Adapting to COVID-19: Using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to Remove Barriers for All Learners

Note: This session has passed. Please view the resources here.

For our safety and wellness during COVID-19, online learning will be a feature of our educational landscape for some time to come. This webinar will help you navigate some of the issues that the pivot to online has presented and how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles can support both you and your students. This webinar is rich with practical tips, strategies, and examples whether you are new to UDL or a seasoned practitioner. There will be plenty of time for Q&A so be sure to bring your questions and conundrums.

Bios:

Seanna Takacs, PhD

Seanna is a faculty member in Accessibility Services and Educational Consultant (UDL) for the Teaching and Learning Commons at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She has taught, researched, and supported students and faculty in accessibility and inclusive practice for over 15 years. She is currently the co-chair of the Accessibility and Inclusion Community of Practice for CACUSS. She regularly consults and conducts workshops on Universal Design for Learning, accessible and inclusive practices, with a recent publication on UDL for the Justice Institute of British Columbia in partnership with BC Campus. Seanna holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from Simon Fraser University.

Junsong Zhang, MEd, MDM

Junsong is an Instructional Designer at the Center for Teaching, Learning and Innovation at Justice Institute of British Columbia.  He is passionate about transforming learning experiences with digital technology and fostering personal and professional development for instructors and students. His recent projects include designing UDL workshops and guides for JIBC faculty. Junsong holds a Master of Education from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Digital Media from the Center for Digital Media.  

Faculty Guest

Arley Cruthers, MFA

Arley teaches Applied Communications at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and is passionate about open pedagogy and open education. She is the creator of the OER textbook Business Writing for Everyone: An Inclusive Guide to Workplace Communications and is currently an Open Education Teaching Fellow at KPU. For her work in inclusive approaches to open, she received an Excellence in Open Education award from BCCampus. Arley often speaks and conducts workshops on open education and open pedagogy and has been a guest on the podcasts Teaching in Higher Ed and Praxis Pedagogy Podcast. Arley has an MFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and has also published several novels.