UDL in Higher Education: The Graduate Level

Dr. Coyne-Gilbert reviewed her twenty years in higher education, focusing on career development and helping disenfranchised populations, especially the neurodiverse. Dr. Coyne-Gilbert adopted UDL to understand student differences, and to see things through other students’ experiences. UDL at the graduate level is about balance and finding ways for students to express themselves in ways outside of just writing. UDL demanded Dr. Coyne-Gilbert look at things differently and be curious, delivering engaging and relevant material. Dr. Coyne-Gilbert shares a powerful example of reimagining the portfolio process as not a series of writing assignments, but of representing what a student knew based on the six program outcomes orally, in the video, and in other ways.  This has allowed students to think outside the box, communicate in various ways, and find satisfaction in their career and life journeys. UDL allows one to explore their unique way of doing things that is changing higher education and shaping employment. Dr. Coyne-Gilbert sees UDL as not only for learning in a classroom but changing one’s life.