The UDL of choice for assessments

A response to the Share Your SoTL Research Plan Activity
created by Lynne Kennette (@LynneKennette)

Number of views: 308

I have been conducting SoTL research for over a decade, so this module gave me a chance to articulate a version of a project I have been thinking about for a little while, as an extension of some of the UDL SoTL work I am currently working on (related to faculty and student perceptions, and frequently of use).

Research questions: Does the offer of choice (options) in assessments (à la UDL) increase students’ grades on the assignment? Do students actually select the alternate formats or stick with the traditional (essay) format?

Although I have done extensive literature reviews related to UDL in general, I have not examined this applied form of research to the UDL context. After an extensive literature review, I would then further refine my approach. For now, my plan would be to compare student performance in a choice vs no choice semester (or offer choice in one section and each of the alternatives in other sections).Then, I would follow-up with a qualitative survey to see if students have a positive perception of these choices.

In terms of dissemination, STLHE has a publication (journal) and conference specifically intended for the Canadian educator, so that would be a good choice. I would also share the results with CAST as they post many research projects on their website (especially if they support the use of UDL).