UDL on Campus- A resource for designing and developing courses

“The UDL guidelines are organized according to the three main principles of UDL (representation, action and expression, and engagement)” (CAST, 2011, p. 12).

CAST’s graphic organizer depicts that the principles should result in resourceful, knowledgeable learners, strategic, goal-directed learners, and purposeful, motivated learners (CAST, 2011). Rose, Harbour, Johnston, Daley, and Abarbanell (2006) provided the following statements to explain each of the three main principles:

• “The first principle reflects the fact that there is no one way of presenting information or transferring knowledge that is optimal for all students” (Rose et al., 2006, p. 3).
•  “The second principle reflects the fact that there is no one means of expression that will be optimal for all students, nor one kind of scaffolding or support that will help them as they learn to express themselves” (Rose et al., 2006, p. 4).
•  “The third principle reflects the fact that not all students are engage by the sameextrinsic rewards or conditions, no do they develop intrinsic motivation along the same path” (Rose et al., 2006, p. 5).

While CAST continues to receive funding for research and development of training materials and tools. Most adopters of the professional development provided by CAST have surfaced in the elementary and secondary education systems (CAST, CAST Timeline, 2017). Thus, it is important to explore and continue researching the dissemination of the UDL principles for course development within higher education institutions. The creation of the UDL On Campus website, developed with funds by the Open Professionals Education Network (OPEN is a collaboration of higher education institutions and CAST and is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) is an example of UDL professional development resources for higher education institutions. This website offers resources divided into sections for course design, media and materials, and accessibility and policy. The UDL On Campus’ main page states,

When it comes to learning, variability is the rule not the exception. UDL is an educational framework that guides the design of learning goals, materials, methods, and assessments as well as the policies surrounding these curricular elements with the diversity of learners in mind. (CAST, UDL On Campus, 2017)

“As an approach to curriculum development, UDL ensures that students with a wide range of abilities can access and succeed in the general curriculum” (Izzo, Murray, & Novak, 2008, p. 61). Izzo et al. (2008) stated that, “the UDL framework challenges educators to rethink the nature of their curriculum and empowers them with the flexibility to serve a diverse population of learners” (p. 62).

Findings from research regarding faculty who developed face-to-face, hybrid, or online courses with the UDL framework in mind resulted with an overall increase in student engagement (Davies, Schelly, & Spooner, 2013; Scott, Temple, & Marshall, 2015 Smith, 2012). “Utilizing multiple formats, varied instructional methods, and flexible features of digital technologies, UDL can enhance learning experiences for all students” (Smith, 2012, p. 31). Additionally, Smith (2012) noted that, “the use of instructional approaches that infuse digital tools and resources, such as those embraces by UDL, are essential to engage today’s college students” (p. 36). In addition to the increase in engagement, Scott et al. (2015) found that student performance also increased with the UDL framework considered during course design and implementation.

References

CAST. (2017). CAST Timeline. Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/

CAST. (2017). UDL on Campus: Universal design for learning in higher education. Retrieved from http://www.udloncampus.org/

CAST. (2011). Universal design for learning guidelines version 2.0. Wakefield, MA: Author.

Davies, P. L., Schelly, C. L., & Spooner, C. L. (2013). Measuring the effectiveness of universal design for learning intervention in postsecondary education. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 26, 195-220.

Izzo, M. V., Murray, A., & Novak, J. (2008). The faculty perspective on universal design for learning. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 21, 60-72.

Rose, D. H., Harbour, W. S., Johnston, C. S., Daley, S. G., & Abarbanell, L. (2006). Universal design for learning in postsecondary education: Reflections on principles and their application. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 19(2), 17.

Scott, L. A., Temple, P., & Marshall, D. (2015). UDL in online college coursework: Insights of infusion and educator preparedness. Online Learning, 19(5), 99-119.

Smith, F. G. (2012). Analyzing a college course that adheres to the universal design for learning (UDL) framework. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 12(3), 31-61.

Submitted by:

Janie Szabo Instructional Designer Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology