Celebrating L&T 2019 | Post-event Wrap Up
As part of our annual line up of Celebrating Teaching events this year we took some time out to revisit the extreme importance of inclusivity across our Virtual Learning Environments. Here are some of the post-event ‘hot spots’ in case you missed it.
“Universal Design is a thinking process, not a product!”
Dr Jane Bringolf, Inclusivity in the VLE, Celebrating L&T 2019, Griffith University
“Inclusion is a continuum!”
Founder of the Centre for Universal Design Australia Dr Jane Bringolf beamed in from sunny Sydney to give us an overview of how the Universal Design Approach needs to be a ‘joined up’ story at all levels. While we are pretty good at supporting those with visible and clearly stated issues, it is Universal Design and the associated principles of Universal Design for Learning that underpin Universal access for all.
“Many disabilities are invisible”
Dr Jane Bringolf, Inclusivity in the VLE, Celebrating L&T 2019, Griffith University
Some key Universal Design items to address and master both at an Institutional and Personal level were discussed and included:
- Use of Social Media
- Policy – is it integrated and visible?
- Choice of Color and contrast
- Use of font size and styles
- Use of Screen Readers and Screen magnifiers
- Accessible Graphic Design
- Pictures and Alternative Text (ALT Text)
- Use of full hyperlinks – no ‘click here’
Post-event Universal Design & Education Resources
A Duo-ethnographic Journey of Inclusion to Access
http://universaldesignaustralia.net.au/two-people-one-udl-story/
Two People, One Story
http://universaldesignaustralia.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Two-people-one-story-UDL.pdf
Inclusion, universal design and universal design for learning in higher education: South Africa and the United States
http://universaldesignaustralia.net.au/ud-udl-for-inclusion-in-education/
http://universaldesignaustralia.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/UD-and-UDL-in-higher-Ed.pdf
Universal Design Engineering for Learners
http://universaldesignaustralia.net.au/universal-design-engineering-for-learners/
http://ebooks.iospress.nl/volumearticle/50605
Beyond Universal Design for Learning: Guiding Principles to Reduce Barriers to Digital & Media Literacy Competence
http://universaldesignaustralia.net.au/digital-and-media-literacy-in-learning/
http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1289&context=jmle
We were so pleased to nab Emily Lait of Microsoft who gave us a great rundown of available productivity and learning features within the Microsoft Suite to assist both us and our Student Cohorts. You can download the full listing below to find great tools including our favourites below:
- Immersive Reader (Office)- decodes and reads words in multiple languages, shows word types, line focus, translation and more…
- Dictation (Office) – tell Dictation what you want to write in docs
- Seeing AI (free app) – describes the world around you! Download on your phone.
- Presentation Translator (Office)- Live subtitles on your PowerPoint presentation. Native to the latest PowerPoint (but can be downloaded online if needed
Post-event Resources
Visit the Microsoft Productivity Hub for more information about Microsoft at Griffith.
Visit ExLNT (Explore Learning & Teaching) to find stories and resources supporting the use of Microsoft Teams and apps in Learning & Teaching.
In this session we heard about the Active Learning components of Echo360ALP, and how they are strengthening support, engagement and active learning across Griffith Business School Courses. Echo360ALP affordances utilised to enhance the offerings included:
- Note Taking – in context for students
- Confusion Flag – Flagging content as confusing
- Polls – Active Learning and knowledge retention checking
- Quizzes – Active Learning
- Activity slides – Active Learning
- Q&A Discussion Space
Post-event Resources
Visit ExLNT (Explore Learning & Teaching) to see the latest Echo360ALP Sparks, and learn more about Echo360ALP at Griffith.
Good design practices benefit all students so implementing changes to support students on the autism spectrum can improve the online learning environment for all students
Dr Chris Campbell (Griffith University)
An increasing number of students with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum are enrolling at University. During their study, they are at heightened risk of academic or personal failure, and compared to other disability categories have decreased graduation and employment rates. Factors that can influence this include social and sensory difficulties.
Given this, it seems reasonable to assume that students with autism will excel in online courses. However, this assumption does not give true consideration to the complexity of the autism profile.
Given the limited research in this area, the Team set out to explore the experiences, preferences and barriers to online learning for students on the autism spectrum who are studying at Griffith University
They contain the key “dos” and “don’ts” to enhance the online learning experience for students on the autism spectrum. Each tip sheet has a different theme, including student-instructor interactions, student-student interactions, student experiences of online tools and visual presentation of information
Top tips include:
- Starting Small when implementing change
- Be careful of making assumptions
- Ensure all students in your courses are aware that student support is available and they know how they can access this support.
Post-event Resources
Visit ExLNT (Explore Learning & Teaching) to read the full story (Faculty Spark) and download the Tip Sheets.
“Accessible Design is Good Design”
Steve Ballmer, CEO Microsoft 2000 – 2014
In this session, Rae Jobst shared quick and simple tips for implementing Universal Design for Learning approaches to improve usability and accessibility of earning materials for universal benefit. She encouraged us to use the resources to ‘self-audit’ i.e. what am I already doing in my everyday practice, and what should I be doing in my everyday practice?
“Without being technical wizards, there are some simple things that we can all do to design for accessibility for all of our learners.“
Rae Jobst, Griffith Online
Getting Started – Top things to check
- Color Contrast (All)
- Use of Heading Styles (Docs/Tables)
- Addition of ALT (alternative) Text (Imagery)
- Captioning and Subtitles (video/Audio) + much more…
Post-event Resources
Visit ExLNT (Explore Learning & Teaching) to learn more about Universal Design for Learning
Visit the ‘Accessible Learning Environments’ site for help with producing accessible materials.
Professor Michael Sankey (Deputy Director, Learning Futures) introduced the Program and talked us through the importance of accessibility and inclusion at an Institutional level, delving into the specific Course Design Standards aligning with these approaches for the benefit of all of our Student Cohorts.
Post-event Resources
Getting familiar with the Griffith University Course Design Standards
Visit the Learning Futures, Course Design Standards Site to learn more about the Standards, access Fact-sheets, modules and more.
ENGAGING & EMPOWERING
We foster active, authentic and collaborative approaches to learning to build our students’ professional capability and confidence and cultivate
DIGITALLY-ENABLED LEARNING
We enable our students to learn more flexibly and effectively through digitally-rich and integrated learning environments.
LEARNER-ENABLING DESIGN
We optimise our learning environments to build our students’ capacity to confidently and capably manage their own learning and enable all of our students to succeed to the best of their ability.
“Taking an Inclusive approach to content impacts all of your learners”
Dr John Scott, Blackboard Ally, Griffith University 2019.
Inclusivity in the VLE starts with access to, interaction with, and consumption of learning content, and now we have a tool to help.
In this session Sheila McCarthy (Learning Futures) introduced a new addition to the Griffith VLE, Blackboard Ally (BbAlly). BbAlly is fully integrated in [email protected], and provides assistance in a few highly beneficial ways:
- Alternative Formats – Anyone accessing your files in [email protected] can select create automated alternative formats to assist their flexibility, personalisation and consumption of learning content.
- Accessibility Builder – As you build your [email protected] Course, BbAlly will check your items and give you indicators.
- In-context Fix and Coaching – Some items can be amended ‘on-the-go’ and BbAlly will coach you through the others.
- Accessibility Course Reports – so, you’ve just adopted a copied-over Course…eek! Run an Accessibility Course Report to get a holistic view across all content, and indicators to assist your time management of fixes.
BbAlly in Action
Learning Futures are currently piloting BbAlly in a number of courses across Trimester three (3) in preparation for enterprise roll out to all Course in Trimester one (1), 2020. Select the Post-event resource below to find out how you can be part of the BbAlly revolution.
Post-event Resource
ExLNT (Explore Learning & Teaching) – visit to find out more about BbAlly, the Pilot and how to get started enhancing your Course for all today.
Inclusiveness Expo Catchup
Colleagues from across the University collaborated to provide an ‘Inclusiveness’ Expo including Digital Solutions, Learning Futures, Student Life & Accessibility Services. Here are some great resources from the Expo you can use in your Learning & Teaching practice today.
Accessibility across the VLE – 5 Ways
Here are five (5) VLE Tools you can be sure are Captioning-capable.
- Youtube Captioning (auto)
- Voicethread Captioning (auto)
- Collaborate Ultra Captioning (Live closed captioning)
- Presentation Translator Online Captioning (auto)
- Echo360ALP (closed captioning)
Reality Check
Steps for Identifying and Supporting Students “At Risk” or In Distress
Practical Wisdom
Steps for Managing Disruptive Student Behaviour
Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies
Quick strategies you can employ to ensure you are providing a ‘Culturally Responsive’ learning environment
Catch up on all the Celebrating Learning & Teaching 2019 Action
Twitter #GriffithCLT2019
