A UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR INCLUSIVE ONLINE LEARNER SUCCESS IN NURSING EDUCATION

Abstract

Enrolment in online post-secondary nursing education is growing exponentially diverse in age, background, circumstances, and ability (Statistics Canada, 2021a); therefore, it is essential that educators build a responsive and inclusive environment for varied learners to optimize learning and success. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a theoretical framework that holds significant potential for guiding instructional practices that aim to minimize learning barriers and promote inclusivity of diverse learner needs in online post-secondary nursing education. A descriptive case study of a large first-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing course that was redesigned using UDL-based instructional strategies for online delivery was conducted. The purpose was to explore how learners rated and described the effectiveness of instructional strategies used in supporting inclusivity of diverse learning preferences and needs in an online environment. A convergent mixed methods analysis of mixed secondary data collected in the fall 2020 semester using an online survey, Inclusive Teaching Strategies Inventory-Students (n=40) and focus group interview (n=7) supplemented with my co-instructor notes, informed this research. Survey respondents rated accessible course material, inclusive lecture strategies, accommodations, inclusive assessment and classroom constructs of the tool, as being most inclusive of diverse needs. Focus group participants described assessment methods, instructor presence, and UDL-based course design elements, as the preferred instructional strategies used in the curriculum, with group work and navigation issues being most problematic. A purposeful combination of synchronous and asynchronous UDL-based instructional strategies by nurse educators that integrates multiple means of engagement, representation, action and expression, offered an inclusive online environment for diverse learning needs.