The next two elements of Section E focus on how we can create inclusive environments that welcome a wide range of students and support their learning.

E3: Universal Design
UDL Approaches
E4: Diversity & Inclusion
Resources

E3: Universal Design

ALIGNED: Course content and activities are aligned with core principles of UDL: multiple means of representation, action & expression, and/or engagement.
EXEMPLARY: Students identify UDL principles that support their learning and/or are invited to make suggestions about how to improve the course activities with UDL.

First, let's start with a beautiful 6-minute overview of Universal Design for Learning; it serves as a helpful refresher, and it will also get your creative ideas flowing!

In "Fostering Inclusion with Universal Design for Learning," Kevin Kelly writes, "At its core, UDL encompasses three principles—that instructors should provide students with multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement. In lay terms, this means that, to the extent possible, instructors should

provide content or materials in multiple formats,
give learners multiple ways to show what they know, and
use multiple methods of motivating learners."

While we can't create a custom course for each student, we can provide multiple pathways for students to succeed. The UDL Guidelines from CAST provide a helpful framework for implementing UDL principles:

Networks: affective for engagement: the why; recognition for representation: the what; strategic for expression: the how

On the next tab, we'll look at how UDL can be used to improve the learning experience online.

UDL Approaches

Course Spotlight

In the 7-minute video below, consider the UDL approaches Alta Erdenebaatar has integrated into her business course. You might find her assignment walkthrough especially interesting--notice how she has woven student choice into the instructions.

💡 Ideas for Alignment

Engagement: To motivate students to engage with learning, clarify the "why":
- make learning relevant to students' lives
- connect learning to objectives
- offer choice and authentic experiences
- encourage self-assessment and reflection
Representation: To help learners perceive information in different ways, offer content options:
- content pages with graphics
- audio with transcripts
- videos with captions
- linear outlines with spatial concept maps
Expression: To allow students to more fully show what they have learned, use a variety of assessment options:
- vary question types on tests
- balance formative and summative assessments
- use a variety of communication tools and channels
- allow options to demonstrate mastery (write a report, create a video, develop a website or infographic, etc.)

E4: Diversity and Inclusion

ALIGNED: Communications and activities demonstrate that students' diverse identities, backgrounds, and cultures are valued.
EXEMPLARY: Students analyze how diversity improves learning in classrooms, workplaces, and communities.

We may assume that students know automatically know we value diverse ideas and perspectives--we are educators, after all! Unfortunately, many of our students have found educational settings to be unwelcoming, and they often assume that we will NOT be interested in their perspectives.

Equity-based issues can arise when students perceive a lack of diversity in the course experience, such as presenting course concepts from only one cultural perspective; issues also arise when students do not feel they or their contributions are valued and welcome. This can decrease students' motivation to participate or even complete learning tasks.

For these reasons, E4 focuses on ways we can demonstrate that students' unique, lived experiences are valued in our class. One clear starting place is your syllabus. In one of the first documents students read for your class, you can share your commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive environment by adding a diversity statement to your syllabus. 🚀 SWC's DE Syllabus Template includes a sample statement.

We can also leverage our students' experiences, their values, and their cultures in the design of our course activities. For example, open-ended assignments can invite students to generate examples of course concepts from their experiences. A skills-based activity (researching, writing, web design, etc.) might use the exploration of identify or sharing of culture as the topic. English professor Adrienne Oliver teaching writing concepts through asking her students to conduct interviews and write a blog post sharing a migration story; you'll also hear how she integrates hip hop pedagogy into her classes in this 7.5-minute video:

Biology professor Suzanne Wakim of Butte College invites her students create content for the textbook for her class! As they choose examples, generate questions, and select images, they are empowered to build on their experiences and perspectives, and they also see firsthand how "diversity improves learning in classrooms" because they are working together to create their course content. To learn more, see her Butte Biology website, and be sure to use the menu in the top left corner to explore the full site.

💡 Ideas for Alignment

Add a diversity statement to your syllabus. For inspiration, visit Diversity & Inclusion Syllabus Statements.
Help students see different perspectives by integrating service learning into your course.
Infuse diverse viewpoints into assigned readings and materials, especially if the textbook marginalizes the experiences of minoritized groups.
Create activities that help students discover other perspectives: case studies, role play, research projects, small-group discussions requiring different contributions from each member, team activities where each team has a different perspective to explore, etc.

Resources

Here are resources to support you as you work on E3: Universal Design for Learning:

UDL on Campus: Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education: a CAST-created website offering ideas and strategies connected to the UDL framework shared on the first tab.
Creating Inclusive Courses with Universal Design: an overview of UDL principles with examples

And here are a few great resources for E4: Diversity and Inclusion

🛑 Before you click "Next," please work through all the tabbed sections on this page.