UID Quick-Start Checklist
1. Things you can do immediately
design
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provide ample time for assignments determine how
much time would be required by a typical student and add a "buffer"
to address various contingencies
-
differentiate between need to know (required)
and nice to know (optional) information
-
allow students to work in pairs in labs where physical
effort may disadvantage someone with a disability
-
collect mid-semester feedback to discover any problems
or areas of confusion
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provide ample time for online work in case of system
malfunction
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always face the class and make eye contact when
speaking
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use a microphone when necessary
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structure class time in a consistent manner
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post course materials such as syllabi or handouts
in WebCT or readings in the Library Online Reserve
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allow students to submit assignments electronically
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if you use electronic presentation tools (e.g.,
PowerPoint) make sure that presentation is legible (minimum 20 pt.
font, with a high-contrast colour scheme)
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provide feedback on work before the next assignment
or assessment
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consider providing lecture outlines (not complete
notes) and advanced organizers for lectures that students can annotate
during class
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structure and format material
for easy readability
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provide students with materials in multiple formats:
at the very least, provide digital equivalents of hardcopy handouts
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ensure that all digital materials you provide to
students are in an accessible format (e.g., don't provide PowerPoint
files if not everyone has the software)
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ensure all materials, case studies, etc., are free
of negative stereotypes
-
ensure your course website is
accessible and usable: use an accessibility checker to identify any
potential problems
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use "ALT" (alternate
text) tags for any images on web pages so that they may be identified
by text-browsers or by screen-reading programs used by students with
disabilities
-
do a "room check" to make sure there
are no problems with hearing, sightlines, or the arrangement of the
furniture (e.g., enough left-handed seats). Ask students experiencing
problems hearing, seeing, writing, etc., to come forward
-
when possible, request an appropriate room and/or
arrange the room to facilitate the type of teaching you are doing
-
at the beginning of a course and/or in your syllabus,
encourage anyone with a disability to come forward and speak with
you about it
- ensure people feel free to engage in discussion in your course without
fear of ridicule or harassment; encourage the open
2. Things that you can do
with some reflection and development
design
-
consider the wide range of abilities, backgrounds,
and experiences of your students when designing your activities and
assignments
-
use online quizzes and self-tests to provide feedback
for students
-
for writing assignments, allow for drafts and revisions; consider
using peer review
-
design assignments that don't unnecessarily penalize
students for some experimentation and risk taking
-
review activities and assignments for the course
and assess whether any would present an insurmountable barrier for
persons with cognitive or physical disabilities; provide equivalent
alternatives if possible
-
design assignments to minimize non-essential tasks
(e.g., learning irrelevant software just to access information) or
non-essential physical travel
-
provide choice in assignments if possible (including
topic, format, and due dates)
-
consider using online conferencing for course support,
discussion of content, and group work to foster peer-to-peer and collaborative learning
-
provide resources or materials equivalent to any
materials that cannot be made accessible
-
provide grading schemes and sample assignments
to students
-
apply grading standards consistently among students
and across assignments
-
allow the use a word processor
whenever possible for submissions
-
consider using a variety of strategies during lecture
periods including problem-solving, discussion, hands-on exercises,
presentations, etc.
-
use techniques that increase interactivity in lectures
such as think-pair-share
-
ensure examples and content used in class are relevant
to people from diverse backgrounds and experiences
-
present information in multiple, complementary
formats such as text, graphics, audio, and video
-
review your written materials including overhead
and PowerPoint slides for clarity, consistent formatting, and cognitive
cues; ensure they are free from unnecessary jargon
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if unaccustomed to teaching large numbers of students
in large auditoriums, seek advice or take a workshop on teaching larger
classes
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integrate your own research when it relates to
the course of study; share successes and challenges
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provide tutorials and resources that students reinforce
learning outside of class
-
develop a list of Frequently Asked Questions and
distribute to students
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design documents that can be repurposed for multiple
uses (e.g., in class, online)
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use a variety of media such as text, graphics,
audio, and video
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where appropriate, offer a choice of file formats
for content (e.g., Word, PDF, HTML) on your website and include labels
which suggest when each might be useful
-
provide captioning or transcripts with any video
used for class
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develop a clear course outline that provides
policies, procedures, and expectations
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review CD or web-based tutorials for ease of navigation and user feedback;
conduct usability testing with some students.
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when possible, request an appropriate room and/or
arrange the room to facilitate the type of teaching you are doing
-
in small classes, use circular seating arrangements
during discussion to allow students to see one another's faces
3. Things that you can do
when you design or update your course
design
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ensure that learning objectives are SMART (specific,
measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely)
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involve experts in course and curriculum design
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consider a variety of teaching and learning techniques
that include active and passive learning
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ensure that course content, assessment, and learning
objectives are consistent and all activities and assessment relate
to a learning objective(s)
-
consider using a variety of assessment approaches
and techniques (e.g., portfolio-based assessment)
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design a web-based course site with online resources
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ensure that the number of student hours of work
is consistent with guidelines
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review your course in detail when it has grown
in numbers and/or moved from a small room to large lecture hall
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consider gender, culture, disabilities, learning
preferences, language, experiences, prior learning
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consult someone with instructional design experience/expertise
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consider ways to increase active learning strategies
and student responsibility for learning
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think about the kind of learning environment that would be optimal
for your course
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consider how blending online and face-to-face learning
can allow you to enhance the range of learning materials and activities
used in the course
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design a course website that is accessible and
minimizes the amount of clicking, hunting, or scrolling for information
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