The UDL Your Course Series
Overview
Introduction
The UDL Your Course Workshop series is hosted by the Office of Teaching and Learning in Partnership with the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and the Provost Office. The series aims to fulfill the overall goal of better preparing the DU community to universally design with accessibility in mind.
The Universal Design for Learning or “UDL” Your Course Series, hosted by the Office of Teaching and Learning in partnership with the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, aims to equip faculty with essential skills for designing inclusive and accessible learning environments in higher education.
Through a series of eight workshops, participants will explore topics ranging from creating accessible learning materials to leveraging digital tools like UDOIT and Kaltura. The workshops not only provide practical strategies for implementing UDL principles but also offer opportunities for faculty to engage with the broader DU community. Workshops are designed to cater to various learning needs, promoting critical consciousness, capacity-building, self-efficacy, and resource awareness among participants. By attending these workshops, faculty can enhance their teaching practices, foster student success, and contribute to a more accessible and inclusive educational experience for all.
Note: All UDL Your Course Workshops can be applied to the Adjunct Teaching Excellence Program for the Accessibility and UDL competency – synchronous component (Adjunct Faculty participating only need to attend one of the UDL Your Course workshops). The workshops can also be applied to the Teaching for Inclusion and Equity (TIE) Foundational Badge.
Preview & Prepare: Bring & Share Workshop Sessions
Each workshop includes a “Preview & Prepare” and “Bring & Share” component for faculty.
Preview & Prepare
Bring & Share
Workshop Goals
Critical Consciousness
An increasing of concerned awareness especially of some social or political issue (Freire, 1973).
Capacity Building
Capacity-building is defined as the process of developing and strengthening the skills, instincts, abilities, processes and resources that organizations and communities need to survive, adapt, and thrive in a fast-changing world (Dill, 2000).
Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in his or her capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments (Bandura, 1977).
Resource Awareness
The capability of knowing the necessary resources for accomplishing its goals and deciding the configuration of its execution by considering the circumstances of these resources.
Browse Workshops
To register for any of the individual workshop sessions, visit the OTL Event Registration page.
BUILDING A TRUSTING FOUNDATION: ACCESSIBILITY SURVEYS AND CLASSROOM NORMS
Accessibility Surveys and Classroom Agreements” is a one-hour workshop designed to equip faculty with essential tools for creating inclusive and supportive learning environments for the spring term. Participants will learn how to develop and implement accessibility surveys to address diverse student needs from the outset, fostering a proactive approach to accessibility planning. Additionally, strategies for crafting and implementing classroom community agreements will be explored, empowering faculty to promote access for all students while receiving support in designing inclusive classrooms.
This workshop is primarily for faculty from any discipline or coordinators seeking to enhance ongoing group dynamics and cultivate inclusive learning environments.
- Understand the importance of proactive planning for accessibility and community building in the classroom.
- Develop and implement effective accessibility surveys to identify and address diverse student needs from the beginning of the term.
- Explore strategies for facilitating and implementing classroom community agreements to promote inclusivity and support ongoing group dynamics.
- Gain practical tools and insights to design accessible, inclusive learning environments that cater to the needs of all students.
Before the workshop, please consider reviewing OTL’s “Designing an Accessibility Survey” support page.
The UDL Your Course Workshops are designed to have working time on the given topic.
For Topic 1, please bring any survey questions you already use with your students, classroom norms for your class, or other activities you use to create access and classroom norms.
INTRODUCING UDOIT: THE UNIVERSAL DESIGN ONLINE INSP
Unlock the potential of UDOIT Accessibility: Your Universal Design Online Inspection Tool, designed to enhance the inclusivity of your Canvas course experience. This workshop offers direct support and resources to optimize UDOIT’s features, empowering you to proactively address digital accessibility in your course materials and foster an inclusive learning environment for all.
This workshop is tailored for faculty members, instructional designers, and anyone involved in creating or managing course content within Canvas. It’s particularly beneficial for those seeking to enhance their understanding and utilization of UDOIT Accessibility to promote digital inclusivity in their courses.
- Understand the importance of digital accessibility and its impact on fostering an inclusive learning environment in Canvas courses.
- Gain proficiency in using UDOIT Accessibility to assess and improve the digital accessibility of course content and materials.
- Learn practical strategies for proactively addressing digital accessibility challenges, including captioning videos and ensuring accessibility of readings.
- Develop skills to effectively implement digital accessibility practices to accommodate diverse student needs and comply with accommodation requirements from Student Disability Services (SDS).
- Visit OTL’s UDOIT Knowledge Base to learn more about the tool.
- Go to a Canvas Course, select UDOIT Accessibility from the left side bar and run scan.
Bring the results of your UDOIT scan and any questions you might have, we will do our best to address these in our time together.
DESIGN TOOLS WITH CIDIPLUS IN CANVAS
Discover the efficiency and versatility of Cidi Labs DesignPLUS, a suite of Canvas-integrated tools designed to streamline course design and promote universal accessibility. This workshop offers insights into how DesignPLUS can enhance the quality, consistency, and accessibility of your course content while optimizing your time, ultimately fostering an inclusive learning environment for all students.
This workshop is suitable for faculty members, instructional designers, and anyone involved in designing courses within Canvas. Whether you’re looking to streamline your course design process, enhance accessibility, or promote inclusivity, this workshop is for you.
Understand the benefits of using Cidi Labs DesignPLUS tools to improve course design efficiency in Canvas while promoting universal design for learning.
Learn how to leverage DesignPLUS features to enhance the quality, consistency, and accessibility of course content, ensuring a more inclusive learning experience for all students.
Explore practical applications of DesignPLUS tools to customize the look and feel of your Canvas course according to your preferences, while adhering to accessibility standards.
- Gain proficiency in using the new DesignPLUS interface to save time while creating engaging and universally accessible learning experiences for students.
Prior to the workshop, please visit the CidiLabs Resource on DesignPlus Tools, this will help you get more familiar with all of the unique components.
While you review the CidiLabs DesignPlus resource, consider ways you might bring a template into your course. Where might you want to start re-designing some of your Canvas pages?
KALTURA CAPTIONING AND ACCESSIBLE INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS
Dive into Kaltura, our campus-wide video management system seamlessly integrated into Canvas courses. This workshop equips instructors with essential skills to leverage Kaltura effectively for teaching purposes, covering activation, content uploading, organization, analytics monitoring, and video caption editing.
This workshop is suitable for faculty members, instructional designers, and anyone involved in designing courses within Canvas using Kaltura. Whether you’re looking to streamline your course design process, enhance accessibility, or promote inclusivity, this workshop is for you.
- Learn how to activate Kaltura within your Canvas course, enabling seamless integration and access to its features.
- Gain proficiency in uploading videos, images, and audio files into Canvas using Kaltura, enhancing the multimedia content of your courses.
- Discover strategies for organizing and sharing content with students within the Canvas environment, optimizing the learning experience.
- Explore the use of analytics tools within Kaltura to monitor student engagement with course videos, allowing for informed instructional decisions.
- Acquire skills to edit video captions using Kaltura, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity in course materials.
Prior to the workshop, please review the OTL Knowledge Base article on creating accessible instructional videos.
For this workshop, please bring a video you already have or an idea for a video you want to create using Kaltura.
APPLYING UDL PRINCIPES TO EPORTFOLIOS
Explore applying UDL principles to ePortfolios in this insightful workshop. Discover how the flexibility of ePortfolios aligns with UDL principles, allowing for the implementation of multiple means of engagement, representation, and action/expression. Learn how leveraging ePortfolios as a teaching tool enhances the learning experience for students by providing equal opportunities for success.
This workshop is ideal for faculty, instructional designers, and anyone interested in enhancing teaching practices through the integration of ePortfolios and UDL principles. Whether you’re familiar with ePortfolios, UDL, or both, this workshop will offer valuable insights into their meaningful applications.
Understand the significance of ePortfolios as a High-Impact Practice recognized by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).
Explore the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and its focus on providing equal opportunities for all students.
Discover how ePortfolios and UDL intersect, enabling the implementation of multiple means of engagement, representation, and action/expression.
Learn how leveraging ePortfolios as a teaching tool enhances the learning experience by promoting inclusivity and accommodating diverse student needs.
Before this workshop, please read the OTL Blog on Universal Design for Learning Principles and ePortfolios.
Please bring an ePortoflio assignment you currently have or ideas for creating a new ePortfolio assignment.
INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION
Join us for “Inclusive Classroom Participation,” a part of the fourth topic in the UDL Your Course Series, designed to support faculty in exploring and implementing the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Framework. This workshop focuses on crowd-sourcing ideas to maximize the use of discussion boards, set up effective think-pair-share activities, and assess student participation with inclusivity in mind. These strategies aim to center the needs of students with disabilities while enhancing participation experiences for all learners.
This workshop is suitable for faculty members interested in enhancing their understanding and implementation of Universal Design for Learning principles in their courses. It’s also beneficial for instructional designers, accessibility coordinators, and anyone involved in promoting inclusive classroom participation.
- Explore strategies for maximizing the use of discussion boards to foster inclusive participation and engagement among students.
- Learn how to set up effective think-pair-share activities that promote collaborative learning while considering the needs of all learners.
- Gain insights into assessing student participation with inclusivity in mind, ensuring equitable opportunities for all students to contribute.
- Understand how these strategies, centered around the needs of students with disabilities, can enhance participation experiences for all learners, fostering a more inclusive learning environment.
Before this workshop, please engage with the Inclusive Teaching Module on Universal Design for Learning. Additionally, you may wish to visit the Disability Pedagogy and Accessibility Module.
Please bring ways in which you currently assess participation in your classroom. We will have time to share ideas and UDL practices with one another.
FLEXIBLE ASSESSMENT
Join us for “Flexible Assessment,” the penultimate workshop in our series, where we delve into the benefits of varied assessment methods and the utilization of a common rubric to foster student choice and creativity. Discover how diversifying assessments can break down barriers to success often posed by traditional testing methods, ultimately enhancing accessibility, engagement, and learning outcomes for all learners across disciplines.
This workshop is suitable for faculty, instructional designers, and anyone interested in exploring innovative assessment practices to promote student success. Whether you’re seeking to enhance your understanding of assessment strategies or looking to integrate flexible assessment methods into your teaching practice, this workshop offers valuable insights.
- Explore the importance of varied assessment methods in breaking down barriers to student success posed by traditional testing.
- Learn how the use of a common rubric can enhance student choice and creativity while providing a consistent framework for assessment.
- Discover how diverse assessment approaches not only increase accessibility but also promote engagement and deeper learning across disciplines.
- Gain practical strategies for implementing flexible assessment methods in your courses to better measure student understanding and enhance learning outcomes.
Prior to this workshop, please read the Center for Applied Special Technologies (CAST) resource on UDL in Assessment. You can also visit the OTL’s resource on Inclusive Assessments.
For this workshop, please bring an assessment you currently use and ideas for creating a more flexible assessment in your course.
HONORING THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVES: KEY TO UDL
If you could ask students anything about your class, what would it be? Join us for our final workshop, “Student Perspectives: Key to UDL,” where we explore the vital role of student relationship building. Engage with the vital role of building meaningful relationships with students as we explore how dialogue, effective feedback, and connection contribute to fostering an inclusive learning environment. Hear directly from student-faculty partners as they share insights on the significance of these elements and gain practical strategies for soliciting and integrating student feedback to elevate teaching practices and support student success.
This workshop is ideal for faculty, instructional designers, and anyone interested in enhancing teaching practices through the integration of ePortfolios and UDL principles. Whether you’re familiar with ePortfolios, UDL, or both, this workshop will offer valuable insights into their meaningful applications.
- Understand the critical role of student feedback in fostering an inclusive learning environment within the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Framework.
- Learn about firsthand perspectives from student-faculty partners on the importance of effective feedback and its impact on student success.
- Explore practical strategies for soliciting and implementing student feedback to enhance teaching practices and promote student engagement and learning.
- Gain insights into how incorporating student feedback aligns with UDL principles and contributes to a more equitable and inclusive educational experience for all learners.
Prior to this workshop, please consider reading the research on Student Perspectives on the Use of Universal Design for Learning in Virtual Formats this will help further prepare you to think about UDL and student perspectives when we come together.
Please bring ways in which you honor student perspectives in your classroom experiences or ideas in which you might create more opportunities.
Be C.A.L.M. @ DU Campaign
Join us for “Be C.A.L.M & Keep Creating Accessible Learning Materials” an online, asynchronous workshop option within the UDL Your Course Series aimed at supporting faculty, staff, and designers in understanding and implementing the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Framework through Digital Accessibility practices. This course focuses on addressing accessibility challenges in course materials procurement, design, and implementation using common tools such as Adobe Acrobat Pro, Microsoft Word, and PowerPoint. Participants will explore techniques for creating accessible materials, including captioning, alternate format text, and presentation slides. No prior attendance of the UDL Your Course Workshop Series is required.
Participants interested can visit the Be C.A.L.M. @ DU Canvas Course to sign up and get started today!
This asynchronous course is ideal for faculty members seeking to enhance their understanding and implementation of digital accessibility and Universal Design for Learning principles in their courses. It’s also beneficial for instructional designers, accessibility coordinators, and anyone involved in creating course materials.
- Gain a deeper understanding of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Framework and its application in creating accessible learning environments.
- Identify common accessibility challenges in course materials procurement, design, and implementation.
- Explore practical strategies for creating accessible materials, including captioning, alternate format text, and ensuring textbook access.
- Develop skills to effectively address accessibility needs in course materials to ensure inclusivity for all learners.
Frequently Asked Questions
The UDL Your Course Workshops were designed with faculty, instructional designers, staff, and graduate students; generally, anyone who plays a role in accessibility, course design, and classroom experiences.
Each workshop is designed with the intent to meet the learning outcomes within our time together. You do not need to attend all 10 workshops though we encourage you to attend all that you can!
All UDL Your Course Workshops can be applied to the Adjunct Teaching Excellence Program for the Accessibility and UDL competency – synchronous component (Adjunct Faculty participating only need to attend one of the UDL Your Course workshops). This workshop can also be applied to the Teaching for Inclusion and Equity (TIE) Foundational Badge.
Reach out to otl@du.edu to discuss options for collaboration.
Citations
Bandura, A., Adams, N.E. (1977). Analysis of self-efficacy theory of behavioral change. Cognitive Theory and Research 1 (287–310). https://doi-org.du.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/BF01663995
CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. http://udlguidelines.cast.org
Dill, D. D. (2000). Capacity building as an instrument of institutional reform: Improving the quality of higher education through academic audits in the UK, New Zealand, Sweden, and Hong Kong. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, 2(2), 211–234. https://doi.org/10.1080/13876980008412643
Freire, P. (1973). Education for critical consciousness. [1st American ed.]. New York: Seabury Press.
