Showcase for Redesign of LDRS 421 

The Certificate in Online Instruction Academy provided a plethora of information and tools, which will allow me to broaden engagement opportunities and achieve course learning goals. 
I am using information gleaned from this certificate course to redesign LDRS 421 (Strategic Sustainability), which is a senior-level undergraduate course taught online in a degree- completion program known as Leadership Studies.  The students are older (average mid-30s), professional (most working or seeking employment), and focused on application (education must benefit their professional goals).     

There were four key learning tenets which I will integrate in the redesign of my course:

•    Backward Design.  This concept is very familiar to me.  I am a retired military officer and have spent time on planning staffs, so I have always sought to start with the end state then work backwards. Beyond that, this section taught me to be very precise with student learning ooutcomes (SLOs).  I will now provide matrices showing how each assignment relates to the SLOs.
•    Technical Tools.  This certificate course focused on leveraging technological tools and I appreciated the exposure to the range of Canvas features and add-ons.  For my lesson project, I used Padlet.  This is an excellent tool for 421’s first lesson, in which students work together to build a lexicon for the field of sustainability.  Padlet’s visual format and features (images, maps, audio, and timeline) are perfectly suited for this, as they provide creative expression and allow sharing of information within an interactive forum.    
•    Kindness Cues.  The concept is very familiar, but this course taught me to expand the range and forum for student feedback.  My written and one-on-one evaluation provide kindness cues, but this course showed me ways to expand the “warm, wise” feedback.  I will now use transparent design to deconstruct assignments and reconfigure them in a more receptive manner.  Rubric labels (“almost there”) and video feedback are two new methods I will use in my course.  
•    Universal Design for Learning (UDL).  I have a son with learning disabilities, so I have great appreciation for faculty awareness and student accommodation.  UDL concepts will allow me to more fully engage student via multiple teaching methods.  I will now include Microlectures and bumper videos, as I seek to provide students with short, specific learning points.  And I will be more creative to provide multiple means of submitting assignments, such as text to speech and podcast transcripts.  Through these methods, I will strive more fully to learn each student’s skills, limitations, and desires.  I want to play to their strengths, but also encourage them to explore new methods to amplify their learning and showcase their understanding. 
Impact

This certificate course made me more aware of the online learning environment and provided me with supplemental means to engage with students. Through this, I have been encouraged to further my own learning of course design, instructional methodology, course communication, and student assessments.  

The tenets described above will make my courses more dynamic, providing multiple ways to pique student interest and curiosity.  The students I teach are primarily digital natives, so by using information from this certificate course, I have more opportunities to bridge the generational divide, heighten class interaction, and increase understanding of the course material.
This Online certificate course was very beneficial to me, allowing me to vault more fully into the current online educational environment. The past six weeks have boosted my confidence, widened my understanding, and increased my awareness.  

The online teaching arena is large; this course put me closer to the center of it. 

Impacts on My Personal Development Throughout This Course:

Learning about inclusive education concepts such as inclusive learning, universal design for learning (UDL), and warm demander pedagogy had profound impacts on my personal development. Maybe the biggest item that I have learned from this course was about “inclusive teaching” and “warm demander pedagogy.” Here are some of the key ways I have changed:

• Enhanced Empathy and Compassion: Understanding inclusive learning approaches creates a deeper empathy for the diverse needs, abilities, and backgrounds of students. I have become more sensitive to different learning styles and challenges, appreciating that everyone has unique strengths and needs.

• Improved Communication and Adaptability: Inclusive principles encourage adaptable communication styles. As I learn to better communicate in ways that accommodate diverse perspectives and needs of diverse students, they become better at listening, adjusting their language, and clarifying their ideas.

• Commitment to Equity and Justice: Exposure to inclusive education concepts strengthens my commitment to social justice and equity. By learning about universal design and inclusion, I come to recognize more about systemic inequalities and become more motivated to support policies and practices that reduce these barriers.

• Increased Confidence in Diverse Environments: With a better understanding of inclusive practices, students feel more comfortable and confident working in diverse environments. They learn to value and leverage diversity as a source of strength and innovation, feeling equipped to foster inclusive and supportive spaces.

• Soliciting Feedback from Students: One key aspect of fostering inclusiveness in my online learning environment will be more actively soliciting feedback from students. By creating anonymous surveys and discussion threads where students can express their thoughts and concerns, I will be able to adjust my teaching methods to better suit the needs of the students. This feedback loop not only enhances the students’ learning experience but also builds trust and openness in the virtual classroom.

• In summary, my journey toward creating an inclusive online learning environment has been shaped by my personal experiences, commitment to diversity, and deliberate instructional strategies. I’ve learned that inclusiveness is not just about accommodating differences (in students), but actively celebrating them, ensuring that every learner feels like a vital part of the community. Moving forward, I remain dedicated to evolving my practices, continually reflecting on how I can better serve all students in this dynamic digital landscape.