Universal Course Design: A Pathway to Mindful and Creative Adult Learning for All
Course Description
This online elective course will investigate the principles and theories of Universal Course Design for Learning. The focus will be primarily on access tools for diverse learners with particular emphasis on learners with disabilities. The practical application of Universal Design principles to the discipline of Instructional Design will be explored. Some examples of instructional design tools that can be re-purposed to support universally designed learning are reusable learning objects and gaming. Reusable learning objects can be embedded into learning environments to support diverse learning styles and gamification is a useful resource for educating learners with learning and cognitive disabilities. The development of accessible multi-media and the use of on-line for the establishment of inclusive teaching practices will also be presented.
Instructor: Valerie Haven
Major Takeaway
The objective of Universal Course Design is to identify and overcome unnecessary barriers to instruction, then systematically plan for embracing the diversity of all learners by providing flexible methods and assessment, accessible materials, and meaningful learning goals. (Hollingshead & Carr-Chellman, 2019)