This interactive session will review how Personalized Adaptive Learning (PAL) aligns with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, how UDL can successfully be implemented into PAL courses, and how recent student data supports UDL in PAL. It is the perfect time to blend these two concepts together!
There’s no doubt that adaptive learning has gained popularity in recent years. In 2017, the NMC Horizons Report estimated that adaptive learning is within one year to adoption in higher education (NMC, 2017) despite concerns such as faculty hesitation to adopt, difficulty integrating software systems into some of the current learning management systems, and in some cases, the complexity of the tool and time needed to learn the tool (Savram, 2017). Even though the concerns for the adoption of adaptive learning may be valid, the outcomes are promising [e.g., in one UCF study, 63% of the students who took the survey felt the system became personalized to them over time, while only 10% disagreed (Dziuban, Moskal, Johnson, & Evans, 2017)]. Personalized Adaptive Learning or PAL as it is called at UCF, uses adaptive learning software called Realizeit, which provides students with a learning experience that allows them to review, progress, and advance at their own pace. It also determines over time what type of course materials helps students learn best (e.g., if a student tends to do better when presented with video, the program will present the video information to students first).
In addition, the NMC Horizons 2016 Report has stated that institutions of higher education are beginning to realize that the one-size-fits-all approach to teaching is not an efficient way for students to learn (NMC Horizons, 2016). This has also been a large part of the universal design for learning’s (UDLs) framework since its inception in the 1990s. Although the UDL movement originally focused on the K-12 environment, in recent years its focus and framework have been expanding into the world of higher education. For example, in 2008 the Higher Education Opportunity Act created and added a working definition of UDL with an emphasis on including instructional strategies into
the coursework of pre-service teacher training (USDOE, 2018). Overall, the application of UDL principles provides strategies to address the learning preferences of all students while breaking down possible barriers to learning. It is a way of creating course materials that are accessible not only to students with disabilities but to all students. Each year ELI conducts an annual survey of its higher education learning community which consists of 900 members and includes accessibility and UDL as one of the survey topics. This
year’s survey results has moved accessibility and UDL from #12 in 2015 to #2 in 2018 (Brown, 2018). This is a significant increase in the importance placed on this topic that should alert higher education institutions to consider the application of UDL principles while online courses are being created.
So why bring these two concepts together? During the PAL software pilot of Realizeit at UCF, a survey was sent to the participating students to obtain their feedback on the use of the new system. It became quickly apparent that several of the features that students really liked and enjoyed about the PAL software implemented several principles of UDL. PAL incorporates UDL principles by default into the creation of online course content with its ability to address various learning styles, provide flexibility to learning, and allow students to advance at their own pace. The surveys have continued to be completed by students over the past several years with specific student likes remaining constant, many of which include positive responses from students where the UDL principles are implemented via the PAL software (e.g., working at one's own pace which corresponds to the UDL Principle of Engagement).
This interactive session will review the advantages and disadvantages of PAL, how PAL aligns in several ways with the UDL framework, and how UDL can successfully be implemented into PAL courses. In addition specific student data from these surveys that supports UDL in PAL will be shared at the session along with who to contact if anyone is interested in implementing the survey at their own institution.
References:
Brown, M. (2016). Presenting the ELI Key Issues for 2018. Educause Review. Retrieved from: https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2018/1/presenting-the-eli-key-issues-for-2018
Dziuban, C., Moskal, P., Johnson, C., & Evans, D. (2017) Adaptive Learning: A Tale of Two Contexts. Current Issues in Emerging eLearning. V4, I1. Retrieved from: https://scholarworks.umb.edu/ciee/vol14/iss1/3
NMC Horizon Report: 2016 Higher Education Edition. Retrieved from http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2016-nmc-horizon-report-he-EN.pdf
New Media Consortium. (2016). NMC Horizon Report: 2016 Higher Education Edition. Retrieved from http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2016-nmc-horizon-report-he-EN.pdf
New Media Consortium. (2017). NMC Horizon Report: 2017 Higher Education Edition. Retrieved from http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2017-nmc-horizon-report-he-EN.pdf
Savaram, R. (2017, September 17). The Role of Adaptive Learning in Education. EdTech Review. Retrieved from http://edtechreview.in/trends-insights/trends/2923-the-role-of-adaptive-learning-in-education
United States Department of Education (2008). Higher Education Opportunity Act - 2008. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/leg/hea08/index.html