? In this interactive session, participants will step into a learner’s shoes and apply the UDL Lens of Access, Engage and ExpressTM in a practical 3-Step “Discover the Learner” ProcessTM to understand the value of knowing learners’ strengths, challenges and aspirations as a foundation for acquiring the lifelong skills of agency and self-advocacy.
____________________________________________________
Personalized Learning Through The UDL Lens
Date: November 13, 2019
Location: Spokane, ESD 101,
Regal Center, Regal Street, Spokane, WA
Presenters:
Kathleen McClaskey, M Ed
Founder, Make Learning Personal
Luis Pérez, PhD
CAST Presenter
When each learner can understand and advocate for how they learn, barriers to learning can be removed and engagement and motivation can result. But where do you begin? Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and personalized learning can be the perfect match to have every learner realize agency and take ownership to learning. UDL leverages the latest research from the neurosciences in order to create more inclusive learning experiences, but how can we use UDL to empower every learner with the tools and skills to become independent self-directed learners with agency, learners who are future-ready for college, career, and life? In this interactive session, participants will explore the UDL Lens of Access, Engage and Express to understand the value of knowing learners’ strengths, challenges, and aspirations as a foundation for acquiring the lifelong skills of agency and self-advocacy.
Session 1:
9:00-12:00
Personalize Learning with the UDL Lens:
Empower All Learners with Agency and Self Advocacy Skills
Presented by both Luis and Kathleen
Session 2:
1:00-3:00
Build a Personal Learning Backpack with Technology Tools and Skills
Presented by Luis
____________________________________________________
December 3rd, 8:00-9:00 am
Empower the Middle/High School Learner with a Personal Learning Backpack
presented by Kathleen McClaskey and Diana Petschauer
In this BYOD session, participants will learn how to build a Personal Learning Backpack (PLB) with MS/HS learners based on the strengths and challenges they have using a Learner Profile (LP). Discover and experience the tools, technologies and apps that can empower your MS/HS learners to support a challenge or enhance a strength so they can become more independent and self-directed in their learning. Walk away with an understanding of the apps, tools and resources found in Chrome extensions and iOS apps along with the learning skills that can support the learner variability you have in your MS/HS classroom.
***
December 4th, 9:40-10:40 am
Discover the Learner Using the UDL Lens
presented by Kathleen McClaskey
When each learner can understand and advocate for who they are and how they learn, barriers to learning can be removed and engagement and motivation can result. But where do you begin? Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and personalized learning can be the perfect match to have every learner realize agency and take ownership to learning. UDL leverages the latest research from the neurosciences in order to create more inclusive learning experiences, but how can we use UDL to empower every learner with the tools and skills to become independent self-directed learners with agency, learners who are future ready for college, career and life? In this interactive 2-part session, participants will step into the learner’s shoes and apply the UDL Lens of Access, Engage and Express in a practical 3-Step “Discover the Learner” Process to understand the value of knowing learners’ strengths, challenges and aspirations as a foundation for acquiring the lifelong skills of agency and self-advocacy.
2018
______________________________________________________
iNACOL Symposium
October 23, 2:15-3:15
Personalization + Universal Design for Learning: The Theory and the Practice
co-presented by Andrew Easton, Kristen Haugen and Kathleen Sindt of Westside Community Schools, Omaha, NE and Kathleen McClaskey, Make Learning Personal, Amherst, NH
While any educator can appreciate the central tenets of personalization, actually tailoring classroom practices to each individual learner’s background, learning preferences, interests, and abilities is an elusive aspiration to many. In this session, attendees will learn how Personalized Learning and the Universal Design for Learning lens work together to address issues with equity, develop student agency, and promote self-advocacy for each learner. The session will then briefly share the district-level implementation of this vision as personalized learning coordinators from both the Omaha Westside Community School District in Nebraska and Edina Public Schools in Minnesota share their efforts and story in systemically scaling up personalization district-wide. This conversation will lead to the identification of five entry points that these schools have targeted for developing consistent and sustainable personalized practices in the classrooms they support. The session will conclude with breakout groups, each focused on diving deeper into one of the five entry points mentioned earlier. Those breakouts will empower attendees with choice for extended learning, model personalized practices from these five capacities, and delve into specific classroom examples from across the K-12 experience. Join us for an engaging and practical session and leave with personalized learning practices that can be immediately implemented in any classroom or school district.
______________________________________________________
IDA 2018 Annual Conference
October 25th, 12:15-2:15
“Empower ALL Learners with Ownership to Learn with a Learner Profile & Personal Learning Backpack” Poster Session
presented by Kathleen McClaskey and Diana Petschauer
Ownership to learning is the outcome we want for all of our learners. In this interactive session, participants will have an opportunity to explore the variety of tools, apps and resources to build a Personal Learning Backpack that can support their learner’s challenges from the Learner Profile they created, considering the learning strategies and skills their learner would need to become more independent and self-directed. Templates will be provided for each participant to create a Learner Profile and build a Personal Learning Backpack.
______________________________________________________
A Learner with Agency is a Learner Who is Future Ready
presented by Kathleen McClaskey
Session # W2-02, Wednesday, 12:00 pm – 12:50 pm, Room: Piscataquog (B)
As we try to educate all children to become independent and self-directed learners so they have choices in college, career, and life, our promise should be for each child to develop learner agency. But how can we as leaders fulfill that promise to create learner-centered environments where all children develop agency so that can pursue their passions and interests, take ownership to learning and be future ready? Participants will learn about a 3-step innovative process based on the learning sciences to develop agency with all learners. First, discover how you can empower learners (of all ages) to tell their story of who they are and how they learn and then create a Personal Learning Backpack of tools and skills to support their learning along with a Personal Learning Plan so that they can develop goals and action plans to become future ready for college, career and life.
—–
Empower Learners with UDL: Build a Personal Learning Backpack for Agency
presented by Kathleen McClaskey and Diana Petschauer
Session # BDTu01-F, Tuesday, 9:30 am – 11:30 am, Robert Frost
In this workshop, participants will learn about developing a Learner Profile (LP) in order to build their Personal Learning Backpack (PLB). When you identify how you learn best using the LP, the next step is to determine what tools/technologies, apps and skills you need in your PLB to support your own learning. Demonstrations and examples of LP’s and PLB’s will be provided along with time dedicated to exploring tools and technologies. Using different provided learner profiles, participants will work in groups to brainstorm tools, apps and resources that can enhance a strength or support a challenge of the learner in accessing information, engaging with content or expressing what they know. At the conclusion of the workshop, each group will share and reflect from the perspective of the learner about the tools and skills they need to develop agency and advocates of their own learning. Walk away with skills, resources and tools to create a learner centered environment in your classroom!
______________________________________________________
Build a Personal Learning Backpack to Give ALL Learners Voice & Choice
Empower learners with voice and choice! In this session, learn how to build a Personal Learning Backpack with tools, apps and strategies that can create a culture that values every learner and harnesses the power of learner agency by giving voice and choice for every learner to own their learning.
Join Luis Perez, Diana Petschauer and myself in a 90 minute BYODex session at ISTE 2018 on June 26th at 4:45pm. Pre-Registration required. Go to bit.ly/BYODex to register with Registration code: BYODEX324.
____________________________________________________
BLC18 Education Conference: July 25th, 1:10-2:15
Personalization and UDL: The Perfect Match to Realize Learner Agency and Equity for all Learners
When learners understand their unique strengths and challenges as a learner, there is more engagement and motivation–the barriers to learning can be removed. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) creates such a culture of learner agency and equity. Based on research in the neurosciences and how we learn, UDL and personalization are the perfect match to bring equity and agency to every learner. In this session, you will step into a learner’s shoes and use the UDL Lens of Access, Engage and Express in order to experience firsthand what teachers gain by knowing the strengths and challenges of their learners. We will move between online resources and collaborating with peers so you can identify a Personal Learning Backpack of tools and skills that can support challenged and enhance strengths for your learners to realize agency. You will depart with a clear understanding how to empower your learners and bring equity to your classroom. Remember your devices!
___________________________________________________________
Episode 4 of the UMass Amherst ATC AccessAbilities podcast featuring Kathleen McClaskey discussing her work “Make Learning Personal” (Make Learning Personal) just dropped today! Check it out on iTunes, GooglePlay, and more (http://bit.ly/AccessAbilitiesEp4)! Transcript available at bit.ly/2v1XQc3.
Share with friends and colleagues – We hope you enjoy!
___________________________________________________________
Join Josie Jordan, Steve Nordmark and myself for a 2-hour workshop to discover how to empower learners to take the remote and direct the what how and why of their learning using the UDL Lens of Access, Engage and Express (TM). This workshop will take place on March 6th, 1:30-3:30 CT at the Hilton Austin Downtown, Room 412. Learn more and favorite this session at bit.ly/LearnerAgency.
A book signing of How to Personalize Learning will take place following the workshop at the Austin Convention Center in Room 10C.
___________________________________________________________
Pre-Conference Workshop – April 25th
“Empowering Learners with the UDL Lens:
Building a Personal Learning Backpack for Agency and Self-Advocacy”
presented by Kathleen McClaskey and Luis Perez 
Interactive Learning Session – April 26th
“Using Tools and Apps to Give Voice and Choice to Learners”
presented by Kathleen McClaskey and Luis Perez
The 10 Minute Teacher Show with Vicki Davis – January 11, 2018
“Throw out Learning Styles and Replace it with UDL”
Kathleen McClaskey talks about the research on learning styles and the alternatives for teaching and reaching every child. Today’s show will help you think about the research many of us have used for years to design lessons.
___________________________________________
2017
___________________________________________
Tuesday, November 28th
Personalized Learning and UDL: Realizing the Promise of Learner Agency
presented by Kathleen McClaskey
In this session, participants will discover how Personalized Learning and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can be the centerpieces to fulfilling the promise of learner agency.
—
Wednesday, November 29th
Building a Culture: Your Foundation for Personalized and Competency-based Instruction
presented by Josie Jordan and Kathleen McClaskey
During this interactive session, come practice proven strategies and techniques that create a learning culture that values every learner, harnesses the power of learner agency, and shifts the environment from teacher-centric to learner-centric. Participants will leave ready to take their first steps toward a culture that can foster and sustain personalized learning.
___________________________________________
Webinar: October 16th, 2017
2-2:30 ET
“A Learner with Agency is a Learner that is Future Ready”
Panelists
Tom Murray, Director of Innovation, Future Ready Schools®, Alliance for Excellent Education
Kathleen McClaskey, Founder of Make Learning Personal and Co-author of Make Learning Personal and How to Personalize Learning
Please join Future Ready Schools® (FRS) for a webinar that is part of its Leadership Hub, a one-stop-shop of professional learning opportunities for school leaders.
Archived Webinar and Resources: https://all4ed.org/webinar-event/a-learner-with-agency-is-a-learner-who-is-future-ready/
___________________________________________
ACTEM Conference – Celebrating 30 Years
Augusta Civic Auditorium
October 13, 2017
Personalized Learning and UDL: Set the Stage for Learner Agency
presented by Kathleen McClaskey
A Personal Learning Plan (PLP) needs to include goal setting and action planning so that every learner can develop the skills to be a learner with agency. Using the UDL Lens of Access, Engage and Express, discover a 3-step process to empower your learners to tell their story of who they are and how they learn that sets the stage in developing a Personal Learning Backpack of tools and skills and an effective PLP so that they become future ready.
___________________________________________
Archive of this webinar along with the transcript and resources can be located here: https://webinars.on24.com/edweek/PersonalizeLearning
Join Kathleen McClaskey as she presents a way to approach personalized learning to help you determine how your learners learn best and to help you to create an environment through the UDL lens of “Access, Engage, and Express.” In addition, Martin McKay will outline how to identify the right tools that minimize barriers and maximize learning for all your learners. He’ll also cover what ed-tech trends and tools are paving the way for the future of personalized learning.
Kathleen McClaskey, founder of Make Learning Personal; co-founder of Personalize Learning, LLC; co-author of Make Learning Personal and How to Personalize Learning
Martin McKay, CTO & founder, Texthelp
Moderator: Holly Yettick, director, Education Week Research Center
Register Here
_________________________________________
Inservice Day – Keynote Address and Site Workshops – October 6th
“Personalized Learning and UDL: Realizing Equity, Agency and Self-Advocacy”
presented by Kathleen McClaskey
__________________________________________
August 8, 2
017
“Let learners construct the learning”
A podcast by David Truss
In June 2016 at ISTE 2016, David interviewed me for this podcast about the importance of learners constructing their own learning. We covered a number of topics including personalized learning, the importance for every learner to know how they learn and how we need to value every learner.
__________________________________________
Come Join in the Fun this Summer!
Summer Book Study: “How to Personalize Learning”
presented by Kathleen McClaskey and Barbara Bray
Each Thursday in July at 7pm ET, 6pm CT, 5pm MT & 4pm PT on #plearnchat #bookchat
- July 6th: Chapters 1 and 2 with Kathleen
- July 13th: Chapters 3 and 8 with Barbara
- July 20th: Chapter 4, 5 and 6 with Kathleen
- July 27th: Chapters 7 and 9 with Barbara
__________________________________________
ISTE 2017
San Antonio June 25-28, 2017
BYOD: Personalize Learning by Building a Personal Learning Backpack with your Learners
Wednesday, June 28, 9:00–10:00 am CDT
___________________________________________
The Matt Townsend Show
from BYU Radio
May 25th at 9:20am ET on Sirius XM channel 143 and iTunes Radio
Matt interviewed me on How to Personalize Learning where we discussed Personalized Learning, Universal Design for Learning and how to develop agency with all learners.
___________________________________________
Dynamic Landscapes 2017
Champlain College
Burlington, VT
May 22, 2017
UDL and Personalized Learning: Realizing Proficiencies with All Learners presented by Kathleen McClaskey
How can we harness Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to help each learner develop the proficiencies to be future ready? Join Kathleen in this interactive session to discover a process where each learner can gain independent self-directed skills to master the proficiencies to be prepared for college, career and life.
Building a Culture: Your Foundation for Personalized and Proficiency-based Instruction presented by Josie Jordan and Kathleen McClaskey
__________________________________________
5/15/17 #plearnchat
TOPIC: Passionate Learners
Host: Kathleen McClaskey @khmmc
Guest host: Pernille Ripp @pernilleripp author of Passionate Learners, Reimagining Literacy through Global Collaborations & coming in summer 2017, Passionate Readers. Pernille is also the creator of Global Read Aloud.
__________________________________________
TL Talk Radio
Season 3, Episode 11
hosted by Randy Ziegenfuss @ziegeran and Lynn Fuini-Hetten @lfuinhetten
I (@khmmc) was interviewed on May 4th on How to Personalize Learning: The UDL Lens and Learner Agency. Randy and Lynn dived deep in the questions about how using the UDL Lens can empower learners to develop agency.
Listen to this session podcast!
__________________________________________
Personalized Learning, UDL and Innovation with Kathleen McClaskey
March 31, 2017
In this episode, Kathleen inspires us to promise agency to every learner in the classroom. She talks to me about how students achieve learner agency and the importance of changing our vernacular to use the word learner instead of the word student.
Listen to the podcast here!
__________________________________________
2017 UDL-IRN Summit
Embassy Suites Hilton, Orlando, FL
3 hour Pre-Conference Workshop
March 29, 2017
presented by Kathleen McClaskey (@khmmc) and Luis Perez (@eyeonaxs)
The goal of this workshop was to provide participants with a three-step process and a set of practical tools that will guide the UDL journey, beginning with activities to help them discover who they are as a learner. These activities modeled the process they will go through for each learner to develop independent learning skills to support their learning and in building a learner-centered classroom that emphasizes agency and self-regulation
March 6, 2017
Ask Me Anything with Kathleen McClaskey, Personalized Learning
The IRN’s Bryan Dean sits down with Kathleen McClaskey, Co-Founder of Personalize Learning, LLC, and co-author of bestseller, Make Learning Personal (2014) and How to Personalize Learning (2016).
__________________________________________
January 24, 2017
Webinar: “UDL and Personalized Learning: The Path to Deeper Learning”
Webinar: UDL and Personalized Learning- The Path to Deeper Learning from itslearning USA on Vimeo.
“UDL and Personalized Learning: The Path to Deeper Learning” Webinar offers a deep dive into the fundamentals of UDL, the teacher-learner partnership, and developing student agency. It also provides interesting insights into one district’s leadership and commitment to UDL.
presented by
Kathleen McClaskey, Founder of Make Learning Personal and former CEO of Personalize Lerning, LLC
Mike Jameson, Director of Technology, BCSC
Sponsored by its learning