Equity and UDL: Centering the Learner and Fostering Academic Resilience

Facilitators:
Samantha Chang, Faculty Liaison, Anti-Racist Pedagogies, CTSI
Jasjit Sangha, Faculty Liaison Coordinator, Anti-Racist Pedagogies, CTSI
Michal Kasprzak, Assistant Director, CTSI/TATP

The Ontario Postsecondary Education Standards Development Committee (2022) and the Ontario Human Rights Commission (2018) identify Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as an approach to engage all students and provide an equal opportunity to succeed. Developed by the Centre for Applied Special Technology (CAST), the UDL framework guides and optimizes the design and implementation of learning outcomes, assessments, and learning activities and materials to make learning inclusive, accessible, and usable for all learners. While UDL is grounded in neuroscience, this session examines the intersection between equity, diversity, and inclusion principles and UDL and its impact on student learning and academic resilience.

Learning Outcomes:

• Examine the UDL framework and its adaptability to diverse teaching and learning contexts
  
• Investigate the intersection of EDI principles and UDL guidelines for enhancing student belonging, learning, and academic resilience
  
• Discuss EDI- and UDL-informed strategies for cultivating expert learners who are purposeful, motivated, resourceful, knowledgeable, strategic, and goal-directed