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Links between student-identified supportive instructional practices in general education statistics courses and Universal Design for Learning

Laura Callis, Ed.D.

Jen McNally, Ed.D.

Nicole Parsons, Ed.D.

Curry College, Milton, Massachusetts

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Expected Learning Outcomes

  • identify instructional practices used in introductory general education quantitative courses that align with Universal Design for Learning Guidelines
  • discuss how students describe these practices and why they value them
  • determine whether their own instructional practices are aligned with UDL guidelines, considering what students value.

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Plan for Our Time Together

  • Overview of Our Context
  • Explore the Universal Design for Learning Checkpoints
  • Hear Students Explain Supportive Practices
  • Align Students' Identified Practices to UDL Checkpoints
  • Discuss How Students' Perspectives Add Insight to the Embodiment of UDL

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Our Context: Curry College and the DISCUS-IS Project

  • Curry College
  • Program for the Advancement of Learning
  • General Education Introductory Statistics (Simulation-Based Inference Approach)
  • DISCUS-IS Project

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Curry College and the �Program for the Advancement of Learning (PAL)

  • 87% acceptance rate – wide range of mathematical preparation and comfort
  • Heterogenous classes
  • Proudly neurodiverse
  • 20% of students participate in the Program for Advancement in Learning (PAL)
  • 20-40% of students in Statistics identify as having a learning or attention disability
  • New Social Achievement in Learning (SAIL) program supports students with social and emotional challenges
  • Nearly all students take Statistics, usually in first or second year

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General Education Statistics Course

  • Quantitative Core Course in General Education
  • Algebra-based first course in statistical reasoning
  • Redesigned in 2021 to utilize a Simulation-Based Inference approach

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Simulation-Based Inference Approach

We use Tintle’s Introduction to Statistical Investigations*. The text:

  • Uses real data & existing studies
  • Works through the Statistical Investigative Cycle
  • Has interactive applets to develop conceptual understanding
  • Revisits & spirals ideas
  • Uses simulation-based inference

Our classes (generally):

  • Have students work in small groups 
  • Actively explore data & draw conclusions 
  • Are structured with whole class discussion, with variation in degree of teacher vs. student talk

*You might also consider these very similar open source materials: https://causeweb.org/stub/resources/

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DISCUS-IS

  • Discourse to Improve Student Conceptual Understanding of Statistics in Inclusive Settings
  • 3-year National Science Foundation grant to study instructional practices that support students in introductory statistics courses that use active learning with a focus on students with learning and attention differences and others who have historically been excluded from research in postsecondary mathematics education
  • Move from general to specific, include faculty (FT & PT) and student voices
  • Year 2 – Data Collection in Progress

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 2314358. ​�Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.​

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Universal Design for Learning

  • Read UDL Checkpoints
  • Identify 3-5 Checkpoints that Align with Your Instructional Practices
  • Discuss in Groups the Checkpoints and Examples

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https://udlguidelines.cast.org

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Students Describing Supportive Practices

  • Cohesive Assignments
  • Relevant Contexts & Tailoring Contexts
  • Symbols and Vocabulary
  • Cold Calling
  • [links removed for student privacy – if you are interested in access to our videos, please email us]

Focusing question: How do each of these practices align to the Universal Design for Learning framework?

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Students' Identified Supportive Practices and UDL

  • What did you notice about the practices that students identified as supportive?
  • How might you align each practice with the UDL framework?

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UDL as Action: Role of Student Voice

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Thank You!

Laura Callis, Associate Professor, Mathematics laura.callis@curry.edu

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Jen McNally, Professor and Math Area Coordinator jmcnally@curry.edu

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Nicole Parsons, Associate Professor and Co-Director, Program for the Advancement of Learning nicole.parsons@curry.edu

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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 2314358. ​�Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.​

www.inclusivestatistics.com

Instats.org Workshop 4/8/25