Rethinking Course Design, Redesign & Pedagogy: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Using an EDI Lens

Summary

This webinar focuses on course design and redesign, emphasizing the integration of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) principles. The speaker discusses strategies for creating inclusive learning environments, including addressing diverse student needs and leveraging technology for accessibility. They explain UDL’s history and principles, highlighting the importance of providing multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression. The session also touches on the significance of social location factors in education and the importance of designing equitable learning opportunities. The goal is to help educators foster expert learners and create inclusive, accessible educational experiences.

Takeaways

• 😀 Design and redesign activities are essential for refreshing courses ahead of the new academic year, particularly for ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in course content.
• 😀 EDI principles are central to course design and are used to address challenges faced by students from diverse social locations such as ability, ethnicity, gender, and more.
• 😀 Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides strategies to support all learners by addressing variability in how students learn and by offering inclusive teaching methods.
• 😀 The principle of UDL emphasizes the importance of creating learning environments where all students can thrive, regardless of their individual differences.
• 😀 UDL is based on neuroscience and technology, developed with the collaboration of experts in the 1980s to address learning disabilities and promote inclusive education.
• 😀 The UDL framework helps educators provide flexible and varied means of engagement, representation, and action for students, ensuring equitable learning opportunities for all.
• 😀 The goal of UDL is to ensure all learners can become expert learners by creating personalized and supportive learning experiences.
• 😀 UDL principles include providing multiple means of engagement, representation, and action/expression, ensuring students have diverse ways to engage with content.
• 😀 Educators should use the UDL framework to foster motivation and persistence in students by offering opportunities for choice, relevance, and self-regulation.
• 😀 Offering varied learning materials and scaffolds, such as visual, auditory, and digital resources, enhances comprehension and supports diverse learning styles.
• 😀 Combining UDL with EDI allows educators to create inclusive, accessible, and equitable learning environments that support students' individual needs and challenges.

Q & A

What is the significance of course design and redesign in preparing for a new academic year?

Course design and redesign are essential activities that help re-energize and update courses, ensuring they are ready for the upcoming academic year. This process incorporates fresh approaches and strategies to meet the needs of diverse students.

How does EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) connect with course design and redesign?

EDI is used as a platform to foster inclusive teaching and learning strategies within course design and redesign. By integrating EDI principles, courses can better address the diverse needs of students, considering factors like ability, ethnicity, and gender.

What is the role of UDL (Universal Design for Learning) in addressing student diversity?

UDL is a teaching framework that helps educators design courses that accommodate the diverse learning needs of all students. It focuses on providing multiple means of engagement, representation, and action, ensuring that every student can succeed regardless of their background or abilities.

What is the 'tree climbing' analogy used in the presentation?

The 'tree climbing' analogy is used to illustrate how a single, standardized task (climbing a tree) is not fair to students with different abilities. It emphasizes the challenges of a one-size-fits-all approach in education and the importance of inclusive strategies that cater to student diversity.

What are the seven principles of Universal Design in architecture, and how do they relate to UDL?

The seven principles of Universal Design in architecture are: equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use. These principles share similarities with UDL, which applies these ideas to learning environments, ensuring that all students can engage with and benefit from the material.

What is the historical background of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?

UDL originated at the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) in the 1980s. It was developed with the goal of using neuroscience and computer technology to enhance learning for students with disabilities. It has since evolved to focus on supporting all students by leveraging technology and inclusive teaching strategies.

What are the three core principles of UDL?

The three core principles of UDL are: 1) Providing multiple means of engagement to motivate and sustain students' interest, 2) Providing multiple means of representation to cater to different learning styles, and 3) Providing multiple means of action and expression to give students varied ways to demonstrate their learning.

What is meant by 'desirable difficulties' in the context of UDL?

Desirable difficulties refer to the learning challenges that are intentionally designed to stretch students' abilities. By incorporating these difficulties, educators can help students develop deeper understanding and problem-solving skills, ultimately fostering expert learners.

How does UDL support the concept of expert learners?

UDL supports expert learners by offering flexible means of engagement, representation, and expression. It ensures that students can meet high standards through personalized and challenging learning experiences, which help them become resourceful, knowledgeable, and strategic in their learning.

What strategies are recommended for supporting student engagement in a UDL-based classroom?

To support student engagement, instructors can offer choices in learning activities, align lessons with clear objectives, and provide varied resources to prevent frustration. Encouraging collaboration, self-reflection, and feedback can also help students stay motivated and persistent in their learning.