UDL is a complicated way to teach. It involves giving multiple representations of the same information to students which they then choose from. Students also choose to work collaboratively or individually. And they decide how to demonstrate their learning through written work, a video, a poster or some other means.
UDL as a form of classroom differentiation. Differentiation – the process of giving different students in the same classroom different forms of instruction
a new paper by Dr. Guy A. Boysen of McKendree University in the U.S. Boysen claims that this lack of evidence is one of the five ways in which UDL parallels debunked learning styles theories.
universities and curricula are designed along the three unities of French classical tragedy: time, action, and place. Students meet at the university campus (unity of place) for classes (unity of action) during their 20s (unity of time). This classical model has traditionally produced prestigious universities, but it is now challenged by the digitalisation of society – which allows everybody who is connected to the internet to access learning – and by the need to acquire skills in step with a fast-changing world. Universities must realise that learning in your 20s won’t be enough. If technological diffusion and implementation develop faster, workers will have to constantly refresh their skills.
By teaching foundational knowledge and up-to-date skills, universities will provide students with the future-proof skills of lifelong learning, not just get them ‘job-ready’.
So while we know that there are incredible applications for emergent technologies such as VR/AR, the goal for organizations isn’t to look to implement these types of solutions immediately while in the midst of a pandemic, adding layers of training and cost concerns to the already existing uncertainty. Rather, an approach that involves short and long term planning as well as data collection to inform decision making is a much more prudent approach.
As soon as the coronavirus was declared a pandemic early last year, 88% of multinational organisations began encouraging remote working. By summer 2020, 83% of businesses surveyed said they will continue to offer remote-work options long after the world returns to complete normalcy.
Additionally, Gallup research conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic, indicated that employees are optimally engaged when they remote work 60% to 80% of the time. That’s three or four days in a workweek.
microlearning – brief training modules – increases information retention by up to 20%. Whether through videos or short quizzes, implementing microlearning can be beneficial without being time-consuming, allowing remote workers to get back to their tasks as soon as they’re done.
Neuroscience research has also revealed that „significant increases in learning can be accomplished through the informed use of visualand verbal multimodal learning‟(Fadel, 2008, p. 12).
Multimodal learning environments allow instructional elements to be presented in more than one sensory mode(visual, aural, written). In turn,materialsthat are presented in a variety of presentation modes may lead learners to perceive that it is easier to learn and improve attention, thus leading to improved learning performance;in particular for lower–achieving students (Chen & Fu, 2003; Moreno & Mayer, 2007; Zywno 2003).
multimodal design, in which „information (is) presented in multiple modes such as visual and auditory‟(Chen & Fu, 2003, p.350).The major benefit of which, as identified by Picciano (2009), is that it „allows students to experience learning in ways in which they are most comfortable, while challenging them to experience and learn in other ways as well‟(p. 13). Consequently, students may become moreself–directed, interacting with the various elements housed in these environments.
The Glossary of Education Reform, “Competency-based learning refers to systems of instruction, assessment, grading, and academic reporting that are based on students demonstrating that they have learned the knowledge and skills they are expected to learn as they progress though their education.”
The benefits, or drawbacks, of competency-based learning (CBL) — also known as competency-based education, mastery-based education, performance-based education, standards-based education and proficiency-based education — are up for debate. Regardless, there are an increasing number of these types of programs, particularly in for-profit colleges.
Competency-based education, in short, focuses on mastery of content, not on how long it takes to learn it. ++++++++++++++++++
What’s the Difference Between Project- and Challenge-Based Learning, Anyway?
Problem-based learning is a category of experiential learning that involves students in the process of critical thinking to examine problems that lack a well-defined answer. In problem-based learning, students are given a problem with only preliminary information. They work towards solving the problems themselves, rather than reviewing how others have resolved the situation or problem as in a case study. They do not produce a product as in project-based learning, and students are not necessarily working in the community unless they are gathering data.
Problem-based learning fosters students’ metacognitive skills. They must be consciously aware of what they already know about an area of discovery as well as what they do not know.
Project-based learning is a category of experiential learning where students are presented with a complex problem or question that has multiple potential solutions and possibilities for exploration. However, after studying this problem or question in their teams, students are challenged to develop a plan and create a product or artifact that addresses the problem.
Fegely, A., & S Cherner, T. (2021). A Comprehensive Rubric for Evaluating EduVR. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 20, 137–171. https://doi.org/10.28945/4737
a gap in the literature by presenting a criterion-referenced, research–supported rubric for evaluating the quality of educational virtual reality for mobile devices.
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