About this episode

Katie Novak returns to discuss the integration of AI in instructional design and the principles of Universal Design for Learning.

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…

People in this episode

Host: Andrew Easton

Guest: Katie Novak

Topics covered

• Universal Design for Learning
• artificial intelligence
• instructional design
• standardized assessments
• metacognitive awareness

Keywords

• UDL
• AI
• instructional design
• flexible instruction
• standardized assessments
• metacognition
• screen time

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The UDL Shift

More episodes of The Good Life EDU Podcast

• E-Rate at a Crossroads: Keith Krueger on What’s at Stake for America’s Schools · July 15, 2026 · 24 min
• Accessibility from the Start: Practical Steps for K–12 Schools · July 9, 2026 · 34 min

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