The final Food for Thought lunchtime session of the fall term was held November 27, 2024, at the Library Summit Centre. Michele Bridge and Claudine Warburton, both IDCs at the LTC, and Joanna Angelidis, Associate Director of Student Wellbeing and Accessibility, gave an informative presentation on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) .
The goal of UDL, as explained by the presenters, is to design instruction in a way that addresses the diversity of learners, thereby removing any barriers in either the instruction or the learning environment. At its core, UDL is a way of thinking about instruction — a lens that can be applied to the choices made around designing and delivering instruction.
UDL is not the same as the accommodations provided to individual learners. Rather, UDL adjusts the learning environment for all learners. For example, providing a private room for exam writing is an accommodation that can be provided for an individual student but is not feasible for an entire class. On the other hand, recording lectures or offering alternative options for assessment is an accommodation that removes barriers for all students, not just one individual.
It was noted that barriers also exist to implementing UDL — instructors at BCIT are already stretched for time and resources. The presenters’ recommendation is to start small: choose one practice to implement and grow from there.
Food for Thought sessions are hosted by BCIT Library and the Learning and Teaching Centre throughout the academic year, and are opportunities for faculty and staff to showcase research, learning and teaching practice, student support services, and innovation at BCIT. The sessions are hosted on Teams and in-person at the Library Summit Centre (where a light lunch is provided).
