Episode Summary:

In this episode of the Learner-Centered Collaborative Podcast, host Dr. Katie Martin is joined by Dr. Katie Novak, founder and CEO of Novak Educational Consulting and a nationally recognized expert on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), inclusive practices, and multi-tiered systems of support. Their conversation offers a dynamic blend of personal storytelling, tangible strategies, and systems-level thinking, all aimed at building more accessible, equitable, and empowering learning environments.

Dr. Novak traces her journey from being a struggling high school student to becoming an acclaimed educator and consultant, inspired by a pivotal teacher who saw her potential. She describes how her classroom transformation through UDL began when she was trained by CAST founder Dr. David Rose and eventually led to her presenting at Harvard, launching her into education consulting. Despite her accolades, Novak stays grounded in her identity as a teacher and emphasizes that at the heart of all her work is the goal of empowering learners.

Key topics explored include:

• 🧠 The Core of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
  Novak defines UDL as designing learning environments that meet the needs of all learners, not based on the teacher’s intent, but on whether any learner could access and succeed in the environment. She uses powerful metaphors—like the iPhone and a dinner buffet—to illustrate how inclusive design means offering options and flexibility, while maintaining clear, firm learning goals.
• 🍳Shifting the Role of Educators from Providers to Designers
  Novak and Martin emphasize that teachers often do too much for students, leading to burnout and missed opportunities for learners to build independence. Instead, educators must teach students how to “cook their own breakfast”—to navigate learning options and advocate for themselves.
• 🏗️ Systems-Level Change for Sustained Impact
  Novak identifies two major shifts necessary for making UDL sustainable: systems and technology. She encourages a shift away from the one-size-fits-all approach of professional development and stresses the need for systemic support, including ongoing PD, flexible scheduling, inclusive staffing models, and clear instructional visions aligned with evaluation systems.
• 💻 The Evolving Role of Technology and AI in Learning Design
  Novak expresses concern that many educators are underusing technology due to fear of distraction, rather than leveraging it to increase accessibility. She highlights that AI tools can be helpful, but only when used critically and intentionally by skilled educators, not as replacements for pedagogical expertise.
• 🧩 Learner-Centered Outcomes Over Standardized Compliance
  Both Novak and Martin stress that the goal of learner-centered, universally designed education isn’t to make school more efficient but to make it transformational. When done right, this approach boosts learner outcomes and educator joy and engagement. Novak calls for designing systems where the effort educators put in leads to meaningful results for all learners.
• ✨ Hope and Urgency for a Better System
  Novak ends with a call to align results with the effort educators are already making, urging schools to redesign systems that prioritize learner agency, engagement, and equity. She expresses gratitude for her personal life while maintaining hope that educational outcomes can and should be radically improved.

Related Resources:

• Blog: Learning Is a Process, Not an Event
  Adult learners thrive in the very same learner-centered environments that best support our younger learners. Let’s create those learning structures for adults.
• Course: Learner-Centered Foundations for Educators
  In this course, you will learn about the evolving role of the educator and the mindsets and beliefs they need to create a learner-centered environment. You will discover what a learner-centered environment looks like and how to take your next step in implementing more authentic, personalized, competency-based, and inclusive & equitable practices into learning experiences.
• Strategy: Create Learner Jobs
  Gain inspiration from authentic examples of this strategy shared by teachers who have used them with their learners.