For our writing productivity and fulfillment, of course we need time management, self-discipline, and all the pomodoros (Cirillo, 2018) we can muster. Sometimes, though, as ardently as we apply these, they don’t seem to be enough. I’ve found three additional perspectives very helpful. These are “laws” that are described simply and eloquently by author, speaker, and spiritual and practical teacher Deepak Chopra (1994) in The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.
For an equitable textbook, universal design for learning is a must
Universal design for learning (UDL) is an evidence-based framework that improves and optimizes teaching and learning for all people. UDL recognizes the diversity of student learners and leverages how humans learn to improve and optimize teaching and learning.
In their 2023 TAA Conference session, “For an Equitable Textbook, Universal Design for Learning is a Must,” Laura Frost, Professor of Chemistry and Associate Dean at Florida Gulf Coast University; and Shawn Nordell, Associate Director of Graduate Career Services at the University of Arizona, provide an overview of the UDL framework, some examples of how authors can work UDL principles into their textbook writing, and discuss among the participants how this framework can be further used to enhance the equitability and accessibility of their textbooks.