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Next Time

Begin with Whiteboard of 3 assignments

Invisible/visible and the 10 myths - jigsaw the groups for time

leaves enough time to go to break out at end to answer 8 questions

MOVED BREAK SLIDE - introduce disability, then do myths then break

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Virtual Norms & Welcome

Make yourself comfortable, fill your beverages, and settle in for a great session of learning together!
Review our Virtual Norms on this page
Check your equipment
Introduce yourself in the chat – what are you hoping to learn today?

Please use your video, if possible.

Keep your mic muted unless you're speaking.

Use the chat to ask or answer questions.

If you lose connection, just log back on.

Participate in discussions, breakouts, and polls.

Have fun!

MAKE A COPY OF THE NOTES:

https://tinyurl.com/TEA-TAO3

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Transparency, Accessibility, and Online Teaching

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We're glad you're here! �Introductions

Mike Barber, Ph.D.

Assistant Director

mebarber@ufl.edu

Lupita Eyde-Tucker, M.A.

Faculty Academic Support Coordinator

leydetucker@ufl.edu

Alexandra Bitton-Bailey, Ph.D.

Director

abitton-bailey@aa.ufl.edu

Jennifer Parker, Ed.D.

Faculty Development Coordinator

jenniferparker@ufl.edu

Kexuan Wu, M. Ed.

Graduate Student Coordinator

ke.wu@ufl.edu

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Points to Ponder:

What are the elements of a good online course?
What makes an assignment transparent?
How can your course support learner variability?
What guidelines are there to improve online content and accessibility?
How can we recognize if a student is struggling?
What invisible and visible types of disabilities have you experienced in teaching and learning?
What are some myths about disabilities? How can we make our classroom more inclusive?
What resources are available to support us?

MAKE A COPY OF THE NOTES:

https://tinyurl.com/TEA-TAO3

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Agenda

Transparent Teaching
Creating Clear Learning Pathways
Accessibility

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Components of a Great Course

Transparent assignments
A present & caring instructor
A clear learning pathway
Organized and accessible course materials

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UFQ Online Course Rubric

11 General Standards

Course Overview Introduction
Learning Objectives
Assessment and Measurement
Instructional Materials
Course Activities and Learner Interaction
Course Technology
Learner Support
Accessibility and Usability
Instructor Team Presence
Community and Relationships
Feedback

All of the components mentioned in the previous slide are hallmarks of good course design. And all of those components are addressed in the UFQ Online Course Rubric.

All 12 state universities in the Florida State University System, are required to meet online course quality standards that are mandated by the Florida Board of Governors. To achieve this goal, the University of Florida adopted the Quality Matters rubric and combined the Quality Matters general standards with specific UF Standards to create the UFQ Online Course Rubric.

In order to attain a Quality, High Quality, or Exemplary online course designation, instructors must submit a self-review, undergo a peer review, and meet a minimum amount of standards.��You can access this rubric through Canvas: https://ufl.instructure.com/courses/352863/pages/2024-rubrics/

�

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Examples of Quality Online Course Standards

QM 1.1 Learners are introduced to the purpose and structure of the course

QM 1.8 The self-introduction by the instructor is welcoming and is available in the course site.

QM 2.4 The relationship between learning objectives, learning activities, and assessments is made clear.

QM 4.2 The relationship between the use of instructional materials in the course and completion of learning activities is clearly explained.

QM 5.3 The instructor’s plan for regular interaction with learners in substantive ways during the course is clearly stated.

UF 9.1 The instructor team is observably present throughout the course via consistent text, audio, and/or visual communications.

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Transparent �Teaching

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What’s Your Why?

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Teaching and learning methods explicitly focus on how and why students are learning course content in particular ways.

--MA Winkelmes

“

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Beyond Content

Student Questions

Why am I learning this information?
What is the specific task I’m being asked to do?
How will doing this assignment help me learn or understand content better?
What criteria will the instructor use to evaluate my work?

Not just the “what”

Course/daily/assignment objectives

Explicitly describing an assignment

The goal of Transparency in Teaching and Learning is to provide more concrete support for student success, particularly among students who may come from lesser privileged academic backgrounds.

When we are transparent about course design and assignment choices, it answers questions students often have:

Why am I learning this information? Students want to know how the content and assignments are helping to achieve the course goals we have established, and how will everything prepare them for future higher courses or their future careers.
What is the specific task I’m being asked to do? Students want to know what steps you want them to follow to achieve the learning goal- vague guidelines on assignments are not useful and cause anxiety because students have to guess at what they are being required to do.
How will this assignment help me learn or understand content better? Students want to know how the assignment meets the learning goals for the course. Our learners want to know there is a purpose for doing something, not just being asked to do busy work for a grade.
What criteria will the instructor use to evaluate my work? Students want to know what the expectations and standards are, how will they be graded and how does this fit into the grading scheme? They also want to be graded fairly- nobody wants to deal with a student blaming a poor grade on the instructor not liking them because they were always late for class or asked too many questions.

Being transparent answers these questions by going beyond just providing content- but includes the “why-”- consider this as you are planning your course and assessments. So, how can we offer transparency?

Course objectives and learning goals– we develop these during the initial course planning stage- these are the higher level thinking skills that students will take away after completing the course. These are outlined in our syllabus and often discussed during the first day of class, but often forgotten about throughout the semester. Linking these to our assignments and reiterating throughout the semester answers the “why” and can inspire students to find motivation in furthering their learning. It’s also a good idea to have a daily learning objective- what will your students learn in the class meeting? Beginning a class with this can help students focus on the topic because they know what to expect. For assignments, whether they are papers, lab reports, etc. include learning goals as well as what you are looking for when you grade- this could be achieved by including a rubric that is discussed prior to the assignment or created with the students.
Explicitly describing the assignment- this includes the learning goals or how it meets the course learning goals and specifying the purpose and the task and steps students will perform. If possible, show students examples of an exemplary assignment or create a document or video discussing commonly asked questions or pitfalls experienced by past students. TILT also has an excellent checklist you can use as a reference when designing transparent assignments. SHOW checklist https://tilthighered.com/assets/pdffiles/ChecklistforDesigningTransparentAssignments.pdf

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Research Results

Academic confidence
Sense of belonging
Skill development
Greater gains for underserved students

From the module video, the research that was done by Mary Ann Winkelmes showed that the transparent teaching methods used have helped students perform better in individual courses and can have a broader impact on student’s persistence to stay in college. Further research conducted by AACC& U (American Association of Colleges & Universities) and the TILT project found students’ learning was boosted by:

Building Academic confidence
Increased a sense of belonging
Increased skill development that carried into professional careers
Although all students had shown improvement, these were even more significant among underrepresented or first generation college students and helped reduce achievement gaps. So, we can see transparent teaching strategies help students learn and make courses more equitable so all students can succeed.
Youtube video showing research results- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqUQhSKmD9U

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Transparent Assignment Template

Purpose

Define learning objectives

Skills for success beyond course
Discipline-specific knowledge

(Winkelmes, 2019)

QR CODE = https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Mq1Hw1elt-Kk5Sgl9IA7Zjs1xUc4_7mUxquGUlrfNG0/edit#heading=h.lfwphminxpcx

Let’s take a look at the transparent assignment template that was linked in our Canvas module. This is a useful template that can be used as a guide for developing, explaining, and discussing transparent assignments with students.

Microsoft Word - Faculty Transparency Framework without highlighting.docx (tilthighered.com) or Copy of Transparent Assignment Template - Google Docs - this is the collaborative one participants will use later.

We are going to take a look at each section so that we will have a better understanding of how we can use this document as a resource.

Purpose- this is where we will list the learning objectives for the assignment and make the connection clear of how the assignment aligns with the course learning goals and outcomes. We also want to explain how this assignment will be important or prepare for their future courses or professional field. For sills- what specific skills will they be practicing- it is helpful to take a look at Bloom’s taxonomy to help explain these skills. For knowledge, what content knowledge from your course will they gain?

From Transparent Assignment Template

Purpose: Define the learning objectives, in language and terms that help students recognize how this assignment will benefit their learning. Indicate how these are connected with institutional learning outcomes, and how the specific knowledge and skills involved in this assignment will be important in students’ lives beyond the contexts of this

assignment, this course, and this college.

Skills: The purpose of this assignment is to help you practice the following skills that are essential to your success in this course / in school / in this field / in professional life beyond school:

Terms from Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives may help you explain these skills in language students will understand.

Knowledge: This assignment will also help you to become familiar with the following important content knowledge in this discipline:

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Transparent Assignment Template

Task

Assignment steps

Possible mistakes
See Bloom’s Taxonomy
Struggle?

(Winkelmes, 2013)

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Transparent Assignment Template

Criteria for Success

Checklist or rubric

Self-evaluate
What does success look like?
Real-world examples

(Winkelmes, 2013)

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Intro to Social Sciences

Find the assignment purpose.
Identify the task.
List the skills required.

Now, let’s take a look at an assignment for an Introduction to Social Sciences course. (yes, you want to make a copy) Introduction to Social Sciences - Google Docs

Initial assignment

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-EKeoz6AWul8LRO3EjhclSSd5jCgHS8MkmQFVAq48lg/edit#heading=h.gyp6gn84gxpr

I’m going to put you into a group of 4 and we will have about 15 minutes to compare the assignment to the template and answer the questions above. Please choose a reporter for your group.

What is the purpose of this assignment?

Question 1: Can you find the purpose of this assignment?

Question 2: Can you identify the task?

Question 3: What are the skills that students must learn to do this assignment?

If time: What are the criteria for this assignment?

AFTER DISCUSSION – SHARE UPDATE Revised

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YxDDQAuza2HuDTm4n9Cu6_3AOSNDjpM3dsuKy8GprG4/edit#heading=h.gyp6gn84gxpr

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Breakout Groups

Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4

Group 5	Group 6	Group 7	Group 8

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Clear Learning Path

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Michael Wesch - 10 Teaching Tips

Beyond Zoom

Simplify the structure
First impressions matter
Justify your decisions
How class works
Discussion boards and 3 things about me
Weekly overview
Don’t waste their time
Don’t read to them
Respond freely
Get feedback

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Professor Pictify’s Visual Communication for Non-Designers class

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When is the flyer assignment due?

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Were you able to find the due date in a “reasonable” amount of time? (thumbs up)
What would you think about this course as a first semester freshman? (in chat)
What can we suggest to Professor Pictify to make the course better?

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Course Redesigned

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A re-design of the Visual Communication course should make it easier for students to find things. Links to the modules are front and center on the home page. We don’t want students to waste time looking for things. Let’s see if it is any easier for you to find details about the first project which has been simplified to be the redesign of an advertisement.

https://ufl.instructure.com/courses/414825

Go to the Canvas site, week 4. Walk through the tabs that describe what students are to do before class and during class.

Go to the Project 1 assignment (ad redesign) and click through the tabs. Note that the course uses specifications grading, which means they either have the item and get the points, or they don’t have the item, they don’t get the points. Because this course is focused on teaching basic skills, we want students to demonstrate those skills.

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GREAT ONLINE COURSE DESIGN

Start with the end in mind with Backward Design
Guided by UFQ Standards
Create Course Maps for aligning objectives, assessments, content, and learning activities
Analyze through the lens of Student Experience
Run Ally

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

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Support with Course Design

Using LMS Instructor Tools to Improve Accessibility

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UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING AND WEB ACCESSIBILITY

CRITICAL ELEMENTS OF UDL-ALIGNED INSTRUCTION

CONSIDERATIONS FOR UDL IN THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Clear Goals
Intentional Planning for Learner Variability
Flexible Methods of Materials
Timely Progress Monitoring
Read more about the UDL critical elements in the following resource:

Design the space to match the goal
Offer resource areas accessible to all
Integrate digital resources and materials
Highlight the learning processes in the environment
Ensure access to target goals in the learning environment

UDL-IRN (2011) Critical Elements of UDL in Instruction (Version 1.2). Lawrence, KS: Author

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UFQ General Standard 8

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5 Minute Break

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Disability and Accessibility

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Invisible vs. Visible�Disabilities

Your Turn:

What does invisible mean?
What does visible mean?
Can you share an example?

https://cdrnys.org/blog/development/did-you-know-invisible-disabilities/

In chat, put a few examples of invisible disabilities: invisible disabilities is a term used to describe a wide range of physical and mental conditions that may not be immediately apparent to the eye. Examples may include: autism, depression, diabetes, ADHD, dyslexia, chronic pain, deafness, anxiety, learning differences

In chat, put a few examples of visible disabilities. Examples may include: some visual impairments, physical, loss of a limb or amputation,

We also have temporary disabilities- broken limbs, short term impairments from surgery, concussion, hand injuries, minor medical condition, sprained or broken leg, finger, or other joint

Also, there are age related disabilities- mobility issues, some hearing or vision loss

Unfortunately, it is can be difficult to identify and offer support/resources for students with disabilities because it is estimated that only 37% of students report their disability to their college or instructors. That is why it is important to create course content with accessibility in mind. Not only do we then meet the needs of students with different abilities, but we meet the needs of all.

A few notable people with disabilities:

Albert Einstein

Helen Keller

Van Gogh

Clifford Beers

Kay Jamison

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Data Summary

2022 American College Health Association Survey

15% ADD or ADHD

5% Learning disability

4% Blind or low vision

3% Autistic

2% Deaf or hard of hearing

1% Mobility or dexterity

1% Speech or language

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For people with a disability, their disability is their “normal”.

Disabilities can be visible and invisible.

IDEA (1990) encourages the transition from disability first to person first language.

Mental Health look for’s include energy levels, executive functions, optimis, and social interactions.

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Seeking Support Services

Did You Know?

Nearly 1 in 5 college students have a disability…yet less than 37% of students report it to their institution or instructor. (CDC, 2023)

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

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Interesting Facts

Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity

Census Bureau data analyzed by Human Rights Campaign 2022

Dyslexia is the most common learning disability

Disabilities are more prevalent among LGBTQ+ adults

People’s conditions don’t make them disabled- it’s exclusion, ignorance, and lack of access that disables them

Dyslexia- According to the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity, dyslexia makes up 80-90% of all learning disabilities and affects 20% of the population. College students with dyslexia may have difficulty reading, writing, spelling, or recalling words. Dyslexia surfaces in different ways, and not all students have the same experience.

LGBTQ- According to the Census Bureau data analyzed by the Human Rights Campaign in 2022- 36% of LGBTQ+ adults reported having disability vs. 24% of non-LGBTQ+ adults. 52% of trans adults reported having a disability

Dyslexia- According to the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity, dyslexia makes up 80-90%

of all learning disabilities and affects 20% of the population. College students with dyslexia may have difficulty reading, writing, spelling, or recalling words. Dyslexia surfaces in different ways, and not all students have the same experience.

LGBTQ- According to the Census Bureau data analyzed by the Human Rights Campaign in 2022- 36% of LGBTQ+ adults reported having disability vs. 24% of non-LGBTQ+ adults. 52% of trans adults reported having a disability

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10 Myths About Disability

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Perspectives on Disabilities

Resources and Perspectives on Disabilities

Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973)

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1975)

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This Is How To Talk About Disabled People

Should someone with a disability be called "a disabled person", or "a person with a disability?

Identity First vs. Person First language

A disabled person: puts disability first - e.g. “An autistic person”.

A person with a disability: puts their personhood first, and their disability is just an element of their makeup - e.g., a person with autism

Source: J R Thorp, August 9, 2017

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Spotlight: Auditory Processing Disorder

https://youtu.be/P5-V18iHr1I

3:50 MINS

An overlooked or less known invisible disability is auditory processing disorder. With this disorder, there is a difficulty with how the brain understands sounds and speech- words may sound like jumbled messages or if the person is in a noisy environment, they will have a difficult separating the words from background noise.

Common misconceptions about this disorder are that it is a hearing problem and that people with this disorder have lower intelligence. Actually,, they pass all hearing tests and it is not related to intelligence.

What does this look like for our students? Difficulty reading content, understanding lectures, difficulty recalling what they have heard, may have a difficult time in conversations in group work.

In the video, we will find out what it is like to live with this disorder.

For learning- simple, clear directions, speaking at a slower rate, providing captions for lecture videos, providing diagrams, images, etc. to convey information, list all assignments in syllabus, make connections between content

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Your Turn

Exploring Invisible and Visible Disabilities

Choose your Breakout Room

Introduce yourselves

Review the video portion assigned to your group

Discuss the questions

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Spotlight: Mental Health Struggles

Look Fors:

Energy Levels

Executive Functions

Optimism

Social Interactions

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View the Video

Discuss Options for Support

Be Prepared to Report Out

:12 - 3:05 ENERGY LEVEL

Group 1 & 5

3:06 - 5:40 - EXEC FUNCTIONS

Group 2 & 6

5:41-8:09 - OPTIMISM

Group 3 & 7

8:10-10:12 - SOCIAL INTERACTIONS

Group 4 & 8

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Breakout Groups

https://youtu.be/i9z0towvMzI

Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4

Group 5	Group 6	Group 7	Group 8

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Your Turn

What are some examples of visible and invisible disabilities?
What laws or guidance is available to guide us?
What are some of the myths around people with disabilities?
Describe both types of language (identity and person-first); then explain why someone with a disability might prefer one over the other.
Explain why this information is important for non-disabled people.
Share which approach you will be using when talking about disability in this class and explain why

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Campus Resources

Disability Resource Center

Supports students with disabilities by addressing access barriers

Provide accommodation letter
Faculty referral

Counseling & Wellness Center

Counseling & Wellness Center Guide to Services

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Disability Meets Accessibility

Impact on Teaching & Learning

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Four Domains �of Accessibility

Hearing

Learning

Vision

Physical/Motor

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

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Web Accessibility

W3.org

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Web Accessibility in Course Design

WCAG 101: Understanding the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines | WCAG

WCAG

Perceivable

comprehendible using one of the senses

Operable

navigate, interact, and engage in components

Understandable

language, labels, and navigation make sense

Robust

interpreted and compatible with other technologies across multiple variables

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10 Accessibility Tips

Headings and subheadings
PDF documents
Avoid “click here”
Alt+Text
Contrast
Color
Captioning
Publisher materials
Accommodations
Get Help

Share something you know, want to know, or would like to learn about accessibility.

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Describing Images

Writing quality alternative text

Consider the context of the image
What details are important?

Images and graphics make content more interesting and easier to understand for those with cognitive or learning disabilities. If we do not add proper alt text or leave the alt text empty, it can be very frustrating for those users with visual impairments, sensory processing and learning disorders who rely on an assistive technology to explore your content.

What happens when a screen reader encounters an image or graphic without alt text? Since the software cannot read an image or graphic, it will read the alternative text for the image. For example, if the alt text for this image was “a mostly empty stadium” this is what the screen reader would announce. If this is not present, the screen reader will read the image’s file name or path.

Let’s not leave anyone behind- if the alt text is not descriptive enough, it can leave those with visual impairments or disabilities behind. Don’t be afraid to convey nuances, details, or emotions if they are relevant to the user experience.

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Context

Article about renovation projects

How would you describe this photo to someone who could not see it?

Harvard Stadium with cracked concrete pillars.

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Context

Article about recent turnout for track tryouts

How would you describe this photo to someone who could not see it?

Harvard Stadium with two lone runners bounding up the steps.

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Color Use

Total colorblindness will see nothing. Red-green colorblindness will only see a 70.

Total colorblindness will see nothing. Red- green colorblindness will only see a 2.

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Doesn’t translate to people with color deficit or those using a screen reader

Avoid Color to Convey Meaning

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Avoid Color to Convey Meaning

Pattern Differences

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Avoid Color to Convey Meaning

Direct Labeling

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Color Contrast

Ensure adequate color contrast between text and background

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Color Contrast Checker

WebAIM: Contrast Checker

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Check your Contrast: WebAIM

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EPIC FAIL!

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Check Accessibility in PowerPoint

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Captions and Transcripts

Audio and Video

Captions

Text appears within the video

Transcripts

Document that accompanies video or audio file

Videos recorded in Mediasite are eligible for UFIT captioning.

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Assistive Technology

Improving Accessibility through Assistive Technology

21things4educators

Thing 21 - Assistive Technology

The SET Framework

Student
Environment
Task

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Points to Ponder:

What makes an assignment transparent?
What are the elements of a good online course?
How can we recognize if a student is struggling?
What invisible and visible types of disabilities have you experienced in teaching and learning?
What are some myths about disabilities? How can we make our classroom more inclusive?
How can your course support learner variability?
What guidelines are there to improve online content and accessibility?
What resources are available to support us?

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Wrap Up

Reminders

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Breakout Groups

Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4

Group 5	Group 6	Group 7	Group 8

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Breakout Groups

Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4

Group 5	Group 6	Group 7	Group 8