Abstract
This case study highlights a number of approaches to building a UDL community of practice (CoP) within a higher education institution. The traditional method of building a CoP was followed to develop staff knowledge and awareness across the university on UDL principles. This was underpinned by the creation of membership of shared interests, working groups, developing policy and staff guidance, and providing training and development for staff. A second more personalized approach known as ‘Plus One' was also utilized to embed UDL principles to a new aerospace engineering module. The areas to focus on, known as pinch points, related to the historical expertise of the academic that are often repeated each term. In this case study, it was decided to focus on clear communication, choice, flexibility, accessibility, and inclusive assessment. The results showcase a positive appreciation from learners by having choice incorporated into their learning and assessment. It reduced the academic workload in terms of learner queries by having clearer consistent communication channels put in place.
TopInstitutional Context
Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) was founded in 1845 as Queen’s College and eventually became a university in 1908. QUB has approximately 25,000 learners with 4,500 staff and it is located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is a Higher Education (HE) institution that is part of the Russell Group that includes 24 universities across the United Kingdom (UK) that put the emphasis on evidence based research. Some other well-known universities in this group are Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College, with Queen’s the only institution not on the mainland UK, but instead on the island of Ireland. Within QUB there are three faculties: EPS (Engineering and Physical Sciences), MHLS (Medicine, Health and Life Sciences) and AHSS (Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences). The three faculties are divided up into fifteen schools that deliver different programmes.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Plus One: A term coined by Tobin and Behling (2018) to think about UDL as a mindset of plus one thinking intentionally about interactions in your course/module. Is there one more way that you can keep learners on task, just one more way that you can give learners information, just one more way that they can demonstrate their knowledge or skills.
Accessibility: Within this case study accessibility was related to the content development and ensuring that all communication, PowerPoint slides and word documents were fully compliant in terms of accessibility legislation.
Academic Developer: A person who is employed to support academics professional development in the areas of teaching, learning and assessment.
Instructor: A person working in further or higher education with expertise in a specific area, that teaches and carries out research.
Inclusive Assessment: It is considered good pedagogical practice to use a range of assessment methods, implementing student choice, consider assessment and feedback timing, and develop assessment literacy.