Student Centered Teaching Through Universal Instructional Design

UD: Historical Context• Stems from legislation for individuals with

disabilities

• Emerged from the need to have environments that enhanced people’s ability to function well

• Access features are built in, not added as an afterthought

• Looks beyond the letter of the law to the spirit of the law emphasizing social justice and systemic change in attitudes and behaviors

• Puts high value on both diversity and inclusiveness

Ron Mace: Father of “Universal Design”

• Architectural term coined by Ron Mace

“Universal design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design”

The Center for Universal Design North Carolina State University

Examples of Universal Design

• Curb cuts on sidewalks• Screens in public places• Automatic electronic doors• Closed captioning on TV• Wheelchair ramps to building entrances• Tool grips that can be used by left-handed or right-

handed individuals• Universal symbols that communicate function

(restroom signage)

Universal Design in Education

• Is an approach to designing course instruction, materials, and content to benefit people of all learning styles without adaptation or retrofitting

• Provides equal access to learning, not simply equal access to information

(From Fast Facts for Faculty Ohio State University)

UID principles can be applied to:

• Design of curriculum, instruction and assessment

• Design of specific instructional materials• Design of facilities (buildings, classrooms)• Design of strategies (lectures, classroom

discussion, group work, web based instruction, labs, field work and demonstrations)

UID is important because:

Learners have • diverse backgrounds • diverse strengths• diverse challenges• individual learning preferences

4 with auditory learning

disabilities

1-3 with mobility limitatio

ns

5-8 who are underprepa

red

1-3 with medical conditio

ns

2-4 with mental health issues

50Postsecond

arystudents

4 with different cultural

background

1 with lower ability

1-2 with visual or hearing

impairments

1-2 with visual/

organizational

learning disabilities

2-4 with attention deficits

Universal Instructional Design

• Universal - Not a single, “one-size-fits-all” solution but rather the focus is on flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs

• Instructional - Maintains academic rigor even while offering options and alternatives for delivery of the curriculum

• Design - Planned, purposeful, deliberate approach to optimizing all of the resources to serve the students and instructors alike

Universal Instructional Design1. Create a welcoming classroom

2. Determine the essential components of the course

3. Communicate clear expectations

4. Provide constructive feedback

5. Explore the use of natural supports for learning, including technology, to enhance opportunities for all learners

6. Design teaching methods that consider diverse learning styles, abilities, ways of knowing and previous experience and background knowledge

7. Create multiple ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge

8. Promote interaction among and between faculty and students

Principle 1 Create A Welcoming Environment

Principle 1Create a Welcoming Environment

Students, from all backgrounds, find this course a safe & fair learning environment because …

• physical environment is accessible & comfortable

• faculty promote and respect diversity

• faculty establish ground rules to honor all students

• students have an effective orientation to the course

• faculty design an inclusive syllabus

• faculty get to know students

Principle 1Creating an Accessible Environment

• Can every student get into the classroom?

• Can every student navigate the room?

• Does everyone have a choice of where to sit?

• Can everyone see and hear the instructor?

• Are the accessibility features on the AV equipment on?

Principle 1Create a Welcoming Environment

Possible Goals for the First Day of Class• Motivating students regarding course

outcomes• Framing the course content• Establishing expectations for workload• Assessing students Informally• Creating a comfortable class climate• Engaging with course content• Informing on essential administrative and

immediate Student Tasks

Principle 1Create a Welcoming Environment

Strategies• Design inclusive syllabus

• "Any students with a need for reasonable accommodations are encouraged to discuss this with me after class or during office hours. Students must be registered with Disability Services to receive accommodations.“

• Establish ground rules to honor all students

• Acknowledge diversity of students

ACeS Faculty Strategies:Creating a Welcoming Environment

• Mini-Biography Card

• Debunking Math Myths

• Syllabus Revisions

Principle 2 Determine Essential Components of a Course

Principle 2Essential Course Components

• What are the outcomes• skills • knowledge • attitudes

all students must demonstrate with or without using accommodations

• Differentiate what is “essential” knowledge for a course vs. what the professor would “prefer” a student to know

Principle 2 Essential Course Components

In determining essential components of a course, consider:

• College standards and requirements

• Departmental standards and requirements

• Course description

• Learning objectives/outcomes

• External licensing requirements

Principle 2Essential Course Components

• Purpose of the course – in lecture or syllabus• “Frame the course” – The five essential

questions this course will answer are…• Use a graphic flow chart or concept map of the

course to explain how the course fits in with the program or major

• Outcomes required of all students • What must all students know and be able to do

by the conclusion of the course?• Why must students be able to do or know it?

ACeS Faculty Strategies:Essential Course Components

Principle 3Communicate Clear Expectations

Principle 3Communicate Clear Expectations

• What the students will be expected to learn

• What the students will be expected to do

• How the students will be evaluated

• What resources are available to students

Principle 3Communicate Clear Expectations

Syllabus elements• Introductory information• Contact information• Essential components and course prerequisites • Course goals and learning objectives• Textbooks and readings• Course calendar or listing of topics• Additional materials required• Grading procedures• Course policies• Helpful tips or strategies• Disability statement

Principle 3Communicate Clear Expectations

Strategies• Organization

• Organize materials, including course management sites, in a way that makes them easy to navigate

• Provide consistent procedures for assignments, quizzes, etc.

• Review important course information to enhance understanding

• Review syllabus at the start of class and again a week later

• Explain and discuss rules more than once

Principle 3 Communicate Clear Expectations

Strategies• Quality work

• Provide examples of good quality papers and projects

• Post the examples online• Grading

• Use rubrics to communicate how performance translates to grade

• Provide a chart for students to use to track their own grades

• Return graded items in a timely manner

ACeS Faculty Strategies: Communicating Clear Expectations

• Student Friendly Language• Table of Contents with Simplified Language• Friendlier Format• Visual Icons • Color coded assignments with pie chart of

grading percentages• Assignments in calendar format• Interactive elements within syllabus• Highlighters distributed for syllabus review

Principle 4 Provide Constructive Feedback

Principle 4 Provide Constructive Feedback • Provide feedback that is:

• specific• relevant• timely• frequent• accurate• offers a mix of positive and corrective

feedback

Principle 4 Provide Constructive Feedback

• Provide feedback at regular intervals regarding:

• In-class assignments

• Short-term assignments

• Long-term assignments

• Group work

• Class participation

• Tests/evaluations

Principle 4Provide Constructive Feedback

Strategies

• Use rubrics to communicate how students’ performance translates to their grade

• Structure long-term assignments providing students with the option of turning in sections and/or early drafts for constructive feedback

• Provide feedback that includes an explanation for both correct and incorrect answers

• Include suggestions for improvement

ACeS Faculty Strategies: Providing Constructive Feedback

• Progress reports

• Remediate multiple choice sections on exams

• Homework checklist/chart for recording grades

• Review assignments/provide feedback

• Contract

Principle 5 Explore Use of Natural Supports for Learning, Including Technology, to Enhance Opportunities for all Learners

Principle 5Using Natural Supports

• Non-accommodation based strategies that are built into the course to benefit all students

• Usually leads to better outcomes for students

Principle 5 Using Natural Supports for Learning

• Deliver content in a variety of ways:• Lectures• Discussion• Group work• Hands on activities• Internet based strategies• Educational software• Fieldwork

• Use media in lectures – diagrams, charts, illustrations, videos, etc.

• Use captioning in videos• Consider “podcasting” lectures

Strategies• Provide multiple means of access to class lecture

(Power Point, word doc,) posted on BlackBoard

• Allows all students to independently adapt materials to meet their needs (large print, print notes, preview lecture material, text to speech)

• Post instructions to access free assistive technology (Readplease, etc.)

• Consider a book selection that includes an electronic version

Principle 5Using Natural Supports

Principle 5Using Natural Supports in Lectures

• Repeat comments made and questions asked by other students before responding

• “Chunk” information — grouping words, ideas, concepts and thoughts together to make comprehension easier

• Use “Pause Procedure” – short periodic break that allows students to reflect, review or discuss content and can be beneficial for retention and comprehension of material

• Provide Advance Organizers —assist with organizing thoughts and presenting material in an organized manner

ACeS Faculty Strategies:Using Natural Supports

• Reorganize BlackBoard• YouTube videos• Narrated PowerPoint slides• Web animations• Read all quizzes aloud• Flash cards for important terms

Principle 6Design Teaching Methods that Consider Diverse Learning Styles, Abilities, Ways of Knowing, Previous Experiences and Background Knowledge

Principle 6 Design Teaching Methods

• Use Multiple Means of Representation• present ideas in multiple ways• use multimodal instructional strategies to meet a variety of learner

preferences• Learning style assessment and activities

• Use Multiple Means of Expression• provide students with multiple ways to express their

comprehension of topics

• Use Multiple Means of Engagement• tap into students’ interests• challenge them appropriately• motivate them to learn

ACeS Faculty Strategies: Designing Teaching Methods

• Learning Styles Assessment• Provide models for assignments• Video Clips of business presentations• AV texts for student comprehension• Reading texts for auditory learners• Projects assigned based on learning style• Provide written text of film narration to support

student comprehension

Principle 7Create Multiple Ways for Students to Demonstrate Their Knowledge

Principle 7 Demonstrate Knowledge

Using different methods of assessment• allows students to capitalize on their

strengths• allows students to utilize background

experiences• may produce less anxiety for the student• provides opportunity to try something new• should continue to reflect essential course

components/outcomes

Principle 7 Demonstrate Knowledge

Strategies• Use a variety of graded assessments (papers,

shorter quizzes, presentations)

• Use multiple formats on exams: essay, short answer, objective

• Allow students to choose between equally weighted sections

• Exam has 2 essays, multiple choice, and short answer questions from which students choose a specified number of sections to complete

Principle 7 Demonstrate Knowledge

Strategies• Provide choices in graded assignments

• final exam or final paper• Provide choices for demonstrating knowledge

• writing a paper• presenting a speech• conducting a multimedia project

• Consider administration circumstances• timed/untimed• individual/group administration• in-class/take home

ACeS Faculty Strategies: Ways to Demonstrate Knowledge

• Portfolio Assessment

• Offer assessment online or in hard copy

• Read all quizzes aloud

• Reformat examinations

• Remediate multiple choice section on exams

Principle 8Promote Interaction Between Faculty and Students

Principle 8 Promote Interaction

• Use instructional environment to promote interaction and communication between students, and between students & faculty

• Offer an opportunity for student consultation with faculty

• Allow for the development of relationships

Principle 8 Promote Interaction

Strategies• Foster student-to-student interaction

• chat rooms, discussion groups, email, study groups

• Plan classroom activities that encourage cooperative interactions between students

• Foster faculty-to-student interaction • learning names and information about students’ learning needs,

interests & out of class experiences

• discuss your personal experiences, as appropriate, i.e. in college, feeling overwhelmed, study mistakes

ACeS Faculty Strategies:Promoting Interaction

• Base Groups

• Mini-Biography Card

Implementing Universal Instructional Design in the Classroom

Implementing UID In The Classroom

Please reflect on the UID strategies we have discussed in this training.

• What principles are you already using?

• What principles might you apply in your classroom?

• What challenges might you face when incorporating UID principles?

Universal Instructional DesignCan Help You…

• be mindful about removing barriers to learning

• meet the needs of diverse learners• reduce the need for individual

accommodations

Using Universal Instructional Design

• Start with something small• Don’t be afraid to experiment• There is no magic formula—consider

student needs• UID can’t solve every

instructional/curricular issue• UID is measured on a continuum