Universal Design for Learning (UDL) & Wellbeing Community of Practice

Each term we are faced with changes, unknowns, and stressors in the learning environment.
The UDL Framework helps mitigate some of these stressors for students and instructors
alike. To support wherever you are on your journey with UDL and wellbeing in the learning
environment, the Wellness Collaborative, Centre for Teaching Excellence, Centre for Extended
Learning, and fellow instructors have partnered to examine how UDL can (and cannot) support
holistic wellbeing in the learning environment. We invite you, instructors and others who support
the learning environment, to join us in a Community of Practice (CoP).


As we continue to unpack all the ways UDL can support wellbeing in the learning environment,
we encourage you to consider attending our upcoming session focusing on how movement can
support learning.


Students are engaged in sedentary activity during the time that they attend class, study, and
work on assignments. Some students are sitting more than 12 hours per day! This impacts
mental health, physical health, and course engagement. Leveraging movement to support
learning is a simple way to disrupt sedentary behaviour, further classroom engagement, and
show students we value their wellbeing (and the wellbeing of instructors too!)
Please join us for:

  • Tuesday, October 29, 2024 | Leveraging Movement to Support Learning

To get involved in the CoP, please complete this brief Qualtrics survey.  

We look forward to connecting with you!

Upcoming sessions

Leveraging Movement to Support Learning

When: Tuesday, October 29, 1:30-3:00 pm

Where: MS Teams

Presenters:

Donna Rheams (Athletics and Recreation)

Samantha Fowler (Disability Inclusion Team/AccessAbility Services)

Facilitator:

Leah Foster (Campus Wellness)

Learn how short breaks and movement can be used to improve students’ focus, participation, and performance. This session will offer examples of how movement can effectively be integrated into academic settings, and you will be encouraged to consider how to facilitate learning environments that encourage movement and support the holistic wellbeing of our students.

For more information on incorporating movement into the classroom, go to the Integrating Movement Breaks into your Class Teaching Tips Sheet.

Additional helpful references:

Felez-Nobrega, M., Hillman, C.H., Dowd, K.P., Cirera, E., Puig-Ribera, A. ActivPAL™ determined sedentary behaviour, physical activity and academic achievement in college students. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2018, 36:20, 2311-2316.

Fenesi, B., Lucibello, K., Kim, J.A., Heisz, J.J., Sweat So You Don’t Forget: Exercise Breaks During a University Lecture Increase On-Task Attention and Learning. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 2018, 7, 261-269.

Ferrer, M. & Laughlin D, Increasing college students’ engagement and physical activity with classroom brain breaks. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, 2017, 23 (3), 53-56.

Moulin, M., Irwin, J.D. An Assessment of Sedentary Time Among Undergraduate Students at a Canadian University. International Journal of Exercise Science, 2017, 10 (8), 1116-1129.

Peiris, C.L.; O’Donoghue, G.; Rippon, L.; Meyers, D.; Hahne, A.; De Noronha, M.; Lynch, J.; Hanson, L.C. Classroom Movement Breaks Reduce Sedentary Behavior and Increase Concentration, Alertness and Enjoyment during University Classes: A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 5589.

Ratey, J.J., & Hagerman, E. (2008). Spark: The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain.

Y.K. Chang, J.D. Labban, J.I. Gapin, J.L. Etnier, The effects of acute exercise on cognitive performance: A meta-analysis, Brain Research, Volume 1453, 2012, Pages 87-101.

Previous sessions

UDL as a Framework to Amplify Instructor Well-being

When: Thursday, February 29th, 1:00 pm- 2:30 pm

Location: MS Teams

Presenters:

Laura Williams (Faculty of Health)

Jay Dolmage (Faculty of Arts)

Karen Parkinson (Occupational Health)

Facilitators:

Leah Foster (Campus Wellness)

Melissa Potwarka (PhD Candidate, School of Public Health Sciences)

In this session, we will discuss the impact of implementing UDL principles on instructor wellbeing. We will take time to discuss how UW can better support instructor capacity to design more equitable and inclusive learning environments. Integral to this session is a conversation around self-care vs. community care and how to access supports.

To ground our conversation, we will be using the concepts, Access Fatigue and Conflicts of Access. If you would like more information about these and other concepts covered in the session, please refer to the following readings:

Dockray, H. (2019, May 24). Self-care isn't enough. We need community care to thrive. Mashable https://mashable.com/article/community-care-versus-self-care

Keyes, C. L. M. (1998). Social well-being. Social Psychology Quarterly, 61(2), 121-140.

Konrad, A. (2021). Access Fatigue: The Rhetorical Work of Disability in Everyday Life. College English, 83(3), 179–199.

Minaa B. (2021, February 23). Self-care tips: Why it's time to turn self care into community care for deeper healing. Well + good. https://www.wellandgood.com/what-is-community-care/

Radzyk, J. (2014). Validation of a new social well-being questionnaire. [Bachelor thesis in Psychology, Universiteit Twente]. http://essay.utwente.nl/65770/1/Radzyk%2C%20J.J.%20-%20s1171984%20%28verslag%29.pdf

Wallace, A. A. (2020, December 22). Stronger together: When self-care becomes community care. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/when-self-care-becomes-community-care

Unpacking the “universal” of Universal Design for Learning

When: Wednesday, November 8th | 1pm-2:30 pm

Where: Microsoft Teams

Facilitators/Presenters:

Jay Dolmage- (Faculty of Arts)

Christine Zaza- (Human Resources)

Leah Foster- (Campus Wellness)

Description:

We know that marginalization comes in many forms and at many intersections within individuals and communities. UDL is one way to “meet students where they are at” within the learning environment and engage in material that is responsive to all learners and their respective, social locations. Therefore, UDL is a tool for equity.

As a follow up to our previous sessions whose purpose was to lay the foundation for implementing UDL in the learning environment, we are now goin to take a step back to unpack the term “universal”. Together, we will work to understand how the term aligns with the design/principles/philosophy of UDL and what it means to each of you in your learning and teaching spaces.

Presenters will provide background on the term “universal” as it relates to Universal Design for Learning and how it is problematic within disability studies and other learning spaces. Presenters will also discuss the intention vs. the impact of using the term “universal” and how we think our institution should respond to this discussion, given that UDL will not change.

In this session you will learn about:

·       The term “universal” within the context of disability studies.

·       The potential impact this conversation has on the UDL and Wellbeing Community of Practice moving forward.

Registration (if you are new to the UDL CoP):

To register, please complete this brief survey, once completed you will be added to a Microsoft Team and you will receive a calendar invite for this session.

We have made efforts to use multiple forms of engagement for this session. If you have any questions or accessibility needs, please contact Leah Foster at ljsims@uwaterloo.ca.

References:

Edwards, Claire, and Gill Harold. "DeafSpace and the principles of universal design." Disability and
Rehabilitation 36.16 (2014): 1350-1359. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/09638288.2014.913710


Godden, Richard, and Jonathan Hsy. "Universal design and its discontents." Disrupting the Digital
Humanities (2016): 91-115.

Hackman, Heather W. "Broadening the pathway to academic success: The critical intersections of
social justice education, critical multicultural education, and universal instructional
design." Pedagogy and student services for institutional transformation: Implementing universal
design in higher education (2008): 25-48. https://bitly.ws/Ynqd


Hamraie, Aimi. "Universal design and the problem of “post-disability” ideology." Design and
Culture 8.3 (2016): 285-309. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/17547075.2016.1218714


Hamraie, Aimi. "Designing collective access: A feminist disability theory of universal
design." Disability, Space, Architecture: A Reader. Routledge, 2017. 78-297. https://dsq-sds.org/index.php/dsq/article/view/3246/3185


Imrie, Rob. "Universalism, universal design and equitable access to the built environment." Disability
and rehabilitation 34.10 (2012): 873-882. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/09638288.2011.624250


Jones, Paul. "Situating universal design architecture: designing with whom?." Disability and
rehabilitation 36.16 (2014): 1369-1374. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/09638288.2014.944274

Universal Design for Learning & Wellbeing Reflections and Pathways Forward

Wednesday, June 21, 2023 | 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Location: Microsoft Teams

Facilitators & Presenters:

  • Trevor Holmes (Centre for Teaching Excellence)
  • Melissa Potwarka (Campus Wellness)
  • Christine Zaza (Disability Inclusion Team)
  • Jillian Watkins (Campus Wellness)
  • Robbyn Hesch (Campus Wellness)
  • Leah Foster (Campus Wellness)

Description:

In this session, we will focus on sharing what we’ve learned about UDL, what we’ve changed in our practice and consider pathways forward.

Registration:

To register, please complete this brief survey. Once completed, you will be added to a Microsoft Team and will receive future invites to Community of Practice sessions.

UDL: What is it and why would I use it?

Thursday, September 29, 2022 | 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Location: Microsoft Teams

Facilitators & Presenters:

Description:

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a “framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn” (CAST, 2020). UDL is a process-based framework for inclusive pedagogy that draws on insights from technology, neuroscience and Universal Design in architecture (Liasidou, 2014). The intent is to create more responsive and equitable learning environments that account for student variability and diverse needs in non-discriminatory and socially just ways (Dolmage, 2017; Mcguire et al., 2006; Liasidou, 2014). UDL confronts systems that place individuals with disabilities on the margins, thus creating learning environments that are responsive to the broadest range of learners (Dolmage, 2017). UDL offers instructors three dimensions for reflecting on their course design, teaching practices through: 1) multiple means of representation, 2) multiple means of action and expression, and 3) multiple means of engagement.

In this session, you will learn about:

  • UDL’s foundations, underlying principles, and its application in the learning environment

  • Critiques, pitfalls, perils and myths of UDL

  • Practical considerations for implementing UDL in your practice

Presenters will share about their experiences supporting and/or utilizing UDL practices in their roles; challenges and opportunities for implementation of UDL in learning environments; and intersections with other inclusive pedagogical frameworks. Participants will have the opportunity to share their own experiences using UDL and seek support moving forward in their own practice.

Registration:

To register please complete this brief survey, once completed you will be added to a Microsoft Team and you will receive calendar invites for the three fall sessions.

References:

CAST. (2020). CAST: About Universal Design for Learning. Cast. https://www.cast.org/impact/universal-design-for-learning-udl#:~:text=Universal Design for Learning (UDL,insights into how humans learn.

Dolmage, J. T. (2017). Academic Ableism: Disability and Higher Education. University of Michigan Press. https://doi.org/10.3998/MPUB.9708722

Liasidou, A. (2014). Critical disability studies and socially just change in higher education. British Journal of Special Education, 41(2), 120–135. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.12063

Mcguire, J. M., Scott, S. S., & Shaw, S. F. (2006). Universal Design and its applications in educational environments. Remedial and Special Education, 27(3), 166–175.

Harnessing UDL for wellbeing in the learning environment

Thursday, October 27, 2022 | 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Location: Microsoft Teams

Facilitators & Presenters:

Description:

Addressing wellbeing in the learning environment is a priority for the University of Waterloo. Through consultations at Waterloo, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) emerged as a salient mechanism for a meaningful impact on wellbeing in the learning environment. This session will focus on how wellbeing in holistically conceptualized at Waterloo to reflect “physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity" (Constitution of the World Health Organization, 1946). Promoting wellbeing is a proactive process that moves “beyond a focusing on individual behaviour towards a wide range of social and environmental interventions” (World Health Organization, 1998) to address determinants of health, and improve health, social justice, equity, and sustainability in all settings, organizations and systems (Okanagan Charter, 2015).

UDL confronts systems that place individuals with disabilities on the margins, thus creating learning environments that are responsive to the broadest range of learners (Dolmage, 2017). By centering on the needs of learners, UDL supports diversity in the classroom, a key determinant of student wellbeing (Fovet, 2020; Nieminen & Pesonen, 2020). Drawing on practical applications of UDL to course design, content delivery and assessment, to reduce student stress, improve affective experiences of learning inherent to student wellbeing and contribute to a culture of inclusivity.

In this session, you will learn about:

  • Wellbeing considerations for the learning environment?
  • How students are doing with their wellbeing at Waterloo?
  • Practical considerations for how UDL can be harnessed to support wellbeing in the learning environment.
  • Critical consideration for instructor wellbeing and workload.

Presenters will share evidence-based UDL strategies for students wellbeing, as well practical tips they have found to positively impact students. We will engage in critical reflection of the impacts on instructor workload and the importance of the ‘start small and build from there’ approach. There will be opportunity to discuss with presenters and other group member regarding ‘places to start’ and in your own practice.

Registration:

To register please complete this brief survey, once completed you will be added to a Microsoft Team and you will receive calendar invites for the three fall sessions.

References:

Constitution of the World Health Organization. (1946). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/about/governance/constitution

Dolmage, J. T. (2017). Academic Ableism: Disability and Higher Education. University of Michigan Press. https://doi.org/10.3998/MPUB.9708722

Fovet, F. (2020). Exploring the Potential of Universal Design for Learning with Regards to Mental Health Issues in Higher Education. Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability & Diversity, July, 0–16.

Nieminen, J. H., & Pesonen, H. (2020). Taking universal design back to its roots: Perspectives on accessibility and identity in undergraduate mathematics. Education Sciences, 10(12), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10010012

Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting Universities and Colleges. (2015). https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/53926/items/1.0132754

World Health Organization. (1998). Health Promotion Glossary. https://www.who.int/health-topics/health-promotion#tab=tab_1

UDL for inclusive pedagogy

Thursday, November 24, 2022 | 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Location: Microsoft Teams

Facilitators & Presenters:

Description:

In this session, Dr. Jay Dolmage and Dr. Trevor Holmes will share their histories with UDL in their teaching, and facilitate conversations about inclusive teaching practices and barriers to inclusion at Waterloo.

Registration:

To register please complete this brief survey, once completed you will be added to a Microsoft Team and you will receive calendar invites for the three fall sessions.

The Difference Between UDL and Accommodations

Monday February 13, 2023 | 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM

Location: Microsoft Teams

Facilitators & Presenters:

Description:

In this session we welcome Laura Williams from the Centre for Teaching Excellence, and Geoffrey Shifflett and Laura Myers from AccessAbility Services to discuss the differences between accommodations and Universal Design for Learning. We will discuss how implementing aspects of UDL in course design can and cannot support students who require accommodations.

Goals for the session:

  1. Discuss differences between accommodations and UDL

  1. Increase awareness of the role of instructors and the role of AccessAbility Services in supporting students in the accommodation process.

Registration:

To register please complete this brief survey, once completed you will be added to a Microsoft Team and you will receive calendar invites for the three fall sessions.

Centering Student Voices in Universal Design for Learning

Monday March 20, 2023 | 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM

Location: Microsoft Teams

Facilitators & Presenters:

  • Elise Vist (Writing and Communication Centre)

  • Nasim Shojayi (Student Success Office)

  • Nicolas Banks (student panelist)

  • Sofia Somani Slater (student panelist)

  • Stephanie Wilson (student panelist)

  • Grey Shaikevich (student panelist)

  • Melissa Potwarka (Campus Wellness)

  • Jillian Watkins (Campus Wellness)

Description:

In this session we will focus on student experiences of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) instructional techniques. A panel of students will share their personal reflections on experiences with various UDL techniques that they have been exposed to in learning environments, as well as tools they have used in their own teaching and mentoring. Discussion will include a focus on how UDL techniques can impact student wellness.

 Other UDL resources