Course Overview and Instructions

Implementing Universal Design for Learning on Canvas

 

“The most important principle for designing lively eLearning is to see eLearning design not as information design but as designing an experience.” - Cathy Moore

 

We are glad you're here! Before continuing with this course, please take a moment to complete the welcome survey.

Additionally, at ANY TIME during the course, please contribute to the user experience survey and feel free to ask for help in the help forum. 

 

I. Rationale:

We recognize that quality course design is instrumental toward supporting student success. That is, when an online learning environment is well designed, everyone achieves more, learns more, and is more equitably represented.

 

Course Focus 

This course was designed to support you and your department/college in designing effective and accessible online learning environments specifically using the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the features of Canvas.

 

II. Course Goals and Outcomes:

Goals

You will enrich your understanding of concepts related to accessibility and universal design. You will strengthen your professional skill in course design in such ways as to increase the quality of student learning. Further, you will take steps toward mastery of the features of Canvas.

Outcomes

After completing the modules in this course, you will be able to design engaging, effective, and accessible courses using the features of Canvas.

 

III. Format and Procedures:

The course is broken down into four modules:

  1. Conceptual Foundations Module (1.5 to 2 hours)
  2. Engagement Module (1 to 2 hours)
  3. Representation Module (1 to 1.5 hours)
  4. Action and Expression Modules (1.5 to 2 hours)

Each module has four lessons to support you in your learning. Lessons are designed to be able to be completed in approximately 10-20 minutes in most cases. The Conceptual Foundations Module includes lessons that collectively form a foundation for the methods and strategies that follow in the other modules.

We do recommend completing The Conceptual Foundations Module first, and completing its pages in order. This is not true of other modules, which may be approached in any order. 

The UDL Solutions Modules (Engagement, Representation, Action/Expression) are built to address specific environmental barriers to learning and/or assessment. In addressing these barriers, we draw from the UDL Guidelines Links to an external site. published by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST Links to an external site.). These modules can be completed chronologically or topically (as Just in Time Links to an external site. references).

 

Example

The first Engagement lesson ("Using Canvas Features to Support Students in Need of Opportunities for Remediation or Extension") is designed to address the barrier created by the fact that students in a given class may have widely varying background knowledge on a topic; that is, it is difficult for faculty to simultaneously teach to diverse needs without going too slow for some or too fast for others. To address this barrier, the lesson draws from the UDL Checkpoints: 7.1 "Optimize individual choice and autonomy" and 8.2, "Vary demands and resources to optimize challenge."

 

Thus, you may find it useful to draw from the course outline (below) to address a specific barrier, focus on a certain UDL checkpoint, or draw from a certain principle (e.g. provide multiple means of engagement) when choosing a lesson to pursue.

To progress through the course, please follow these procedures. Note that the feedback and discussion items are always optional (but appreciated).

  1. Move through the Conceptual Foundations Module in spatial order:
    1. Pretest 
      1. Lesson 1: What is accessibility anyway? 
      2. Lesson 2: What is Universal Design for Learning? 
      3. Lesson 3: Averagarianism vs. Predictable Variability 
    2. Posttest 

  2. Choose lessons from among those provided in the UDL Solutions Modules (Engagement, Representation, Action & Expression) as desired. Again, these modules can be completed chronologically or topically (as Just in Time Links to an external site. references).

Navigation

Once you get to the actual lessons, each lesson has three components: "Objective & Overview", the "Lesson" itself, and then a discussion board for "Questions and Comments". Please always begin with the "Objective & Overview" page.

On a computer, you may progress through the three lesson components by clicking the "Next" and "Previous" buttons at the bottom of each page. When you finish the "Questions & Comments" section, please return to the Modules overview and then continue to a new lesson by clicking on that lesson's "Objective & Overview" page.

Alternatively, on either a computer or a mobile device, enter into the "Objectives & Overview" and then use the links at the top of each page to navigate through the three items in the lesson. Again, when you've finished with the questions and comments, please return to the modules overview.

If you're ready, return to the Home page for the course content overview or jump in with the Conceptual Foundations Module, which begins with a pretest.

Print Version

We strongly encourage you to complete the course in its native digital form (in Canvas). However, if you prefer to read materials in print, you may choose to print each lesson in this course (except the Mastery Paths lesson). Look for the print icon in the bottom-right corner of the "objectives and overview" page in each lesson. You may also choose to download the entire course via the link provided here:

Download Print full course (16.9 MB)

IV: Credits

Version 3 (2020)

  • Course content adapted for Uppsala University: Suzanne Pathkiller

Version 2 (2019)

  • Author and content developer: Eric J. Moore
  • Graphic image development/artists: Austin Brotzman & Eric J. Moore
  • Pilot reviewers/testers/issue fixers: Mark Rash, Jenny Culbertson, Jessica Marzi, Esther Michela

Version 1 (2017)

  • Course author and content developer: Eric J. Moore

  • Graphic image development/artists: Kendall Maples, Austin Brotzman
  • Oversight and support: Miriam Lawson, Jean Derco, Jerry Riehl, Joan Thomas, Theresa Swann
  • Accessibility testing: Anne Skutnik, Christie Patti
  • Special thanks for piloting: Rose Parker, Anne Skutnik, MariBeth Coleman, David Ndiya, Miriam B Larson, Tina Goode, Lisa Yamagata-Lynch, Adam Cureton, Heather Hartman, Joan Grim, Stan Guffey, Taimi Olsen, Holly Greene, Alejandra Galindo, Robert Spirko