Universal Design for Learning in Practice

We have just concluded our pilot cohort of Universal Design for Learning in Practice. If you are interested in joining us for the Fall 2023 cohort, please email us at classes@emory.edu and we will let you know when the application in available.

Join Our Pilot Cohort for Spring 2023

Academic Technology Services Teaching and Learning Technologies is offering a four-week training program on Universal Design for Learning starting Tuesday, March 14.

Universal Design for Learning (or UDL) is a framework for inclusive pedagogy that addresses the needs of students of varying abilities, backgrounds, and identities. Implementing UDL strategies into your Canvas course, assessments, syllabus, and overall teaching can help simplify your design process and improve outcomes for all students, especially from an accessibility standpoint. You can read more about UDL in higher education on the CAST website.

The Universal Design for Learning in Practice cohort program is designed to give Emory faculty and graduate teaching assistants the information and skills to begin implementing UDL into their Canvas learning environment and overall course design. The objective is to prepare for designing a new course or redesigning an old course using UDL.

Meeting Dates

Tuesdays, 12-2 pm

March 14–April 4, 2023

The first session is face-to-face in the Teaching & Learning Lab in Woodruff Library (with virtual option) and the remaining sessions are online via Zoom.

Program Details

The program consists of four weeks of learning content and intentional activities that instructors can use to practice applying their skills to existing or in-progress Canvas courses. After the four weeks, they can continue to interact with the cohort, ask questions, and share progress in the Discussion forum for the cohort Canvas site.

Facilitators

  • Jenn Sutcliffe, Educational Analyst, Teaching & Learning Technologies
  • Alicia Lane, Graduate Assistant for Learning Design and Technology, Center for Faculty Development and Excellence

Week 1: Understanding UDL

  • Lesson: Introduction to the UDL principles, with examples; accessibility issues in Canvas
  • Discussion: How UDL fits into the higher education paradigm
  • Application: Use the Accessibility Checker in Canvas; create personal goals for the program

Week 2: Strategies for Course Organization and Content

  • Lesson: Strategies for implementing UDL in Canvas; example course site and connection to in-person teaching
  • Discussion: Challenges and opportunities of UDL
  • Application: Planning exercise for incorporating UDL into a course

Week 3: Designing Assessments

  • Lesson: Examples of UDL-style assessments and how to build them in Canvas
  • Discussion: Responding to different learner needs through assessments
  • Application: Planning exercise for designing an assessment with UDL

Week 4: Syllabus Workshop

  • Lesson: Strategies for applying UDL to your syllabus
  • Workshop: Step-by-step walkthrough and examples
  • Application: Syllabus design exercise