UDL Is the Key to Culturally Inclusive Instructional Design

When creating eLearning or workflow learning tools for aglobal audience, translating the content isn’t enough to ensure that the traininghits the mark with a culturally diverse audience. Culture shapes the way peoplecommunicate and think—which naturally affects how they learn. Culturallyinclusive instructional design looks beyond language and even beyond the visualdesign of eLearning to address cultural differences that are fundamental to thesuccess of learning and collaboration.

A new book, CulturallyInclusive Instructional Design, by Charlotte Gunawardena, CaseyFrechette, and Ludmila Layne, cites research that identified several dimensionsof cultural influence on learning. These are:

• Intrinsic or external motivation—whetherlearners are motivated by a desire to improve or grow versus an externalmotivator such as financial benefit or peer recognition
• Locus of control—whether learning follows setpaths or learners choose and shape their learning experiences
• Role of teachers—whether instructors are seen aswise experts who impart knowledge or mentors and coaches who facilitatelearning
• Tolerance for failure—whether an error is seenas a devastating blow or an opportunity to learn and grow
• Type of activity and engagement—whether learnersaccess content or participate in problem-solving activities
• Theoretical or practical knowledge—whetherlearners study theories and models or apply knowledge themselves duringlearning
• One size fits all—whether learning approachestreat all learners identically or accommodate individual differences
• Individual or group focus—whether learners workindependently or in collaborative groups or teams

Few cultures or individuals identify as solidly one or theother on these questions; rather, each pair of options represents the endvalues of a continuum. Cultural approaches to teaching and learning, and thereforeto instructional design, fall at varying places along each continuum.

Training or eLearning aimed at an international audience—oreven a culturally diverse local audience—cannot possibly anticipate and addresseach individual’s cultural background, learningpreferences, strengths, and weaknesses. The authors’ response is achange in focus: “Instruction that promotes learning across cultures seeks toaccommodate diverse perspectives and preferences by following the principles ofuniversaldesign for learning (UDL) rather than anticipate individual learnerdifferences upfront. These principles emphasize flexibility and learner choice,”the authors wrote.

Their focus on UDL is really a focus on learnerexperience. UDL emphasizes choicesthat make eLearning more accessible to more people.

• These choices might pertain to physical access—designthat accommodates learners with a variety of disabilities or limitationsin how they perceive content. This speaks to the need for visual and userinterface design that is sensitive to a diverse learner community.
• The choices might be about what technologylearners use to obtain and consume content; in this sense, instructionaldesigners must consider different platforms—laptops, smartphones, tablets—aswell as learners’varied levels of familiarity with and access to both tools and high-speedinternet connections to view large videos or submit their work forevaluation.
• But these choices might be about less tangibleaspects of learning as well, touching on issues like tolerance for errors orensuring that learners have a community of support that understands theircultural perspective.

Apply UDL principles to increase inclusivity

UDL is based on three principles, which can be applied inways that promote cultural inclusivity.

1.     Provide multiple means of representation

Providing multiple means of representation—content indifferent forms—acknowledges that each learner’s circumstances and preferencesare unique. Offering eLearning in multiple modalities allows learners to choosea format that works for them at the time and place they need to access thecontent. It’s a way to accommodate learners with differing access to technologyand high-speed internet as well as a way to accommodate differences in abilityand culture. For instance, providing plain-text versions of content as well asgraphically rich versions makes it easy for both learners who use assistive technologyand those with slow internet to access the content.

A culturally inclusive approach to implementing multiplemeans of representation will also consider cultural interpretations of signsand symbols and varied approaches to learning and consuming content. Accordingto Culturally Inclusive Instructional Design, “Viable alternativesshould be identified so the interface design can account for potentialmisinterpretations or ways of understanding rooted in different cultures.”

2.     Provide multiple means of action andexpression

Offering learners options for expressing what they knowmeans offering activities, assessments, and other ways to demonstrate and applylearning. This can be as simple as allowing learners to write or draw theirprojects, type them into a laptop, or use a voice interface to enter responsesand content on a laptop or smartphone.

Again, offering these choices accommodates both learnerswith disabilities, by allowing them to use technology to assist them and tobypass technology when appropriate, and learners with varying levels of accessto technology. It also accommodates different learnerpreferences and levels of experience: Some learners might becomfortable creating a data visualization to present their research findings,while others struggle with the tools and visual concepts needed to present datain that way. Language barriers might make visual representations or videos easierfor some learners than written responses.

By divorcing the presentation mode from the learning, alllearners can find a way to apply what they’ve learned and demonstrateproficiency. Obviously, this is possible only for learning that isn’t dependenton using a specific tool; if the goal of the eLearning is becoming comfortableusing a specific piece of software, fewer means of action and expression mightbe feasible than if the objective is explaining a concept or learning thefeatures of a new product.

3.     Provide multiple means of engagement

Offering multiple means of engagement addresses differencesin motivation and tolerance for errors. “People find meaning in different kindsof experiences and interactions, depending on culture, personal relevance, andbackground knowledge,” the authors wrote. They point out that, for many adultlearners, relevance—how learning will help learners solve problems in theirpersonal or professional lives—is a significant motivator. At the same time,“culture influences what problems receive focus and the inquiry process used tofind solutions.” For that reason, “technologies, interactions, and activitiesmust allow learners to process information, express themselves, and formconnections between people and ideas in ways reflective of their cultures,”according to Culturally Inclusive Instructional Design.

Adopt UDL for inclusive instructional design

The authors of Culturally Inclusive Instructional Design believethat attempting to anticipate and ameliorate cultural differences often“overemphasizes symbols, such as what certain colors or hand gestures mean. Italso makes us more prone to let our own biases or assumptions inadvertentlydictate how students will learn, rather than including them in the process.”

Instead, they argue for embracing the collaborative, learner-centeredapproach represented by UDL. To create inclusive, approachable, and accessibleeLearning, “Apply the principles of UDL to develop a deeply collaborativelearning experience,” the authors advise. This inclusive instructional designapproach spares instructors the impossible task of teaching to eachindividual’s preferences while providing flexible eLearning that allowslearners to make choices that control how they learn.