| Abstract | Higher Education (HE) has been continuously transforming to improve student engagement, progression, and outcomes. In the last decade, the trends that have been reshaping the landscape of higher education include Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), employability, sustainability and active learning initiatives. One of the current questions in HE centred on identifying and applying suitable pedagogy to address these trends according to institutional structures, processes, and systems. The answer to this question is centred on the application of Blended learning and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. Blended learning is an educational approach that combines traditional face-to-face instructions with online learning. It has been increasingly adopted in higher education as it fosters a sense of community, improves student outcomes, and enhances student engagement. The current trends in blended learning call for a shift in the different modes of teaching and new learning spaces through classes on campus, off-campus and online activities. To understand how the different learning spaces that blended learning offers can provide high-quality, accessible education for all students, UDL principles need to be applied. UDL is an educational framework aimed at teaching and learning being more inclusive and transformative for students of all abilities and backgrounds. This framework is based on three key principles that provide multiple means of action and expression (how students demonstrate their knowledge in various ways), engagement (why students are interested and motivated in learning), and representation (what are the best formats to present course material). Research on UDL has grown significantly over the past decade; however, there is still a lack of literature on how UDL is applied to higher education curricula and the evidence of its effectiveness. This oral presentation is based on the findings of a ‘students as co-creators’ (SCC) project that explored students' preferences for blended learning modules at a UK business school. The project employed mixed methods, collecting data through an online survey conducted from April 1st to June 30th, 2024, and semi-structured interviews held between June 30th and July 20th. Data were gathered from 111 students via the online survey, followed by ten semi-structured interviews. This oral presentation will demonstrate the application of UDL principles when offering a variety of learning environments, such as on-campus classes, field trips (both walking and virtual tours), online learning materials, and diverse assessment methods, which can cater to students' learning preferences and enhance their sense of ownership in their education. This presentation will provide practical tips to effectively embed blended learning that will help senior management and academic and professional service staff. For that reason, the learning outcomes are:
- Understand the students’ preferences regarding blended learning activities
- Apply Universal Desing for Learning (UDL) principles in blended learning
- Identify the most effective assessment types in blended learning |
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