Designing for Learning Tools to Help Faculty Design

More Inclusive Courses

Beth Harrison, PhDUniversity of Dayton

< elizabeth.harrison@udayton.edu >

Learning outcomes

• Participants will leave this session with

–An understanding of the course design process and how concerns for accessibility can (should!) fit into that process

–A set of tools for working with faculty to (re)design their courses with accessibility/inclusive design in mind

Agenda

1) Course design• Conventional (?) design process

vs.• Backward design process

2) 4 tools to help you and your faculty• Practice

Assumptions

• Many institutions want faculty to:– Focus on student learning–Make assessment central

• Most faculty ARE interested in having their students do well, but they don’t know how

• Concern for inclusive design can be a natural part of course design

Conventional course design?

Backward course design

Backward course design

Backward course design

Backward course design

Your thoughts about this design process?

4 tools for you

• Identifying Course Goals Worksheet

• 4 Step Guide to Course Design

• UD Guidelines

• Short Guide (for faculty)

Identifying Course Goals worksheet

• Layers of importance– Enduring understandings: What do I want

my learners to remember in 3 years? • Absolutely central

– Important to know and do–Worth being familiar with

• Learning = knowledge, skills, values

Let’s try it

• Think of a course or workshop – you already teach – you would like to teach

• Use the worksheet to identify the enduring understandings you’re aiming for

4 step process for course design

1. Identify overall goals

2. Specify learning outcomes

3. Determine appropriate evidence

4. Plan learning experiences and instruction

4 step process for course design

1) Identify overall goalsGoals = general: big ideas, enduring understandings

2) Specify learning outcomes (SLO)SLO = specific, observable, result of learning

Knowledge, skills, values/dispositions

4 step process for course design

3) Determine appropriate evidence How will you know? What will you

accept as evidence? How will you ensure equitable

opportunity to demonstrate learning? Multiple measures give a more valid

view

4 step process for course design

4) Plan learning experiences and instruction

What information and experience do students need to achieve your SLOs?

What sequence of activities will best prepare students for your assessments?

Inclusive Design guidelines

• Flexibility and multiplicity in–Presentation and acquisition of information–Modes of engagement (physical, mental,

emotional)–Products and activities–Assessment and evaluation (testing)

Adapted from Ivy Access Initiative

Faculty Development Tip

Faculty have different learning preferences—surprise!

Some want a checklist of what to do, others hate checklists

ID/UD is about creativity, not simply rules

• A Short Guide to Inclusive, Learning-centered Course Design

• REFOCUS web site:http://www.projectshift-refocus.org/

Contact me any time!Beth Harrison< elizabeth.harrison@udayton.edu >