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Methods and Modifications

A convergent mixed methods descriptive case study design methodology was used for this research project (Creswell & Plano Clarke, 2018). The case was a first-year undergraduate BScN course, offered through a midsized university in Ontario, Canada and required in all program degree streams. The focus included introducing the students to themselves as a healthy individual, learner, and future nurse. This introductory course is typically offered in-person by two co-instructors during the fall semester, over a twelve-week period, to a new annual cohort of approximately 230 learners. The units of analysis within this case were students who were enrolled in the fall 2019 offering of the course, or case.

 

UDL-based principles were used to inform modifications that resulted in major pedagogical changes to this in-person course and the initial collaborative study in 2019. As one of the co-instructors, I led the revision of the course to focus on building interpersonal communication and collaboration skills among learners. As part of the UDL framework, course curriculum was identified as having four instructional components: goals, assessment, methods, and materials (Meyer et al., 2014).  Each strategy is identified below and classified into four components.  

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Based Instructional Strategies Multiple Means of Engagement   Multiple Means of Representation  Multiple Means of Action and Expression 
Goals

Syllabus, Lecture, and Course Overview on Learning Management System 
  • Detailed syllabus before semester start (weekly schedule, important dates, assignment highlights, and key university policies)  
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  • Online weekly units (instructor video introductions, objectives, advanced graphic organizer with concept connections, readings, highlights, activities, and summaries)
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  • Weekly lecture objectives (PowerPoint) posted before class
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  • AV prep checklist/guide for note taking/online resources, announcements 
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Materials

Multimodal Source of Content  
  • Hard cover and e-textbook options; two extra copies in library
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  • LMS resource links (due dates calendar; how-to manuals; peer support; Student Accessibility Services (SAS); Academic Skills assignment video; Leganto; Ally; Zoom)
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  • Yuja video recording of weekly class posted on LMS  
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  • Hands on, role play, in-class activities 
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Methods

Weekly Units (Asynchronous)
  • Similarly structured for ease of navigation/consistency 
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  • Videos, audio, text, music, activities, summary, resources 
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Larger Lecture (220 learners) (Synchronous) 
  • In-Class activities (participation-based, completed in class) 
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  • Instructor led PPT interaction every 15- 30 minutes to reinforce concepts: think and share, meditation, smudging   
  ⚫  ⚫   ⚫
  • Guest speakers 
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Smaller Seminars (25 learners)(Synchronous) 
  • Latter 6 weeks, formative instructor feedback and peer support  
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  • Hands-on, role play, activities 
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  • Scaffolded content, authentic case study for group project
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Instructor Support   
  • Co-instructed (two teaching styles, attended lecture to role model engaged listening) 
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  • Approachability and support 
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  • Separate office hours, increased support access
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  • Answer emails promptly; return assignment feedback quickly 
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  • Shuffle seating (faculty not lecturing sit among learners, increase access before, during break, or after class) 
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Assessment

Assignments
  • Staggered timelines; flex time or flexible submission timelines 
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  • Language changed (points versus marks)  
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  • Guidelines and rubrics  
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  • Weighting of assignments; increased participation
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  • Adaptive quizzes for textbook readings– similar to RN exam, multiple attempts  
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  • In-Class activities: reflection, peer feedback and application– type activity in class; bonus activity (make up points)  
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  • Scholarly paper: interview nurse regarding profession, how will manage similar challenges in future  
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  • Midterm exam or formative review via LMS in class: short answer, two- step multiple choice, image, text, and video-based application questions
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  • Seminar activities: instructor led, increased to two hours, peer interaction- encouraged new peer each seminar
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  • Group project: multiple -choice exam replaced by group  project of creating a health promotion plan using nursing/reasoning process based on authentic case study – choice of topic, approaches, and submission formats.
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  • Scholarly paper: interview nurse regarding profession, how will manage similar challenges in future  
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  • Group project process reflection: reflection on group work linking to content in course
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  • Group project individual feedback–self-evaluation and feedback for another presentation
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Case Studies in UDL Copyright © by Devon Stillwell (Series Ed.); Dana Capell (Ed.); Stephanie Ferguson (Ed.); and Aya Yagnaya (Ed.) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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