Blog Post 3 – Recent “average learner” experience

I had a recent in-person course I had to take for my program where classes were delivered through 80 minute PowerPoint lectures. The slides used were text-heavy, and assessments for the course were based on timed exams. The content in the slides was pretty clear and organized, but the design of the course assumed that all of the learners could focus for long periods, process information at the same speed, and when it came to assessments, show their understanding under time pressure.

This format reflected a course design for an “average learner”. It assumes that if information is clearly presented once, each person should be able to absorb it equally as well. However, the needs of learners are diverse, and this format is not effective for everyone. Some people may benefit from pausing and reviewing after taking in information through discussion of material, or through applying the concepts to better understand what is being taught. Timed exams also assume similar processing speed, and for some, create anxiety that could inhibit their performance.

Using UDL principles I would redesign the course to include different means of representation, engagement, and expression. For representation, different ways to display the information could be used. Slides with some text as well as diagrams and visual information could be used, and lectures could be recorded for students to review as necessary. Key terms and concepts could be summarized before use in lecture. For engagement, lectures could be broken into shorter segments with short discussion periods in between to foster collaboration between students. For action and expression, learners could be given different forms of assessment, such as written reflections or assignments that focus on application of material, rather than solely using high-stakes timed exams.

These changes would help reduce barriers that benefit only certain learning styles. By recognizing diversity between learners rather than assuming an “average” learner, deeper learning would be supported for more students, allowing them to meet the outcomes of the course.

References

CAST. (2018). The Universal Design for Learning Guidelines. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/static/udlg_graphicorganizer_v2-2_numbers-no.pdf

Universal Design – EDCI 335. (n.d.). https://edtechuvic.ca/edci335/universal-design/

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