Universal Instructional Design Research Articles

Bones at Home

Remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a range of pedagogical challenges for anthropology laboratory courses. In biological anthropology courses such as Human Osteology, hands-on experience is essential to achieving learning outcomes, including basic bone and feature (i.e., landmark) identification, identification from fragmentary remains, and age and sex estimation. To address the need for training that includes object-based, tactile (haptic) learning in fields such as biological anthropology and archaeology, all Human Osteology students at Mount Royal University and the University of Manitoba took home plastic model skeletons. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how well remotely educated undergraduates (REUs) met human osteology learning objectives when supported by plastic model skeletons at home. We present the results of a survey designed to test core osteological skills obtained by REUs in comparison with undergraduates educated with in-person laboratory components (IPUs) and experts in the field (zero to four and five or more years of experience). REU scores did not differ significantly from those of IPU or Junior Experts with less than five years of experience. Students performed well in bone identification but were limited in their ability to apply common sex and age estimation methods and to identify incomplete elements. Our findings reinforce the importance of haptic learning and years of experience in human osteological learning. They support the use of take-home models as valuable resources in both remote and in-person undergraduate teaching. This work is a step toward more inclusive universal instructional design that can be applied across various anthropology laboratory courses.

Redesigning the survey course: A focus on music, historically excluded identities, and the canon

AbstractSo‐called survey courses have been a persistent but contested genre in world languages, especially in regard to “the canon,” an unstable concept that has historically determined the textual choices of such surveys. This article presents a case study for redesigning the survey course genre in line with theory to diversify, decolonize, and decanonize the curriculum. It discusses a number of steps concerning the theoretical background, textual improvements, approaches to assignments, classroom atmosphere, and general pedagogy. It reflects on questions of positionality, institutional support, and workload. Focusing on music and short texts, the survey course described here questions the common practices and core values of German studies, music history, and musicology, and takes a critical stance toward privilege and power. In this context, the course counters tokenization, juxtaposes non‐canonical and canonical works, and focuses on inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility work, as well as universal instructional design principles and social justice education. Thus, the survey becomes a new genre—one that still offers students the breadth of cultural production but relies on a particular set of prerequisites determined by factors such as the space, time, and accessibility of a course, as well as the identity markers of instructor and students.

How inclusivity can help develop machine translation (MT) literacy and autonomy

This article reports on the innovative design of an autonomy workshop that allowed us to accommodate the very diverse social and learning background of our students. We based the inclusive strategies on the Universal Design for Instruction (UDI) (Scott and Edwards 2018) and specifically worked on the choice of tools, the task creation process and the method of instruction. This design also help foster learners’ autonomy and their digital literacy, alongside most traditional language-related goals.

Teaching Note—Incorporating Universal Instructional Design in Social Work Education: A Practical Application

ABSTRACT Universal instructional design (UID) is a framework that promotes a shift from individual remedial interventions to holistic learning models that are student-centered, accessible, and inclusive. Students with disabilities frequently report barriers that make educational experiences difficult, and recent studies report that students with disabilities experience ableism in their social work programs. UID strategies can decrease the need for students to make difficult self-disclosures to obtain academic accommodations, as learner diversity and accessibility are incorporated into all aspects of the course design and delivery. In this teaching note, we apply a UID framework adopted in social work education, illustrating how social work instructors can successfully implement UID principles into their teaching repertoires to enrich the social work education of all learners.

Universal Design for Learning and Instruction: Effective Strategies for Inclusive Higher Education

Guaranteeing inclusive, high-quality education for all requires comprehensive changes to the curriculum so that, instead of creating or perpetuating barriers, these barriers are eliminated. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Universal Design for Instruction (UDI) emerge as teaching strategies that encourage inclusion in education. This study presents the implementation of both models within the higher education framework, applying them to the Spanish Sign Language and Deaf Communities degree that is studied by a large number of deaf students. For this purpose, a descriptive study is presented with a quantitative methodological approach using a survey as an instrument. Four dimensions were established for designing the curriculum: course materials, teaching strategies, synchronous course management, and asynchronous. After student assessment, the results revealed their high level of satisfaction and the importance these teaching strategies had for their motivation, comprehension, and learning of the relevant competencies. There was also recognition of the importance of blended teaching methods for active learning as a vehicle for increasing student involvement and participation. This study concludes that it is necessary to continue progressing in the practical implementation of teaching models based on Universal Design, which also supports course management.

Suitability of Online Higher Education for Learners with Disabilities: The Students’ Voices

Online higher education has the potential to offer extra benefits for students with disabilities in comparison with campus-based universities, but it can also cause them some challenges. This case study addresses why students with disabilities choose online studies and how a fully online educational model fits their expectations and needs. Twenty-four students living with physical, sensory, mental, and learning disabilities participated in semi-structured interviews from which we identified six main themes: flexibility, accessibility, curricular design, online interaction, online collaboration, and psycho-emotional wellbeing. These students find online studies flexible, accessible, and helpful for their psycho-emotional wellbeing, but still challenging for interacting and collaborating. Our findings emphasize the importance of applying the Universal Instructional Design for Online Learning in combination with the Universal Design for Learning principles to enhance the inclusion of students with diverse profiles in online learning, as well as offering personalized support for those with severe or multiple disabilities.

Mobile Learning Grounded on Universal Instructional Design Principles on the Shift to Emergency Online Education

The onset of COVID-19 transmissions enforced school closures worldwide to restrict health threats particularly to students and teachers. Educational responses are developed to pursue the goals of education amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Among these educational responses is the integration of technology in acquiring knowledge through Mobile Learning or M-learning. This article presents the benefits, universal design principles, and strategies of Mobile Learning for the purpose of convenient and accessible learning through the use of mobile phones and ubiquitous technologies. Nonetheless, gaps in curriculum planning, course contents, and technological expertise among instructors need to be addressed to reinforce the implementation of effective Mobile Learning.

The Social and Transfer Massive Open Online Course: Post-Digital Learning

This research provides a current view on post-digital learning experiences with a massive open online course (MOOC), in relation to user profiles, universal instructional design, digital resources, inclusive activities and collaborative assessment. The study is based on a mixed research methodology, creating a questionnaire aimed at people with experience in any MOOC typology, in which the learning methodology, the instructional didactic design of the MOOCs, the resources, proposed activities, and accessibility are analyzed. Additionally, interviews and focus groups were carried out with the creators of massive open online social courses alongside the students of the official Master of Communication and Education on the Internet, offered by the UNED (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia—Spain), with the subject of virtual participation scenarios. The data obtained are subjected to statistical tests to determine the scientific rigor, such as Cronbach’s alpha, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test, and the non-parametric tests of Spearman’s correlation coefficient and Kendall’s Tau b. In conclusion, the social massive open online course/transfer massive open online course model is evidenced as a projected approach in social networks. The sMOOC and tMOOC are online training models, which are in constant development and evolution, as a social, creative, collaborative, interactive, and inclusive learning methodology, offering new challenges for the digital distance education of the future. The research carried out is only related and linked to the experiences of different people with the sMOOC and tMOOC.

A systematic review of academic interventions for students with disabilities in Online Higher Education

ABSTRACT The development of new educational environments based on the use of ICT has enabled the possibility to improve access and involvement for students with disabilities at the university level. Hence, this systematic review attempts to synthesise the main findings of previous interventions aimed to promote the inclusion of these students in Online Higher Education, as well as to analyse their contribution on the students’ academic success, by considering the principles of both Universal Instructional Design and Universal Design for Learning. A systematic search was conducted in four databases (WOS, Scopus, ERIC, and ProQuest) following the PRISMA-P statement. This search yielded 15 articles according to the defined criteria. Four thematic categories were identified throughout a thematic synthesis: Accessibility, support, socialisation, and academic success. The findings show that both accessibility and support are important factors for promoting the disabled students’ academic success in Online Higher Education but also highlight the need to apply the Universal Design in the whole system. Furthermore, the issues of academic support, inclusive pedagogical practices, and socialisation should be deeply analysed to inquire about their contribution to the students with disabilities’ academic success. Lastly, the limitations of this study and future implication for research are discussed.

Educational Inclusion through the Universal Design for Learning: Alternatives to Teacher Training

Universal design for instruction (UDI) is a teaching strategy that has proved its value in the process of educational inclusion, resulting in a fundamental tool for the achievement of objective 4 of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. The lack of time of university professors and the scarce training offered in this subject make it difficult to know and implement UDI in university classrooms, increasing the risk of exclusion of students with some kind of disability. This study analyses the level of knowledge and implementation of the principles and strategies of UDI by university professors. Those professors did not have prior training, but they had access to the Curricular Adaptations of University Students with Special Educational Needs (CAUSSEN) tool as guide to implement different guidelines. The CAUSSEN tool is a document, developed by the Unit of Attention to People with Disability, in which there is information about UDI guidelines and accommodations referring to students with special educational needs. Results show a wide implementation of the UDI principles, despite the low level of previous knowledge its principles. This study concludes that there are practical alternatives to the lack of training, and that teachers’ self-perception of their own effectiveness and ability to cope with the inclusion of all students should be strengthened.

Creating a More Accessible Environment in Anatomical Sciences

A growing number of students with disabilities are entering clinical programs that include anatomical sciences.1,2 Oftentimes, these students are insufficiently accommodated.3 Programs are seeking resources to ensure equal access to their curriculum. A combination of practice and research‐informed efforts have provided guidance to the greater scientific community.4–7 To assist programs with improving inclusion, we focus on three barrier‐removal practices: 1) accommodating the need for extra time in practical exams, 2) accommodating histology exams, and 3) reducing physical barriers in anatomy labs (with application for basic science laboratories), grounding each in legal guidance.Accommodating extra time in practical exams can be accomplished in two ways: First, groups who require additional time can rotate through the practical exam in the last group with traditional time, followed by a short break where all students are dismissed. After the break, the group requiring additional time can rotate through the practical stations a second time utilizing additional time for each station. With this approach, existing rotations are not disrupted and students’ accommodation‐related information is protected. A second approach is to rotate students in the final group through the practical exam in one sitting, at the accommodated time. The number of students with extra time as an accommodation may dictate the most efficient option.Histology exams may present barriers to students with low‐vision, color‐vision deficiency, or processing speed disorders. Leveraging principles of universal design for instruction (UDI) can ensure that practical exams do not serve as barriers. First, programs should maintain enlarged, high contrast, grey‐scale photos and simple magnifiers at each microscope station. If possible, slides should not be stained in blue or red. Instructors should also use letters or numbers to indicate the structure being queried, rather than color. When teaching structures, faculty should move towards greyscale and letter/number indications to introduce students to this approach prior to examination. Microscopes that magnify slides can ensure access for low‐vision students, however, traditional microscopes can also be attached to large monitors. This allows students to self‐select the appropriate size and contrast using built‐in monitor settings. These steps will reduce a myriad of barriers for the disability community. Even with a UDI approach, students may require additional time to adjust monitors.Finally, physical space barriers can be addressed to ensure greater access for all students. During practical exams, stools should be available at all stations. Embed inclusive practices, such as camera systems that project items onto a larger screen allows for closed captioning of instruction. Adjusted and modified equipment can reduce barriers for students with physical and chronic health disabilities, while alternative methods of anatomical instruction (e.g., Anatomage tables) can assist with sensory barriers and allergies.By incorporating principles of UDI and providing slight modifications to assessment structure, anatomical labs can transform to accessible and enhanced learning environments for all students.

Inclusive learning and teaching for Australian online university students with disability: a literature review

ABSTRACT The aim of this review is to provoke discussion around the ways in which disability is addressed in Australian university learning and teaching. Focusing on online delivery, it presents three separate, but related thematic sections based on higher education policy, the student voice, and universal design for instruction (UDI). The themes are constructed to align with institutional practice, how those practices may play out in a student’s life, and an alternative design methodology. In doing so, both online pedagogy and educational technologies are described as creating potential barriers or enablers for students with disability. While this review acknowledges the effectiveness of UDI upon student learning is an emerging field of study, it also offers it as a plausible design framework moving forward. The concluding discussion supports the notion that action is required by various stakeholders including policy makers, educational leaders and curriculum designers.

Implementing Universal Design Instruction in Doctor of Nursing Practice Education.

Faculty in Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs identify challenges of increased enrollment and variances in previous student educational preparation and professional experiences that require innovative approaches to curriculum transformation. This article informs nurse educators about the vibrant and inclusive approach of universal design for instruction (UDI), a framework to conceptualize and implement learning strategies in the DNP curriculum. UDI is guided by 9 instructional principles that anticipate diverse learners and is intentionally inclusive of multiple ways of learning. Principles of UDI were synergized into several DNP didactic courses and the scholarly project process. Integration of UDI into the DNP curriculum included precourse assessments, multiple modalities of content delivery, options to present acquired knowledge, and supporting the adult learner through the iterative work of the scholarly project.

Ignatian Pedagogy as a Frame for Universal Design in College: Meeting Learning Needs of Generation Z

In viewing the principles of Universal Instructional Design (UID), both inside and outside the classroom, a direct connection may be made to the principles of Ignatian pedagogy—a 500-year old tradition of education—in meeting the learning needs of today’s college students, Generation Z. The Ignatian pedagogy as a frame for universal instructiosnal design principles can guide instructors to understand how college students can learn best and facilitate that knowledge acquisition to serve the common good. This article addresses Generation Z’s experience with digital technology and illustrates how the Ignatian pedagogical model tenets (i.e., context, experience, reflection, action, and evaluation) connect with UID practices in a higher education curriculum. Examples of UID, as it applies to each tenet and to web access, are included.

Expanding the Scope of Universal Design: Implications for Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

This article encourages postsecondary educators to expand the scope of applications of universal design and universal instructional design by exploring how principles of UD and UID can be applied to other social identities, and specifically to gender identity and sexual orientation. There are many parallels that can be drawn between students who are excluded because of their disability and students who are marginalized on the basis of nonconforming gender identity or sexual orientation. It is important that faculty and staff understand intersectionality and interdependence among social identities and consider what steps they can take to apply UID principles in ways that consider multiple aspects of identity in order to provide inclusive educational experiences for all students. Scenarios for further discussion are provided.

Universal Design for Instruction in Nursing Education: An Integrative Review.

The aim of the study was to explore the use of universal design for instruction (UDI) in nursing education. Educators seek to employ innovative pedagogies accessible to diverse learners across learning environments. UDI, an inclusive strategy for meeting this goal is not well known in nursing education. An integrative review was used to meet the study's aim. Five databases were searched for literature published between 2000 and 2013. Of 45 articles retrieved, only three studies and 14 feature articles met the inclusion criteria. A literature matrix was used to synthesize major concepts to create theme labels: marginalized students as a vulnerable population, faculty lack of knowledge of UDI, reactive versus proactive instructional design, and best teaching practices. The lack of UDI knowledge by educators is a barrier to its usage. Implications and recommendations for adopting universal design in nursing education are discussed.

The relevance and efficacy of metacognition for instructional design in the domain of mathematics

The efficacy of metacognition as theory-based instructional principle or technique in general, and particularly in mathematics, is explored. Starting with an overview of different definitions, conceptualizations, assessment and training models originating from cognitive information processing theory, the role of metacognition in teaching and learning is critically discussed. An illustrative training program in kindergarten demonstrates that explicit and embedded metacognitive training can have an effect on mathematics learning even in very young children. Theoretical and methodological issues for future research, and recommendations for mathematics educators, are analyzed within the framework of the Opportunity-Propensity and Universal instructional design framework, demonstrating the relevance of metacognition in the domain of mathematics teaching, impacting children’s learning of mathematics and their active involvement in their learning process.

Development and Psychometric Examination of the Inclusive Teaching Strategies in Nursing Education Instrument

Background and Purpose: Nurse educators might be unknowingly excluding learners secondary to teaching practices. Universal design for instruction (UDI) prepares and delivers accessible content and learning environments for diverse learners; however, it is not well known in nursing education. The aim of the study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Inclusive Teaching Strategies in Nursing Education (ITSinNE) 55-item instrument. Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis was performed on a sample of 311 educators in prelicensure programs. Results: The ITSinNE scales had good to adequate estimates of reliability. The exogenous model fit the sample and model-implied covariance matrix; however, the endogenous model was not a good fit. Conclusions: Further instrument development is required. Measuring factors influencing nurse educators' willingness to adopt UDI will enable intervention research to enhance professional development fostering content and environmental access for all learners.

Measuring Nurse Educators' Willingness to Adopt Inclusive Teaching Strategies.

The purpose of the study was to examine the characteristics and relationships of nurse educators' teaching practices, knowledge, support, and willingness to adopt inclusive teaching strategies (WillAdITS). Adopting more inclusive teaching strategies based on universal design for instruction is an innovative way for educators to reach today's diverse student body. However, the pedagogy has not diffused into nursing education. Descriptive statistics and hierarchical multiple regression were used for analyzing data from 311 nurse educators in prelicensure and RN to BSN programs. The model explained 44.8 percent of the variance in WillAdITS. The best indicators for this pedagogy were knowledge of universal design for instruction, social system support for inclusive teaching strategies, multiple instructional formats, and years of teaching. Knowing factors influencing the adoption of inclusive teaching strategies can inform schools of nursing of areas needing further development in the preparation of novice to experienced educators to teach diverse learners.

Incorporate universal design in your strategies

Loren O'Connor, Ph.D., assistant vice chancellor, Office of Accessible Education and Counseling Services at Brandman University, and Alex Price, M.A., disability services coordinator at Brandman, explained during a presentation in Sri Lanka how Universal Design for Instruction can benefit a broad range of learners, including students with disabilities. Consider sharing their information with faculty members or new staff members at your institution to give them an overview of UDI.