Years ago, I remember working with a Grade 6 language arts teacher in a coaching cycle. She was frustrated with the lackluster book reports she was getting from her students. She was inspired to rethink her approach after a school wide PD on Universal Design for Learning (UDL). She had always felt intuitively that student-centered pedagogy was important and a part of her own philosophy of education, but over time, because life happens, retreated into repeating practices that seemed to “work” for most of her students out of convenience. But after that reminder during the PD, something stuck with her: “Engagement isn’t just about entertainment—it’s about agency.” That’s actually what sparked our conversation, and through that conversation she decided what she wanted to try next. She wanted to have more fun with her students. She wanted to be inspired by her student’s work, and she knew student agency was the key.
What the Research Says
According to the CAST UDL Guidelines, providing students with multiple means of expression (Action & Expression) and engagement is essential to reducing barriers to learning (CAST, 2018). In other words, how students show what they know should be as varied as the learners themselves.
The research points to this; when students have choice in how they demonstrate understanding, motivation and learning outcomes improve. Take Katz and Assor (2007) for instance. They found that offering meaningful choices increases intrinsic motivation, particularly when the choices are aligned with student interests and learning goals.
The Shift
With this in mind, my colleague redesigned an upcoming book report project. She grabbed a suggestion from the PD; “create a choice board allowing students to choose how to demonstrate their learning.” Students were still expected to hit key targets in the curriculum, like analyzing character development and theme, but they could select from a menu of product formats, including:
- Podcast character interviews –
- Illustrated storyboards
- Video book trailers
- Visual collages
- Classic written reports
This wasn’t about doing less—it was about doing differently. And critically, she worked with students to co-create success criteria using a single rubric, building both transparency and accountability into the process.
Throughout the process we checked in. “Once I gave them real choice, I saw a shift not just in quality, but in attitude,” she mentioned during a check-in. “Students weren’t just completing an assignment—they were crafting something they cared about.”
Her experience aligns with findings by Stefanou et al. (2004), who emphasize that student autonomy supports deeper cognitive engagement, especially when paired with clear structure and expectations.
The Results
While you can argue that this experience was anecdotal, it aligns with what we see in the research:
- Deeper reflection in student writing
- More diverse representations of learning
- Increased participation from previously disengaged students
In a post-project reflection, one student wrote, “This is the first time I’ve actually liked a school project because I got to make something my way.” Another student, who previously struggled to complete traditional writing, produced a podcast that classmates asked to replay during their break.
Why It Matters
This shift isn’t just a nice idea. It’s a research-backed move toward equity. When we offer multiple pathways for students to show learning, we reduce barriers and make space for every learner to succeed (Meyer, Rose, & Gordon, 2014). And when students feel empowered, they engage more deeply.
Resources
Want more student choice in your classroom? Try this:
Design Your Own UDL-Aligned Choice Board: A Template for Student Voice & Deeper Learning
This editable template helps teachers:
- Provide multiple means of action & expression (UDL principle)
- Offer authentic student choice
- Align student-led projects with learning goals and success criteria
Works Cited:
- CAST. (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. https://udlguidelines.cast.org
- Katz, I., & Assor, A. (2007). When Choice Motivates and When It Does Not. Educational Psychology Review, 19, 429–442.
- Meyer, A., Rose, D. H., & Gordon, D. (2014). Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice. CAST Professional Publishing.
- Stefanou, C. R., Perencevich, K. C., DiCintio, M., & Turner, J. C. (2004). Supporting autonomy in the classroom: Ways teachers encourage student decision making and ownership. Educational Psychologist, 39(2), 97–110.
