Introduction to Universal Design for Learning: What? Why? and How?

Event Date & Time

Event Description

This event is part of the 2022 Celebrate Learning Week.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has emerged as a prominent and important pedagogical framework for the inclusion of accessible learning at all levels of education. UDL fundamentally asks, “Is the design of my course accessible?” Rather than setting course curricula first and then adding teaching methods to accommodate specific learning needs, designing a course through UDL focuses on embedding different options of representation, expression and engagement to make course content and delivery more accessible to a diversity of student learning abilities and styles.

In this workshop, we will examine UDL, its principles and how it works. I will share an example of a course design with the UDL lens and discuss the different impacts on the student and teacher experience. Finally, you will have the opportunity to look directly at some of the challenges you may have in the classroom around accessibility and discuss in teams how UDL could help with these challenges and improve the accessibility of your course design.

At the end of this UDL workshop, you will be able to:

• Explain how the main theoretical elements of UDL can enhance accessible course design
• Apply the UDL framework in practical ways when reviewing your course design

Facilitator:

• Antoine Coulombe, Assistant Professor of Teaching, UBC Vancouver School of Social Work