The Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses (OVPCC), in conjunction with local instructional designers, are pleased to announce upcoming Fall workshops in the Top 5 Universal Design for Learning Strategy series.  Also, in support of the new Anthology Ally tool in Canvas, we will offer quick start sessions to support faculty in learning about the tool in their courses.

Information about each opportunity with links to register are provided below.

Designing Your Syllabus to Support Learner Success 

The first workshop in the series, Designing Your Syllabus to Support Learner Success, will be offered again in August, before the Fall semester begins.  If you have already completed this workshop, please feel free to share the information with colleagues that you feel would benefit from the content.

  • Tuesday, August 8th, 2023 from 10 to 11 A.M. via Zoom
  • Friday, August 11th, 2023 from 12 to 1 P.M. via Zoom

Universal Design Guideline: Multiple Means of Representation

Did you know that the majority of disabled learners in your classroom have invisible disabilities that you can not see?  The recommended strategies to reach these disabled learners actually benefit ALL learners in your classroom.  This hands-on workshop will focus on strategies that you can use to make your course more universally designed for all learners.  During the workshop, you will be able to apply your new skills to your course syllabus.

Please register in advance to attend this event, space is limited:  Registration: Designing Your Syllabus to Support Learner Success

Anthology Ally Quick Start Sessions

  • Monday, August 14th, 2023 from 11 A.M. to 12 P.M. via Zoom
  • Tuesday, August 15th, 2023 from 1 to 2 P.M. via Zoom
  • Thursday, August 24th, 2023 from 10 to 11 A.M. via Zoom
  • Wednesday, August 30th, 2023 from 10 to 11 A.M. via Zoom
  • Thursday, August 31st, 2023 from 1 to 2 P.M. via Zoom
  • Wednesday, September 20th, 2023 from 11 A.M. to 12 P.M. via Zoom
  • Tuesday, September 26th, 2023 from 2 to 3 P.M. via Zoom

In Fall 2023, the University will be turning on a Canvas feature called Anthology Ally.  Ally supports Penn State’s mission to create inclusive learning environments.  Ally integrates into Canvas and provides students with the ability to tailor their learning experience to their needs and preferences.  The tool also provides faculty with a tool to spot accessibility barriers for students and provides guidance on how to improve the usability of course content.

You do not need to register in advance to attend this event. Ally Drop-in Session Zoom Link

You may also paste the following link into your browser: https://psu.zoom.us/j/96064698896?pwd=N0lUcEVJNmtMeUVmN1YxQ1diYzBIZz09)

Instructional Strategies to Support Invisible Disabilities

The newest workshop in the series, Instructional Strategies to Support Invisible Disabilities, will focus on instructional strategies that you can employ to make your course more universally designed for all learners.

  • Monday, September 11, 2023 from 10 to 11 A.M. via Zoom
  • Thursday, September 14, 2023 from 2 to 3 P.M. via Zoom

Universal Design Guideline: Multiple Means of Representation, Action/Expression, and Engagement

Did you know that the majority of accommodation requests are for disabilities that are not considered apparent?  To make matters worse, that number only includes those students who choose to identify as having a disability. Imagine what it is like to struggle with a disability, but be afraid to request help for fear of judgment.

What can you do as a faculty member? These disabilities can be unfamiliar, and the scope of supporting them can seem nebulous. Fortunately, many strategies for supporting invisible disabilities are common pedagogical strategies. Implementing them will make your course more universally designed, supportive of all learners, and more proactive than reactive to accommodations.

This workshop will discuss:

  • Potential characteristics of individuals with invisible disabilities
  • Common pedagogical strategies that support all learners in your classroom, including those with invisible disabilities
  • Specific strategies you can employ to support specific disabilities, when you are aware of them

Participants will have the opportunity to discuss these strategies during the workshop and make a plan for implementing them in their course.

Please register in advance to attend this event, space is limited:  Registration: Instructional Strategies for Invisible Disabilities