Creating an Inclusive Digital Learning Environment
Presenters:
Maite Saco, Instructional Designer
Cate Dowman, Sr. Instructional Designer
Division of Continuing and International Education, University of Miami
The University of Miami's Innovative Ally Rapid Remediation Project
Percentage* of chronic conditions among adults aged 18–34 years — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, 2019
Watson KB, Carlson SA, Loustalot F, et al. Chronic Conditions Among Adults Aged 18─34 Years — United States, 2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:964–970.
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DLI
Familiar?
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Today
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Project
Background
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Results
- add DLI team pic
About
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Making Accessibility #1
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Add data or a fact
Experiences
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- accessible content
- teacher presence
- community
- thoughtful edtech use
- flexibility
- rubrics
- consistency across courses
Helpful
Unhelpful
- inconsistent course design
- non-standardized courses
- non-transparent grading
- edtech tools with little purpose
Poll
Your online teaching training experience (faculty, instructor, tech staff, ID etc)
What would you do differently now?
Templates Erode Academic Creativity
#2. The Project
UOnline Program
I really prefer when professors take the time to organize their course. It makes it much easier to find assignments, videos, materials, etc. ... (student survey Wake Forest University 2021)
– Conrad Anker
When a templated course design works
UOnline Graduate Program
University of Miami Division of Continuing & International Education
It's been a busy two years
Pre 2020
OPM
June 2020
Standardized course template
ADA compliance
SME input
2022
LMS migration near completion
April 2020
Transitioned to DCIE
BB LMS migration completed
*Faculty more freedom
Jan 2021
Revise course & syllabus templates for new LMS migration
Menu
Learning
TAL706 2021 Blackboard ECP Award Built Course Template
Menu
Learning
TAL706 in Ultra Learn Template
- layout aids in efficiency for instructors & student help desks
- easier to update/revise existing courses
- increases content creativity
- fosters student success
Course Standardization
- enrollment policies & engagement requirements influences design
- stakeholder buy-in
- faculty training & development
- cookie cutter image
- unsuitable for some courses
How can templates enhance academic creativity?
In Chat
Standardization is a Frenemy
Challenge #3
But you can sway it in your favor
Boost Freedom Set Limits
Pre-written syllabus templates
Pre-established course templates: accessible & inclusive
Rubrics for transparency, improved grading practices, inclusion
Focus on layout not content design
Remember Juan?
Low bandwidth = different course layouts and design, feeling overloaded and frustrated,
- What advice could you offer to Juan's professors about their course design?
- Would you be prepared to talk to them about improving consistency by 'standardizing course design'?
- Ineffective faculty training = ineffective course design & student pain
- Template course design works in many cases
- Consistency aids instructors, support staff & students
- Instructors set limits on standardization & invest in creating content not course layout
Recap
Thank You!
Questions?
Contact: catedowman@miami.edu
Bair, B., Basanta, B., Dowman, C., Duran, E., Fife, H., & St. Rose, A. (2021). Student voices: Student focus group pilot. The Online Teaching Resource, 1(9).
Capranos, D., Dyers, L., Magda, A. J. (2021). Voice of the online learne r2021: Amplifying student voices in extraordinary times. Louisville, KY: Wiley Education Services.
Dan Donaldson, "The Role of Faculty Development in the Future of Online Education," The EvoLLLution, November 27, 2020.
Pesce, J. Professional development for teaching in higher education: Faculty perceptions and attitudes. Doctoral thesis. Boston College. 2015.
Ragupathi, K., Lee, A. (2020). Beyond Fairness and Consistency in Grading: The Role of Rubrics in Higher Education. In: Sanger, C., Gleason, N. (eds) Diversity and Inclusion in Global Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1628-3_3
Walsh L.L., Arango-Caro, S., Wester, E.R., Callis-Duehl,K., Training faculty as an institutional response to COVID-19 emergency remote teaching supported by data CBE-Life Sci Educ, 20 (2021), p. ar34
Websites
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/fostering-module-consistency-aid-learning
https://canvas.wfu.edu/2021/07/survey-says-consistency-please/
https://www.insidehighered.com/student-voice
https://u.osu.edu/carmencs/carmen-common-sense-top-10-tips/
References
GIF and Image Credits
Chaos gif by: All The Anime — Anime Limited
Full focus at a coffee shop photo by Tim Gouw for unsplash: https://unsplash.com/photos/1K9T5YiZ2WU
Creating an Inclusive Digital Learning Environment Presenters: Maite Saco, Instructional Designer Cate Dowman, Sr. Instructional Designer Division of Continuing and International Education, University of Miami The University of Miami's Innovative Ally Rapid Remediation Project
Copy of Chaos to Consistency
By Catherine Dowman
Copy of Chaos to Consistency
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