What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Universal design for learning is a framework which helps make learning accessible to every student. It also promotes costume learning styles for every student, since everyone does not learn the same way. The way in which UDL promotes more inclusive learning environments is by following its three principles, having multiple means of engagement, representation, action & expression. If you follow these principles it will mean having multiple ways in which students can learn like visually, audibly, or practicing hands on. In a physical classroom UDL can be implemented by having verbal instructions, interactive activities, and lecture transcripts. In a digital classroom you can have captioned videos, interactive simulations, and virtual labs. By implementing these suggestions into your class making learning tailored to more students.
Ensuring accessibility in Online Settings
One approach in making sure everyone has access to digital content such as captioning for videos, screen reader compatibility to help visually impaired students. Moving on, a having a user friendly design helps with ease of navigating websites. For example, Brightpsace and Microsoft teams offer great navigation for their websites so anyone can access them without difficulty. Furthermore, accommodation tools, providing extensions for assignments and quizzes for students who require them and also the use of Microsoft’s immersive reader for dyslexia friendly text formatting. In my experience, platforms like Brightspace and Microsoft teams have provided great accessibility by providing discussion forums and closed captioning for lecture recordings, which in my opinion improve engagement and understanding. By implementing the tools aforementioned learning environments can become more inclusive.
Ethical Challenges of EdTech
There are ethical issues related to using edtech in the classroom, the largest being privacy and data security. All platforms collect enormous amounts of data, making it concerning about the handling and misuse of it. But here in British Columbia there is the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) this means that any information identify a student needs to be confidential and secure. Another issue is digital divide, this means students who do not have reliable internet or devices are at a disadvantage to learning causing greater inequalities. Ways in which educators can balance benefits of technology are by using applications which comply with the FIPPA’s regulations. Moving on, educators can encourage equitable access by choosing tools that work across multiple devices and requesting institutional support for loaner devices.
Ethical Considerations in Digital Interactions
As a person who engages in online communities I have responsibilities. First, I need to be respectfully of others in online spaces. I should also be aware of my own privacy and of others as well, especially when using collaborative tools or when sharing online. Furthermore, maintains academic integrity by properly citing sources and avoiding plagiarism, which makes my work credible and trustworthy. To make sure my interactions are respectful I engage in discussions thoughtfully, while considering others perspectives. Making sure my interactions are inclusive I make sure everyone gets a chance to contribute to the discussion, especially in group settings. To stay ethical I make sure to cite my sources, and to be truthful in my academic work.
Applying UDL and Accessibility Principles
In my experience using Brightspace, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom, I found they had UDL Principles, but still had room for improvement. using Brightspace I found it was great to engage in discussions forums about the course content and the use of recorded lectures made it accessible to me when I was not able to physically attend lectures. Microsoft Teams offers great accessibility with their live captions and immersive reader, but I found teams to be very bad with having internet issues and having lots of lag especially during lockdown. Zoom was very useful for discussing course material with peers over video calls, which helped me understand complex topics better.
