Undergraduate Public Health Students are Satisfied with Courses Designed using the Principles of Universal Design for Learning

Universal design for learning (UDL) is a pedagogical framework centered around three main themes: engagement, representation, and action & expression. The UDL framework is based on scientific principles of how humans learn and is intended to enhance the teaching and learning for everyone (CAST, 2018). However, there has been limited research into the principles of UDL when applied to a public health course. This study aimed to determine if undergraduate public health students utilize the additional resources provided when a course is designed using the principles of UDL and if the students are satisfied with a course designed using these principles. 

Students enrolled in an undergraduate-level maternal public health course were invited to take part in the study. The course was open to any major, was not a mandatory course and no prerequisites were required. The course was designed using the principles of UDL, such that students were given course materials in a variety of formats, including traditional written formats such as journal articles, reports, and white papers, as well as different media types such as videos, podcasts and blogs. Students were also offered a choice of formats for assessments like posters, essays, video essays and podcasts. All course materials were compatible with assistive technologies and accessible to those with information processing needs. After the course ended, an anonymous survey and a focus group were used to gather students’ opinions. 

All the options provided for course materials and technological tools were used by at least one student. Students reported that they were provided with sufficient options for learning. Overall, students had positive feelings about the class and liked being part of the classroom community. Students agreed that the flexibility offered in the assessment format positively impacted their learning. However, students highlighted the need for structured guidance when courses are designed with a large amount of flexibility.