Active learning

TASK DESCRIPTION

You are a team of academic staff at a European higher education institution (HEI). Your university is revising its assessment strategies for blended and online learning environments to ensure they are inclusive, accessible, and equitable. Your goal is to develop a proposal for a new digital assessment task that demonstrates the principles of Universal Design for Assessment (UDA).

Your proposal must:

1. Clearly define the construct being assessed.

2. Demonstrate inclusivity for a diverse student population.

3. Integrate accommodations and varied formats.

4. Be accessible and legible on standard digital platforms.

5. Include feedback mechanisms and a monitoring plan.

SCENARIO

Course Title: “Global Environmental Change”
Course Level: Undergraduate, 2nd Year
Delivery Mode: Fully online (asynchronous and synchronous components)
Assessment Weight: 40% of final grade
Current Problem: The existing assessment is a 2,500-word essay submitted through the LMS. The teaching staff has noticed:

• Low engagement from students with diverse linguistic backgrounds.

• Complaints about unclear instructions.

• Limited student reflection on feedback.

• Disproportionately low scores from students with dyslexia and anxiety.

Institutional Goal: Increase inclusiveness and digital fairness in assessment by redesigning this task. You are tasked with doing so by applying the Universal Design Assessment Principles covered in Part I of the module.

DELIVERABLE

Design a digital assessment prototype (one of the following):

• Interactive multimedia presentation

• Podcast episode with supporting documentation

• Collaborative student-produced blog

• Digital portfolio with video and visual artefacts

Your design should:

• Clarify learning goals and constructs

• Be adaptable to different learner needs and technologies

• Include a feedback plan (automated and/or human)

• Provide rubrics or evaluation criteria

• Suggest tools that require minimal bandwidth and hardware

PERSONAS

To foster a participatory and equity-aware perspective in assessment design, you are invited to adopt a specific persona. This role will help you critically explore inclusive assessment strategies from a particular viewpoint within the higher education environment

1. Dr. Ana Petrović – Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science

• 52 years old, based in Zagreb.

• Experienced in traditional assessments.

• Enthusiastic about e-learning but lacks confidence in digital pedagogy.

• Strong advocate for academic rigour.

Perspective: Seeks to maintain academic integrity and validity in assessment while ensuring fairness.

2. Miguel Fernández – Learning Technologist

• 35 years old, working remotely from Madrid.

• Specialised in low-bandwidth solutions and assistive tech.

• Experienced in implementing Moodle, H5P, and open-source tools.

Perspective: Focuses on technical accessibility, digital infrastructure, and tool compatibility.

3. Farah Khan – Student Representative

• 21 years old, final-year student in Sociology from Pakistan.

• Lives in shared accommodation with limited internet access.

• Fluent in English but finds academic jargon overwhelming.

Perspective: Advocates for clarity, flexible formats, and recognition of students’ lived realities.

4. Elsa Gruber – Disability Services Coordinator

• 46 years old, working across multiple departments in Vienna.

• Works closely with students with dyslexia, ADHD, and anxiety disorders.

• Promotes inclusive design rather than retrofitted accommodations.

Perspective: Brings insight into cognitive load, trauma-informed design, and assistive technologies.

5. Dr. Luca Marinelli – Vice-Dean for Quality Assurance

• 58 years old, located in Bologna.

• Oversees compliance with institutional policies and quality frameworks.

• Seeks evidence-based approaches and standardisation.

Perspective: Wants the assessment to be auditable, scalable, and aligned with institutional goals.