National Forum Seminar Series presentation by Karen Buckley, Academic Developer, DCU. Wednesday 6th November, University of Limerick Promoting Inclusivity through Universal Design for Learning

1. Promoting Inclusivity through
Universal Design for Learning
Karen Buckley
Dublin City University

3. Welcome
@ForumTL
@Karen_Buckley_
#NFSeminar
#UDL

4. Intended Outcomes
o Identify and understand the principles of Universal Design for
Learning (UDL)
o Discuss the advantages of applying UDL in Higher Education
o Evaluate approaches to UDL adopted by other institutions and note
successes and challenges in implementing UDL principles in
different settings
o Apply UDL principles in their own practice to promote and
implement an inclusive teaching and learning environment

5. Universal Design for Learning
Image: Universal Design for Learning by Giulia Forsythe on Flickr

6. Universal Design for Learning is a framework to
improve and optimise teaching and learning by
removing barriers in the environment
Cast Symposium: UDL for Social Justice 2017
Shaping Change in an Educational Setting

7. Some Potential Benefits of UDL
A curriculum and environment
that allows students to learn their
way.
Variety and choice built into the
curriculum.
Less need to visit specialised
support services.

8. Reduce the need for
individualised supports and the
associated cost savings.
Better outcomes for all students,
not just students with disabilities
or international students.
Lower drop-out rates.
A more diverse student body.
For Institutions

9. How can UDL benefit your practice?
A lens to examine your teaching, learning and
assessment practice
A guided opportunity for you to use your own
experience and creativity to make a positive impact
on the learning experience for all learners

10. Three Principles of UDL
Multiple means of Engagement
• to tap into learners' interests, offer appropriate challenges, and
increase motivation.
Multiple means of Representation
• to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge
Multiple means of Expression
• to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know

11. What brings you here?
Your UDL experience
Intentions for future
practice

12. Multiple Means of Engagement
The Neuroscience: relating to the Affective
Networks in the centre of the brain
Ultimate Goal: To develop learners who are
‘Purposeful & Motivated’
The 3 Key Guidelines Provide options for…
• Recruiting Interest
• Sustaining Effort and Persistence
• Self-Regulation

13. What can this principle offer?
• Provide choice in assessment
• Build relationships with students
• Foster a sense of belonging
• Clarify the learning objectives and goals
• Provide learners with coping skills
• Develop self assessment

14. Barriers? Opportunities?
How can we help our
learners to engage
with their peers and
the wider institution?
How can we stimulate
the interest of our
learners and motivate
them to engage with
curriculum?
How can value our
learners contribution?

15. Simulating and maintaining the learners’ interest
- Set positive learning
expectations
- Facilitate coping skills -
rubrics
- Encourage learning strategies

17. Multiple Means of Representation
The Neuroscience: relating to the Recognition
Networks at the back of the brain
Ultimate Goal: To develop learners who are
‘Resourceful & Knowledgeable’
The 3 Key Guidelines Provide options for…
• Perception
• Language and Symbols
• Comprehension

18. What can this principle offer?
 All learners can participate and have equal
chance to meet the learning outcomes
 Offer many ways to learn; visual, auditory..
 Provide guidelines for processing skills and
tasks
 Use straightforward instructions

19. Some
prompts
Our learners have varying levels of
physical/cognitive ability and differ widely in the
ways that they perceive and comprehend
information:
 How can we ensure that we are giving our
learners what they need to understand the
material we present?
 How can we leverage multimedia, active learning
and peer to peer learning to retain attention and
provide variety for our learners?
 How can we scaffold our learners use of
technology to enhance their learning?

20. Presenting knowledge in various ways
- Clear course description and
learning outcomes
- Clarify technical language,
vocabulary or symbols
- Make materials available in
advance

22. Multiple Means of Expression
The Neuroscience: relating to the
Strategic Networks at the front of the
brain
Ultimate Goal: To develop learners who
are ‘Strategic & Goal-Directed’
The 3 Key Guidelines:
• Physical Action
• Expression and Communication
• Executive Functions

23. What could this look like in practice?
Flexible learning tools, VLE, multimedia
Provision of assistive technology to support learning
Provision of choice
Regular, useful feedback on performance
Parity of effort in assessment

25. To enhance the inclusivity of the
learning experience, we will promote
the principles of UDL in the design and
delivery of all our programmes
The DCU Ambition

26. Strategic Plan
2017-2022
Development of
UDL Policy in DCU
Staff Development &
Support
UDL Procedural
Guidelines
VLE Toolkit
Working Group
UDL at DCU

27. UDL Steering Committee
DCU Quality Promotion Office
Quality Improvement & Development (QuID) Funding
Mission to create staff awareness of UDL in DCU and
promote principles in teaching, learning and assessment

28. Survey to all staff and students in DCU using our
Moodle Platform
Self- Reporting practices on thematic areas,
underpinned by the principles and practice of
UDL
The real issues for DCU Staff
UDL Survey

29. The Sipping Point
Informal campus-wide community to enable staff
across all disciplines to learn from colleagues about
aspects of teaching practice.
－Opportunity to meet allies
－Identify staff with knowledge and experience
－Discussion of potential challenges for staff
－Invited staff to form the UDL working group
－Learn more about the Sipping Point here
Karen Buckley Teaching Enhancement Unit

30. UDL Working Group
Agree Terms of Reference &
identified actions:
• UDL policy for DCU
• Develop Resources
• Staff Training and Development

31. National Forum Seminar
Visit from Dr. Abigail
Moriarty of De
Montfort University

32. Policy Sub-Group
- Consultation with policy experts
- Drafted policy and circulated for feedback
- Identified owner of policy
- Linked to Strategic Plan 2017-2022
- Presentation to Senior Management in May 2019

33. Resources Sub-Group
Responsible for drafting procedures, guidelines and protocols that
emerge from policy
Developed Staff Page on VLE
Consulting with 5 faculties in DCU to make discipline resources
Modelling best practice

34. Staff Development Sub-group
AHEAD UDL Digital Badge
Administrative access to LinkedIn Learning to host
staff development & training courses

35. Getting UDL on the Agenda
o Strategy - the big bang V the slow burn
o Networking - talking UDL
o Find your allies - cross-university
o Identify possible ‘champions’
o Seek opportunities

36. Next Steps?
Policy approval
Sustain interest
Implementation plan
Further research

37. How to get started
Start with small steps and select a specific challenge or issue.
Set learning goals with your learners and then provide multiple ways
for them to access materials.
Allow learners drive the changes. Have them be partners in learning.
Think about how you deliver your programme, reconsider
assessment design.
Develop a community of practice, share your experiences in
implementing UDL.

38. Reflect
Identify
InvestigateTeach
Assess
Nelson, L. L. (2014). Design and
deliver. Planning and teaching using
Universal Design for Learning.

39. Discussion

40. Karen Buckley
Academic Developer
Teaching Enhancement Unit
T: +353 1 700 8401 | E: karen.buckley@dcu.ie
Glasnevin Campus, Dublin City University
www.dcu.ie/teu

41. Further Reading
https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2086/17
059/UDL_Literature_Review.01.11.18.pdf?sequence=1&isA
llowed=y
http://udlguidelines.cast.org/more/research-evidence
http://udloncampus.cast.org
www.udl-irn.org
ww.udll.eu