Designing Equitable and Accessible Online Learning Environments

Designing Equitable and Accessible Online Learning Environments

Author: Kyei-Blankson, Lydia

Publisher: IGI Global

Published: 2024-02-07

Total Pages: 310

ISBN-13:

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As the educational sphere witnessed an unprecedented shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, a pivotal transformation was set in motion. The surge in online enrollment, spanning synchronous, asynchronous, hybrid, and mobile formats, has established the digital domain as a formidable medium of education. However, this transition comes with a responsibility to uphold the principles of equality and accessibility, a responsibility that mirrors the concerns long prevalent in traditional brick-and-mortar classrooms. Designing Equitable and Accessible Online Learning Environments is a pioneering endeavor which delves into the multifaceted dimensions of online education and reveals a crucial revelation that students from disadvantaged backgrounds exhibit a pronounced affinity for online courses. This book magnifies the essence of this observation, venturing beyond the surface to uncover the means to cultivate a genuinely inclusive online pedagogical experience. Meticulously curated, this book amalgamates diverse perspectives from luminaries in the field. The ultimate aspiration is to empower educators, administrators, researchers, and students with a profound understanding of the symbiotic relationship between inclusivity and technology. From theoretical underpinnings to practical strategies, every chapter resonates with the heartbeat of equitable education in the digital age. Embarking on a comprehensive journey, this book is an exploration of design theories that embrace the ethos of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Topics span the spectrum, from deciphering the architecture of accessible digital tools to unraveling the tapestry of culturally responsive teaching in the virtual classroom.


Universal Design in Higher Education

Universal Design in Higher Education

Author: Sheryl E. Burgstahler

Publisher: Harvard Education Press

Published: 2010-01-01

Total Pages: 369

ISBN-13: 1612500935

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Universal Design in Higher Education looks at the design of physical and technological environments at institutions of higher education; at issues pertaining to curriculum and instruction; and at the full array of student services. Universal Design in Higher Education is a comprehensive guide for researchers and practitioners on creating fully accessible college and university programs. It is founded upon, and contributes to, theories of universal design in education that have been gaining increasingly wide attention in recent years. As greater numbers of students with disabilities attend postsecondary educational institutions, administrators have expressed increased interest in making their programs accessible to all students. This book provides both theoretical and practical guidance for schools as they work to turn this admirable goal into a reality. It addresses a comprehensive range of topics on universal design for higher education institutions, thus making a crucial contribution to the growing body of literature on special education and universal design. This book will be of unique value to university and college administrators, and to special education researchers, practitioners, and activists.


Teaching for Learning

Teaching for Learning

Author: Claire Howell Major

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2015-08-27

Total Pages: 366

ISBN-13: 1136277145

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Despite a growing body of research on teaching methods, instructors lack a comprehensive resource that highlights and synthesizes proven approaches. Teaching for Learning fills that gap. Each of the one hundred and one entries: describes an approach and lists its essential features and elements demonstrates how that approach has been used in education, including specific examples from different disciplines reviews findings from the research literature describes techniques to improve effectiveness. Teaching for Learning provides instructors with a resource grounded in the academic knowledge base, written in an easily accessible, engaging, and practical style.


Designing Effective Distance and Blended Learning Environments in K-12

Designing Effective Distance and Blended Learning Environments in K-12

Author: Driscoll III, Thomas F.

Publisher: IGI Global

Published: 2021-11-12

Total Pages: 389

ISBN-13: 1799868311

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It has quickly become apparent in the past year that online learning is not only an asset, but it is critical to the continued education of youth during times of crisis. However, districts and schools across the nation are in need of guidance and practical, research-backed approaches to distance and hybrid learning. The current COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated that effective learning in K-12 is possible, but many districts struggled and continue to struggle in achieving that reality. There is also the growing consensus that even if things “return to normal,” distance and blended learning strategies should continue to be employed in many ways across the K-12 environment. Designing Effective Distance and Blended Learning Environments in K-12 provides key insights into the ways that school districts and educators from across the world have effectively designed and implemented distance and blended learning approaches to enable and enhance student learning. The diverse collection of authors from various demographics and roles in school systems will benefit readers across a wide spectrum of school community stakeholders. There will also be an emphasis on how research and theory is put into practice, along with an honest discussion of what strategies and actions were successful as well as those that were less so. This book is essential for professionals and researchers working in the field of K-12 education, particularly superintendents, curriculum developers, professional learning designers, school principals, instructional technology specialists, and teachers, as well as administrators, researchers, academicians, and students interested in the effective practices being used in blended learning approaches.


Transforming our World Through Design, Diversity and Education

Transforming our World Through Design, Diversity and Education

Author: G. Craddock

Publisher: IOS Press

Published: 2018-10-18

Total Pages: 906

ISBN-13: 1614999236

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Good design is enabling, and each and every one of us is a designer. Universal Design is widely recognized an important concept that should be incorporated in all person-centred policies. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) clearly stipulates that the most effective way of delivering on the promise of an inclusive society is through a Universal Design approach. Sitting at the intersection of the fields of Higher Education and Universal Design, this book presents papers delivered at the Universal Design and Higher Education in Transformation Congress (UDHEIT2018), held in Dublin, Ireland, from 30 October to 2 November 2018. This event brings together key experts from industry, education, and government and non-government organization sectors to share experiences and knowledge with all participants. The 86 papers included here are grouped under 17 headings, or themes, ranging from education and digital learning through healthcare to engagement with industry and urban design. Celebrating and integrating all that is good in design, diversity and education, this book will be a valuable resource for all those interested in the inspiring and empowering developments in both Universal Design and higher education.


Modular Online Learning Design

Modular Online Learning Design

Author: Amanda Nichols Hess

Publisher: American Library Association

Published: 2020-12-14

Total Pages: 143

ISBN-13: 0838948146

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Does your online instruction program sometimes feel like a constant scramble to keep pace with requests and deadlines? Modular design is the answer. Approaching projects, whether large and small, with an eye towards future uses will put you on the path to accomplishing broader, organizational goals. And by intentionally building documentation and structure into your process, you will create content that can easily be scaled, modified, adapted, and transformed to meet different learner needs. Hess, experienced in online instruction in both K-12 and academic libraries, shows you how, using project examples of various sizes to illustrate each chapter’s concepts. Her resource guides you through such topics as the eight components of modular online learning design; key considerations for choosing the design model that best fits your organization and project; techniques for connecting your online learning goals with institutional strategy; using the IDEA process to align OER content with your instructional needs; documenting your planning with checklists, scaffolds, and templates; ensuring equity of access with all content formats using the Accessibility Inventory Index; principles for scaling up, down, or laterally; three models for more meaningful and functional collaboration with internal or external partners; and formative testing as a foundation for ongoing evaluation and assessment.


Design Justice

Design Justice

Author: Sasha Costanza-Chock

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 2020-03-03

Total Pages: 358

ISBN-13: 0262043459

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An exploration of how design might be led by marginalized communities, dismantle structural inequality, and advance collective liberation and ecological survival. What is the relationship between design, power, and social justice? “Design justice” is an approach to design that is led by marginalized communities and that aims expilcitly to challenge, rather than reproduce, structural inequalities. It has emerged from a growing community of designers in various fields who work closely with social movements and community-based organizations around the world. This book explores the theory and practice of design justice, demonstrates how universalist design principles and practices erase certain groups of people—specifically, those who are intersectionally disadvantaged or multiply burdened under the matrix of domination (white supremacist heteropatriarchy, ableism, capitalism, and settler colonialism)—and invites readers to “build a better world, a world where many worlds fit; linked worlds of collective liberation and ecological sustainability.” Along the way, the book documents a multitude of real-world community-led design practices, each grounded in a particular social movement. Design Justice goes beyond recent calls for design for good, user-centered design, and employment diversity in the technology and design professions; it connects design to larger struggles for collective liberation and ecological survival.


Humanizing Online Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Humanizing Online Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Author: Gray, Laura E.

Publisher: IGI Global

Published: 2024-03-11

Total Pages: 365

ISBN-13:

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The surge in enrollment for online courses is continually increasing. However, beneath the convenience lies a challenge that demands a resolution. Educators, administrators, and instructional designers must ensure that the human element is not lost in the virtual corridors of learning. Students with diverse backgrounds and learning needs require more than a simple virtual classroom. Research reveals a concerning trend: high attrition rates in online courses, often attributed to a lack of engagement and insufficient human interaction. To reverse this trend, deliberate measures must be taken to humanize the online learning environment. This book provides several solutions, offering an array of tools and strategies to promote engagement and infuse the human touch into online spaces. To confront this multi-layered challenge, it becomes paramount to undertake deliberate measures aimed at humanizing the online learning environment. Humanizing Online Teaching and Learning in Higher Education steps forward as a guide, offering an extensive array of tools and strategies meticulously crafted to foster student engagement and infuse the essential human touch into the digital educational landscape.


Unlocking Learning Potential With Universal Design in Online Learning Environments

Unlocking Learning Potential With Universal Design in Online Learning Environments

Author: Bartlett, Michelle

Publisher: IGI Global

Published: 2024-03-18

Total Pages: 303

ISBN-13:

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Amidst the escalating demand for online education, the issue of inclusivity in digital learning environments has become increasingly prominent. The main challenge is to guarantee equitable access to effective educational experiences for learners with diverse backgrounds, abilities, and learning preferences. Traditional educational approaches prove inadequate in addressing the varied needs of students in the digital age, signaling an urgent need for a transformative shift. It's in this context thatUnlocking Learning Potential With Universal Design in Online Learning Environments emerges as a guide, poised to confront these challenges and pave the way for a more inclusive educational landscape. Unlocking Learning Potential With Universal Design in Online Learning Environments not only highlights challenges but provides its readers with a variety of solutions. Each chapter unveils real case studies, research findings, and best practices, from historical contexts and the evolution of UDL to addressing diverse learner needs in the digital age. The book also doesn't shy away from challenges, offering solutions for overcoming resistance and barriers. It concludes with a visionary outlook on the future of UDL in online education, compelling readers to reflect on their UDL journey and take a resounding call to action for inclusive online education. The book is the roadmap to a more equitable and engaging online education landscape.


UDL and Blended Learning

UDL and Blended Learning

Author: Katie Novak

Publisher: Impress, LP

Published: 2021-05-30

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 9781948334310

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You can develop the skills to meet the needs of learners in any learning environment. This approachable, in-depth guide unites the adaptability of Universal Design for Learning with the flexibility of blended learning, equipping educators with the tools they need to create relevant, authentic, and meaningful learning pathways to meet students where they're at, no matter the time and place or their pace and path. With step-by-step guidance and clear strategies, authors Katie Novak and Catlin Tucker empower teachers to implement these frameworks in the classroom, with a focus on cultivating community, building equity, and increasing accessibility for all learners. As we face increasing uncertainty and frequent disruption to traditional ways of living and learning, UDL and Blended Learning offers bold, innovative, inclusive solutions for navigating a range of learning landscapes, from the home to the classroom and all points in between, no matter what obstacles may lie ahead.