The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we teach and learn. Your experience may be similar to those faculty who have told me they recently implemented Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to develop new teaching strategies that otherwise would not have been implemented had it not been for the remote-learning model caused by the pandemic. In AES we have received countless student reports of the thoughtful ways in which you as faculty support student learning and growth in these challenging times. Most of you plan to update and implement new iterations of these strategies once the University returns to a completely in-person model, post-pandemic.
How does this trend impact pedagogy moving forward? Both Inside Higher Ed and the Chronicle of Higher Education recently featured articles addressing UDL planning for a post-COVID higher education landscape. We as a University community recognize and celebrate your tremendous efforts in adapting your teaching to meet ever-evolving learning needs this year. The work you do to update your pedagogy to meet current needs, while stressful, is also urgent, flexible, experimental, innovative, and deeply appreciated by students. This ongoing pedagogical work informed by UDL is happening across the country in myriad disciplines, including surgical education, and facilities and technology planning. As these articles suggest, this work is most effective when done as a community within a user-centered UDL planning process which integrates physical design and technology considerations, and includes perspectives of faculty, administrators, students and IS staff. We in AES look forward to supporting this ongoing work and welcome your feedback and questions at any time. As always and especially now, thank you for your ongoing partnership in support of students.
For more information please contact Melanie Gangle, AES Manager at gangle@up.edu.