The UDL Shift with Katie Novak: Designing Learning in the Age of AI

Across her previous visits to The Good Life EDU Podcast, Dr. Katie Novak has helped listeners understand the foundations of Universal Design for Learning, its role within MTSS, and the possibilities created when educators bring UDL and artificial intelligence together. In this return conversation, Katie and Andrew take the next step by examining what educators must understand themselves before they can use AI to design learning responsibly and effectively.

Drawing from her latest book, The UDL Shift, Katie explains why strong instructional design begins with firm goals and flexible means. Through a live example, she demonstrates how an AI-generated “UDL lesson” can unintentionally remove the very skill students are expected to learn and why standards alignment, pedagogical knowledge, and human review must remain central to the design process. The goal is not simply to generate something quickly, but to use AI within a thoughtful cycle of planning, analysis, revision, and human transformation.

The conversation also extends beyond lesson planning. Katie explores how educators can prepare students for standardized assessments without abandoning flexible and inclusive instruction, why interleaving is more effective than last-minute test preparation, and how students can build the metacognitive awareness needed to transfer their learning into less-flexible settings. Katie and Andrew also address growing concerns about screen time, accessibility, and device use, making the case for purposeful technology integration rather than an all-or-nothing approach.

This episode is a reminder that AI does not reduce the need for educator expertise; it makes that expertise even more important.

Resources Referenced in This Episode The UDL Shift: Designing Inclusive Learning That Works by Katie Novak Elevating Educational Design with AI: Making Learning Accessible, Inclusive, and Equitable by Catlin Tucker and Katie Novak Nebraska Learning Network, where Nebraska educators can access Katie’s free three-course UDL learning series. AI-Enhanced Processes by Alex McMillan Katie Novak’s UDL Flowchart