Universal Design for Learning:

Role: Learning Designer

Methodologies Used: Literature Review, Design Thinking, Universal Design for Learning

Partners: Nkenge Walcott, Sophia Gish

PROBLEM STATEMENT:

The official website of a college or university is often the first touch point that students have with an institution during the college search process. However, navigating the website can feel overwhelming and confusing for many students, including prospective and current students. An institution’s website houses a wealth of information, yet knowing where to find that information (or what to even look for) is not always obvious. For example, information is often only provided in one format or it may not be organized in a clear way. The UDL guidelines can provide a framework for making sure that college websites are accessible to all student visitors.

Website accessibility can affect college access, persistence, and retention. Some students have a parent or other resource to help them navigate college websites and identify deadlines, requirements, etc., but others do not have that support. A lack of information or knowledge about higher education’s “hidden curriculum” can be the difference between a student applying to colleges or not applying at all. It can also affect student persistence once they are in college.

GOAL:

The goal of our project is to make college websites more navigable and accessible to a wider array of prospective students.

EMPATHY BUILDING & USER PERSONAS:

Initially, we thought we would design support materials for students themselves - something that would guide them through the process of interfacing with a higher education institution's website. The user personas below were completed at this stage: