This paper will explore the steps taken to create a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) ecosystem by embedding the principles and practices of Universal Design for Learning (CAST, 2018) in a fully online, flexible and practice-based accredited programme for those who teach in Higher Education, namely the Level 9 Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice (30 credits) at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. The paper will share the design features of the programme (including a focus on mentoring and the establishment of peer learning groups) as well as the pedagogical design and use of the Virtual Learning Environment in order to offer a highly flexible, experiential and contextualised learning experience for Higher Education teachers which includes individualised learning pathways grounded in academic practice. It will highlight the innovative design and mapping process undertaken to ensure that learners had an individualised UDL learning experience which allowed them to immerse themselves in the process with a view to designing a similar learning experience for their learners. By creating this immersive UDL learning experience, learners were supported to become expert learners. Viewed through the UDL lens, expert learners are purposeful and motivated, resourceful and knowledgeable, and strategic and goal directed.
The unique design focuses on building capacity and competencies for, professional development of, the GCAP students and the wider learning communities. The programme promotes the three key UDL principles of multiple means of engagement, representation and action and expression, in order to model to Higher Education teachers how to embed UDL into their own modules and programmes.
Creating a UDL Ecosystem Within an Accredited Professional Development Programme for Higher Education Teachers
1. Creating a UDL ecosystem within an
accredited professional development
programme for Higher Education teachers
Dr Laura Costelloe & Jean Reale
2. 2
Presentation Overview
• Introduction to the Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice
• Embedding UDL in a systematic way
• Fostering a UDL ecosystem within an academic programme
• Conclusions and next steps
4. 4
Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice(GCAP)
• The programme is aimed at all those who teach or lead in higher education from
heads of department to new teachers, including those in professional services roles
which involves teaching such as educational technologists, librarians, etc.
• This is a fully online and flexible 30 credit programme at level 9.
• Consisting of two 15 credit modules which each run for one semester.
• Running since September 2020.
5. 5
Professional Development for Higher Education teachers
• Hunt Report recognises the importance of developing, supporting and
disseminating exemplary teaching and learning practices (DES, 2011); also driven by
the National Professional Development Framework (National Forum, 2016) and the
activities of the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning.
• Accredited programmes are an important space for formal PD for HE teachers (Van
Geyte & Hadjianastasis, 2021; McAvinia et al, 2015), and programmes such as GCAP
have become common place in many countries (Chalmers & Gardiner, 2015;
Maguire et al., 2017).
• GCAP programme emerged from a strong evidence-based exploring PD preferences
for HE teachers (see O’Brien et al., 2022) and is informed by literature on flexible,
experiential and contextualised PD programmes (e.g. Pleschová & McAlpine, 2016;
Rienties et al., 2013; Teräs, 2016)
16. 16
• Programmes such as GCAP are
important spaces to discuss and
develop inclusive practices across
faculties and disciplines
• Engagement with graduates needed
to ensure continued implementation
of UDL beyond the programme – MIC
UDL Community of Practice
• Outline approval given to extend
programme to Diploma and MA
Conclusions and Next Steps
