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Spreadsheet Accessibility
Spreadsheets are used for a broad array of data-related tasks and projects across numerous disciplines. Maximizing the utility of spreadsheets as course materials requires careful attention towards their content and formatting. In this piece, we present recommendations for enhancing the clarity, consistency, and accessibility of course spreadsheets for students.
Audio and Narration Best Practices
This guide highlights best practices for recording narration for online course content, whether video or audio. Your instructional designer can provide appropriate technical guides for your chosen recording method. For videos that will include your webcam footage, see the Envision piece Self-Recording Best Practices.
Hyperlink Dos and Don'ts
When designing a course, you want to ensure that all students can access the websites and documents that you link. Accessible hyperlinks are particularly important for students with screen readers, which read the links out loud. This piece contains best practices for writing and formatting accessible hyperlinks so that all learners can access the content that you have curated for your course.
Incorporating Multimedia in Your Course
Multimedia, which helps create an engaging and interactive online learning environment, has been shown to contribute to improved student performance (Cheng et al., 2009, p. 1). Though many online courses incorporate videos, they neglect to feature other forms of multimedia. And, while videos are a staple of multimedia use, there are other exciting options to consider: podcast episodes, graphics, and animations can all enhance course content, enriching the student experience. To maximize the benefits multimedia can provide, consider including these underutilized forms of multimedia in your course.
Accessible Use of Text
Students with diverse cognitive, linguistic, and academic abilities benefit from accessible text. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) establish numerous requirements (known as success criteria) to ensure that text is perceivable, operable, and understandable to all users. This guide discusses the essential criteria related to text accessibility. Following these guidelines when creating course content, such as documents, slides, and pages in a learning management system (LMS), will help you eliminate potential barriers for your learners.
Generative AI: A Guide to Course Integration
Artificial intelligence (AI) makes regular headlines, from debates about whether it will create or destroy jobs, to conversations about the ethics of its use in hiring or medicine, to its impact on higher education. The role and impact of AI in our lives is up for debate. One aspect, however, is not: employers are looking for graduates who know how to utilize AI to improve productivity in their roles. According to a recent article, 91 percent of hiring companies are looking for candidates with ChatGPT experience (Blum, 2023). Given the demand for AI experience in the job market, many educators are looking to integrate AI into their courses. But now comes the hard part—how do you do that? It is important to note that you will want to review your university’s policies on AI usage, especially as it pertains to the use of specific tools, prior to integrating AI into your course.
Accessibility Considerations for Students With Motor Disabilities
Online courses can offer numerous advantages to students. In order for all students to benefit from these advantages, it is essential to prioritize accessibility needs in all aspects of course design and delivery. This piece focuses on considerations and recommendations for enhancing the accessibility of online courses for students with motor impairments.
Best Practices to Support Students With Cognitive Disabilities
Cognitive disabilities are common among adults in the United States and are especially prevalent among young adults (Okoro et al., 2018). Such disabilities impact mental functions such as memory, attention, perception, and calculation, among others. As a result, students with cognitive disabilities may struggle with academic tasks generally—and online coursework specifically—in unique ways (Petretto et al., 2021; Reyes et al., 2022). Since online courses are often text-heavy, for example, students with dyslexia may find them more challenging to navigate than on-ground classes (Chen et al., 2015). Students with cognitive disabilities may also struggle with navigating inconsistent online course layouts, comprehending complicated directives, and engaging with non-essential course components. Finally, when online courses are large or impersonal, students with cognitive disabilities may have difficulty focusing on assignments and other coursework (The Best Schools, 2024).
Developing AI Literacy Across the Curriculum: A Guide for Programs and Faculty
The rapid integration of AI into professional practice across disciplines makes AI literacy increasingly crucial, not just for technology-focused fields but for all areas of study. Even faculty who are skeptical of AI's value need to consider how it's transforming their disciplines. For example, scientific fields are seeing AI adoption in literature reviews, experimental design, and data analysis. In the humanities, AI tools are already being used for textual analysis, translation, and content creation. Creative disciplines must grapple with AI's impact on artistic production and copyright. Professional programs face increasing pressure from employers who expect graduates to understand AI applications in their field.
The Need to Rethink Assessments in the Age of Generative AI
The rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) technologies has sent shockwaves through the education sector, sparking intense debates about academic integrity, assessment practices, and student learning (Roe et al., 2023; Rudolph et al., 2023; Susnjak & McIntosh, 2024; Swiecki et al., 2022; Yeo, 2023). Since the public release of ChatGPT in November 2022, educators have grappled with concerns about cheating and the potential erosion of traditional academic values (Gorichanaz, 2023; Sullivan et al., 2023). However, as our understanding of genAI capabilities evolves, so too must our approach to assessment and teaching (Lodge et al., 2023).