An Accessibility and Diversity (Equity) Statement

Ashley Booth – Welcome to UDL

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Hi. I'm Ashley Booth, a Professor and Coordinator in the School of Work and College Preparation. For me, something that stands out about the connection between anti-oppressive practice and UDL is the idea of always checking in with my own privilege. And where this is helpful around teaching and learning and certainly in my area of access and education is a reminder that if we are here as professors, then probably we've done fairly well in the traditional education systems. And I always remind myself then that this one-size-fits-all system which happened to cater to my learning needs is not necessarily catering to the needs of others and instead it can pose barriers so that idea of learner variability is always at the forefront of everything that I do. Building on that, I try to seek opportunities to learn about my students’ social identities and then to connect with them through my content and my whole approach to teaching and learning. In fact, the idea of connection is really important to me. And I heard a great talk on anti-Black racism where Janelle Brady spoke of this idea of other-mothering which, for me, highlighted the necessity of a broader network of supportive allies within our academic institutions to nurture students' access and success. And it really resonated with me and my goal of building real connection in my classes and showing learners that I care about them as human beings, that I see them as full and complex individuals, you know, not just as student numbers. So this course offered tremendous moments of deep reflection, opportunities to really think about my role and my job, and I hope it will do the same for you. Enjoy.

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Joanna Friend – Welcome to UDL

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>> Welcome to the course. I am Joanna Friend. My pronouns are she and her. I am a college professor, faculty development facilitator, curriculum developer, and have also worked as an accessible learning counsellor and learning strategist. All these roles I've held in the postsecondary sector has afforded me a wide variety of perspectives to consider when reflecting on how people teach and learn. You will discover that this course uses many large frameworks for exploring teaching and learning. What I personally appreciate about one of the main frameworks in this course, universal design for learning, is that it guides me as an educator to consider and explore many areas of learner variability. It also guides me to challenge my assumptions about how people learn, and I continually reflect on the role of an educator. Creating inclusive and inviting spaces for people to learn is a driving force for me as an educator. The UDL principles explored through this course also lends itself very well to the concepts of anti-racism and anti-oppressive teaching and learning practices. I have learnt that I actively need to choose imagery, stories, ideas that do not put white perspectives or ideas rooted in colonization as the centre point of comparison. I like to critically reflect on the content I introduce and think about how it may be perceived by each of my students. And I try to have first-person narratives to present their own viewpoints and perspectives because I'm conscious that I am a white settler and that when I speak it can be interpreted as perpetuating the marginalization of learners' identities or toward the further othering of historicallyoppressed people. I try to model the appreciation of learner variability by not only anticipating and normalizing it but by also demonstrating how each learner is valued for their diverse ways of knowing, recognizing and calling out the injustices that have led to inequities in education, and inviting everyone to have a voice and contribution to their learning spaces. I welcome you to uncover the many ways this course will help you to reflect on your own practice. Enjoy the journey.

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Denise Nelson-Mogaji – Welcome to UDL

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>> Hello. My name is Denise Nelson-Mogaji. I am a cisgendered woman of colour who is a wife, mother, registered nurse, professor, and a coordinator of a pre-health science program. My social identity has inspired me to be the leader and mentor that students see when they pursue post-secondary education. This honour has allowed me to share my motto of life; it can be done. My philosophy of teaching is to never forget who I am and that I am still a student, which means there are many ways to describe biological concepts, and the best way is the one that works for you. Universal design for learning is a wonderful means for me to walk with my students along their path to gaining biological knowledge. Using UDL principles encourages my students to reflect on how they learn, embrace their learning strengths, and open their minds to accepting the knowledge without barriers. As an example, when I teach the processes of cell division and the concepts of fertilization and genetics, I have an opportunity to clarify the difference between sex and gender. Learning that gender is socially-constructed allows for rich discussion in the classroom and a chance to explore the ways that myths are created. I'm an active member of my post-secondary UDL community where we are all engaged on removing barriers based on social identity in our classes. As you work your way through the universal design for learning course, I invite you to allow your own philosophy of teaching to be challenged and open your mind to the many methods of facilitating inclusivity. Good luck.

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Jason Inniss – Welcome to UDL

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>> Hello. I'm Jason Inniss, a chef, professor, father. Creating a safe, welcoming environment is part of my classroom culture. I'm a large, white, straight, cisgendered confident man, and I'm aware of that. That's my identity. It's who I am. I'm also aware that it can make other people feel intimidated. I've been told that I'm intimidating, and I've also been told that when I smile more, it makes people feel less intimidated so I smile as much as I can. I was made aware of these things because I ask my students for feedback. I view feedback as a gift. I love being a professor, and I recognize that to get better at my craft I need to solicit feedback in a space designed for students to feel safe to give honest feedback without fear of reprisal. I encourage mistakes. Mistakes are part of the learning journey. I celebrate people from other cultures, and I discuss positive space right from the beginning and throughout my class. A colleague of mine made a comment earlier this year that really stuck with me. She said, "It's not a one and done." You can't just do something once and leave it alone. You've got to constantly come back to it to create that environment where your learners feel safe. Similarly, UDL is a reflective practice for the educators and it's ongoing. A warm welcome to the UDL Certificate everyone. Happy learning.

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Bhupinder Gill – Welcome to UDL

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>> Hi and welcome. I'm Bhupinder Gill. I immigrated to Canada from India. English is my second language. I learnt English in elementary school with help from great teachers, classmates, and friends. I'm fluent in Punjabi, a language that is spoken in northern India and Pakistan. Also, I learnt French in elementary and secondary schools. Currently, I'm teaching English as a second language to domestic and international learners. Growing up as a Sikh Canadian posed both challenges and opportunities for me. Depending on people's curiosity or fear, I would encounter different reactions. Many would judge me by the colour of my skin. However, some would want to start a conversation with me out of interest. My lived experience has shaped part of my core values; treat others the way you want to be treated. Reflecting on this has also helped me so much in my long career as an educator. I consistently strive to create a comfortable and welcoming environment for learners in my class each day. By utilizing the principles of the UDL framework, I can engage and provide choices, support my learners. The framework also guides me to learn from them and provide an opportunity to teach language and skills they need. I aim to bring an open mind, a positive attitude, and high expectations to the classroom each day. Welcome to the course and my best wishes to you for a successful learning experience.

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