Universal Design for Learning: Strategies for Blended and Online Learning
Section 3.1: UDL Strategies for Blended and Online Learning
Here is the list of strategies for blended and online learning adapted from teaching resources at Oakland University.
Engagement
| 1. Build in opportunities for learners to provide their input on how tasks are designed.
|
- Create space (e.g. survey or poll) for periodic, informal feedback during synchronous or asynchronous learning.
- Let students decide whether certain tasks (e.g. group discussions) will occur online or offline.
|
| 2. Integrate learners’ experiences, identities, backgrounds and cultures. |
- In example scenarios or problems, use a variety of names, settings, or cultural references.
- Design assignments or activities in a variety of social, professional or cultural contexts.
|
| 3. Build activities that ask learners to engage with the real world. |
- Ask students to interview a community leader or attend public events (e.g. court proceedings) in an online course.
- Ask students to identify the potential real-world audiences or applications they see in their work.
|
| 4. Divide long-term course or assignment goals into smaller short-term objectives. |
- Break final projects into a few stages over the semester with diminishing support from the instructor.
- Ask students to create a manageable timeline for their projects.
|
| 5. Require learners to reframe course objectives and set their goals |
- Set up an online journal where students could create their learning goals based on the course description and objectives.
- During and at the end of the course, ask students to reflect (in writing, in discussion, or video) on their progress, strategies, and goals.
|
| 6. Construct linked tasks with varying degrees of difficulty that require learners to work toward similar learning outcomes. |
- Build small (e.g. activities) and large (e.g. papers, exams) tasks that address course outcomes.
- Provide different levels of difficulty with the same assignment.
- Offer optional challenges and provide relevant incentives (e.g. extra credit).
|
| 7. Provide opportunities for frequent and timely feedback |
- Provide feedback using rubrics – this may expedite assessment while clearly indicating students’ progress.
- Stagger assignments’ due dates if possible to reduce feedback load.
- Pair students to provide formative peer feedback based on a rubric or task guidelines.
|
| 8. Give learners resources to help them cope with “subject phobias.”
|
- Share support resources such as writing center, library help, and online resources.
- Emphasize a growth mindset, replacing “I’m not good at X” with “I’m still learning about X.”
- Share concrete, discipline-specific examples of how past students have coped with challenging learning situations or experiences.
|
Representation
| 1. Pre-teach key vocabularies or concepts |
- Design interactive key words exercise at the beginning of each unit or module.
- Offer a searchable glossary of key terms.
- Link to online resources where students can find definitions of key terms.
|
| 2. Support learners in accessing and using multiple representations of the same information. |
- Use a variety of representations to demonstrate a complex concept (e.g. map, video, graphics, stories).
- Provide links to resources that address the same ideas for varying levels of learners.
|
| 3. Give learners videos or animations with control in sound and speed |
- Record welcome videos via Kaltura.
- Record live lectures and send students the link for review.
- Ask students to find and share helpful online resources.
|
| 4. Provide transcripts for video clips.
|
- Transcribe videos when possible; review automatically-generated transcripts and correct errors.
- Upload PDF transcripts for videos when possible.
|
| 5. Map the relationships between important components or ideas.
|
- Use a concept map to highlight relationships between course ideas.
- Provide short videos that emphasize or highlight relationships between course concepts, especially when introducing new ideas.
- Have students connect key ideas or themes in discussion forums.
|
| 6. Chunk information into smaller pieces to help learners process information |
- Use dividers to break online course content into shorter pieces.
- Release course modules adaptively to prevent information overload.
|
| 7. Provide a high-level checklist for content, activities, and assignments
|
- Design checklist so students can easily map the course structure for the day or the week.
- Assign a group each week to create a checklist for the class.
|
Action & Expression
| 1. Build opportunities for learners to demonstrate their knowledge in different formats.
|
- Create tasks that can be done entirely or partly in writing or through presentation (e.g. online or video presentations).
- When appropriate, ask students to come up with ideas on how they want to demonstrate their learning.
|
| 2. Provide learners with examples of ways to solve problems with real-life and/or academic examples. |
- Offer instances of disciplinary knowledge being used to solve real issues.
- Pose problems and ask learners to identify ways that others have solved them.
- Ask students to write or speak about how they might apply knowledge in the real work.
|
| 3. Give feedback in different formats (audio, video, written).
|
- Provide feedback using free screen capture tools like Jing or Screencast-o-matic.
- Record audio feedback via your phone or computer.
- Offer synchronous sessions to meet with students to discuss progress.
|
| 4. Provide samples that learners can refer to for content organization and assignment |
- Design templates for content organization and assignments.
- Share student work samples (with permission) to illustrate course outcomes.
|
| 6. Pose questions for learners to reflect and self-monitor progress.
|
- Ask students to reflect on their learning at the end of each class.
- At key points, prompt students to consider how they have met course outcomes.
- Create a task that asks students to regularly reflect on their learning, such as a reflection journal.
|
| 7. Wrap up courses with activities or interactive assessments |
- Have students to summarize key take-aways and share with each other.
- Create low-stake short quizzes as a way to summarize key concepts and assess learning.
|
