Universal Design For Learning in University Education

Universal Design For Learning (UDL) is an educational framework that differentiates for distinct learner needs by varying teacher presentation of concepts into different forms, using a range of resources, and accepting demonstration of learning in different formats. To be successful, UDL requires educators to know the range of their learners and understand the different tools available to support them. The goal of UDL is that learning is in the hands of students who have more agency and control over their own advancement in class. While more common in K-12 education, some university professors have taken it upon themselves to construct UDL course rooms, and done so with great success.

The goal of this series is four-fold. First, it calls attention to the role of design in university education to enhance student agency, motivation, and autonomy for learning. Second, it will showcase the evidence behind UDL design in different university contexts, including global comparative views; use with neurodivergent learners; application in distinct modalities (online, face-to-face and blended); use across university subject areas; lowering cognitive load for both teacher and learner to enhance wellbeing; and improving social exchanges in the classroom environment. Third, we would like to showcase the many creative efforts to use a range of resources available, including podcasts, bundles – self-selected homework levels, self-graded quizzes, evaluation tools, and generative AI in higher education. Finally, we will review teacher characteristics that enhance the likelihood of success using UDL at the university level. We hope to share research from different methodologies include case studies, meta analyses, and systematic reviews.

Submissions can be in any of the four categories mentioned in the goals and may include topics such as the following:

Students and UDL:
• Access for everyone; issues of inclusion and/or differentiation.
• Non-traditional learners or modalities.
• Motivation and/or autonomy.
• Personalized learning.
• Co-designing of classes.

UDL in Higher Education:
• Challenges to implementation.
• Modality: Online, face-to-face, blended.
• Case study examples from any subject area.
• International comparative data.
• Low - middle - high-income countries and their experiences.
• Reduced accommodations.
• Executive Functions.
• Theoretical underpinnings or evidence.
• Socialization.
• Mental Health.

UDL Resources in Higher Education:
• Tools.
• UDL and AI.
• Open Educational Resources and UDL.

Teaching with UDL at the University Level:
• UDL in both teaching and research.
• Differences between K-12 and university UDL application.
• Teacher competencies.
• Using UDL to teach UDL to teachers.
• Teacher abilities to implement UDL.
• Classroom management.
• Assessment in UDL.
• Teacher dispositions.

Other topics are also welcome so long as they focus on tertiary education and UDL.

Disclaimer: Topic Editor Dr. Luis Perez is employed by CAST. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject.

Keywords: Universal Design for Learning, University, Tertiary Education, Educational Planning, Differentiation

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.