Improve the Flipped Classroom With Universal Design for Learning

Author(s):  
Thomas J. Tobin ◽  
Barbi Honeycutt

The flipped-classroom approach has been adopted widely across higher education. Some faculty members have moved away from it because of the perceived workload required in order to implement a full course “flip.” Faculty members can adopt the three principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in order to reduce their own workload and make their flipped-classroom content and interactions more engaging, meaningful, and accessible for students. Adopting both the classroom flip and UDL provides benefits to learners and instructors that go beyond adopting either separately.

Author(s):  
Thomas J. Tobin ◽  
Barbi Honeycutt

The flipped-classroom approach has been adopted widely across higher education. Some faculty members have moved away from it because of the perceived workload required in order to implement a full course “flip.” Faculty members can adopt the three principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in order to reduce their own workload and make their flipped-classroom content and interactions more engaging, meaningful, and accessible for students. Adopting both the classroom flip and UDL provides benefits to learners and instructors that go beyond adopting either separately.


Author(s):  
Frederic Fovet

Diverse learners are increasingly present in higher education (HE) and now represent a significant percentage of the student body. HE pedagogy has not always evolved rapidly enough to meet the expectations of non-traditional learners, and there is at present, at times, a distinct clash of culture. The new for pedagogical renewal is particularly felt in the area of classroom activities—with the traditional lecture increasingly under criticism—and assessment. Universal design for learning (UDL) is appearing increasingly promising in this landscape, but there remain doubts, for many faculty members, as to how one can inject more flexibility into classroom activities and assessment without affecting standards or learning objectives. This chapter will examine a phenomenological exploration of the ways UDL serves as a convenient framework for reflection on the transformation of classroom activities and assessment.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elliott Spaeth ◽  
Amy Pearson

With the number of neurodivergent students entering Higher Education increasing, it is essential that we understand how to provide an inclusive educational experience which facilitates positive wellbeing. In this reflective analysis we draw upon our position as neurodivergent academics alongside relevant theory and literature to foster understanding and provide practical strategies for those supporting neurodivergent students. We emphasise the importance of questioning normative assumptions around expected student learning behaviours, and the negative impact that these assumptions can have upon neurodivergent students. We then provide several practical strategies that can be used to develop more inclusive practice, drawing upon principles embedded within a Universal Design for Learning approach.


Author(s):  
Carl D Westine ◽  
Beth Oyarzun ◽  
Lynn Ahlgrim-Delzell ◽  
Amanda Casto ◽  
Cornelia Okraski ◽  
...  

This study investigated online faculty familiarity, course design use, and professional development interest regarding universal design for learning (UDL) guidelines. The researchers surveyed all 2017 to 2018 online faculty at a large university in the southeastern United States. Findings included 71.6% of faculty reporting familiarity with at least one UDL guideline, with most respondents indicating familiarity with guidelines relating to perception, expression, and communication. Faculty reported the highest implementation of UDL guidelines was for those suggesting options for comprehension as well as expression and communication; the lowest implementation was for those suggesting options for physical action as well as language and support. Survey results also indicated high to moderate interest in learning more about all UDL guidelines, with emphasis on comprehension, persistence, and expression. This study suggests that faculty members desire UDL training and offers possibilities for planning and implementing such professional development in areas targeted to best meet the needs of online faculty.


Author(s):  
Thomas A. Delaney ◽  
Maiko Hata

Studying English is challenging and, for many learners, undiagnosed learning disabilities can present a serious threat to their success. Recent studies indicate that up to 10% of the world population has a non-apparent disability, such as autism or dyslexia. At the same time, few English language learner (ELL) instructors in higher education have training in learning disabilities, and they are often unsure of how to support learners who seem to have extra challenges. This is especially true when it comes to assessment, as instructors often rely on traditional tools that could negatively affect the validity of the assessment outcomes. In this brief reflection, the authors share how instructors can apply the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to their assessment practices to support students with disabilities, regardless of diagnostic status. First, disabilities that affect language learning will be briefly discussed, followed by the explanation of how English to speakers of other languages (ESOL) assessments present specific challenges for students with disabilities. Then, the authors will provide an overview of UDL theory, which proposes that learners with disabilities are often best served by accommodations in representation, expression and engagement that can benefit the entire class. Most of the paper will focus on specific, practical strategies for implementing UDL within assessment in higher education. Such strategies include building executive function, implementing multi-channel assessment, and learning about students through an “evaluation loop.”


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth M. Dalton ◽  
Marcia Lyner-Cleophas ◽  
Britt T. Ferguson ◽  
Judith McKenzie

Around the world, institutions of higher education are recognising their responsibilities to achieve the full inclusion of individuals with differing needs and/or disabilities. The frameworks of universal design (UD) and universal design for learning (UDL) offer unique ways to build inclusiveness in our systems. The role of UD and UDL to strengthen successful inclusion of persons with differing needs in higher education programmes is presented from literature, inclusive of national and international policies and resources. Examples from South African and US institutions of higher learning are shared. Discussions of online accessibility, environmental issues, professional development, barriers to inclusion and recommendations for future development in an international context provide a vision for developing inclusive learning environments in higher education.


Author(s):  
Laura R. Ficarra ◽  
Deborah A. Chapin

The purpose of this chapter is to explore the use of a course management system (CMS) platform, Blackboard, which offers a framework for electronic resources accessed via technology (i.e., discussion boards, online tutorials, simulations, etc.), and will speak to how using CMS in this fashion allows teachers in higher education to address universal design for learning (UDL) in a way that is responsive to various learner profiles. This chapter offers an investigation of the implications of using CMS as a flexible method to employ UDL via blended learning and its influence on students in institutions of higher education (IHE). The authors provide strategies that emphasize best practice based on research in conjunction with their combined varied and extensive experience teaching face-to-face, blended, and asynchronous online courses in IHL.


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