What problems were being addressed?

• Staff digital skills
• The accessibility of digital content
• The emergency pivot to online learning

Who was involved?

The University of Galway EDTL Team consisted of the Project Lead, Kate Molloy, who was based in the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT), and the Student Intern, Lauren Muldowney. They worked with the University of Galway Inclusive Learning Team, academic staff, support services and the Student’s Union.

Why did you choose to address the challenges this way?

• Blackboard Ally was changing the digital face of academic inclusion
• Universal Design for Teaching and Learning (UDL) provided a comprehensive framework
• Webinars and courses would communicate the
  knowledge staff needed

How were the goals achieved?

For every student to excel in their academic studies, they must be able to access their curriculum, regardless of their age, disability, gender, race or socio-economical background. The National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education recognised the integral importance of academic inclusion and funded a strategic initiative at the University of Galway.

The EDTL Project Lead, Kate Molloy, also understood the challenges facing non-traditional students and recognized the impact that the EDTL project could have on the strategic implementation of more inclusive digital teaching and learning practices. And after conferring with the NUIG Inclusive Learning Team, the NUIG EDTL Team partnered on the initiative.

The key objectives of the Inclusive learning project were:

• Centre and amplify the student voice and establish an evidence base for postgraduate student perceptions and experiences of inclusion and exclusion in participating Colleges and Schools at NUI Galway
• Raise staff and student awareness about issues of inclusion and exclusion in teaching, learningand assessment practices at NUI Galway, with specific reference to postgraduate students (including students on research programmes)
• Provide practical supports and resources to promote and embed inclusive teaching practices at NUI Galway
• Develop a model for monitoring inclusion in relation to teaching and learning at NUI Galway
• Draw on the evidence of student experiences to address structural and attitudinal barriers to inclusion and influence University policy

After completing a comprehensive audit of all CPD offerings at NUI Galway in relation to the DigCompEdu framework, the NUIG EDTL Team Lead inferred that more emphasis was needed on Area 5: Empowering Learners.

The University of Galway EDTL Team then focused in on Area 5 of the DigiCompEdu framework – Empowering Learners – as a constant point of reference. Here are the key elements they abided by:

• Accessibility & Inclusion
• Differentiation & Personalisation
• Actively Engaging Learners

Having researched Blackboard Ally prior to both projects, the NUIG EDTL Project Lead was already aware of the difference the software was making internationally and presented the findings to the NUIG Inclusive Learning Team, who agreed upon the benefits of integrating the inclusive software into NUIG. Once the software licence was purchased, the NUIG EDTL Project Lead began to embed Blackboard Ally within NUIG’s VLE.

• Gain an understanding of their institution’s accessibility performance
• Proactively tackle accessibility and target both instructors and content
• View accessibility trends and detailed graphs to monitor improvement

An Inclusive Learning conference was planned for March 2020, with the intention of informing staff on the how to use Blackboard Ally – but the pandemic had other plans for theacademic agenda. Luckily, the NUIG EDTL Team hit the ground running. The team expedited the release of Blackboard Ally for all students and staff at NUI Galway, and it was rolled out in March 2020 to meet the needs of learners who were suddenly learning fully online. NUI Galway was the first Irish university to adopt Blackboard Ally.

Viewing the transition as the perfect time to take staff digital training back to beginners, the NUIG EDTL Team adopted the Universal Design for Teaching and Learning (UDL) digital badge course for a local rollout. They also partnered with Blackboard to deliver a series of in-depth summer workshops on Blackboard Ally.

Navigating The New Normal

After launching Blackboard Ally, the University of Galway EDTL Team Project Lead hosted a number of webinars, where the focus was answering staff’s questions and listening to their queries, as well as informing the approach to delivering the UDL course, but what was most important was the need to ensure that staff understood the need to actively promote Blackboard Ally in their teaching and promote it amongst their students, who were due to benefit from it most.

The constant collaboration between the NUIG EDTL Team and the NUIG Inclusive Learning Team, along with input from academic staff, support services and the Student’s Union, ensured that activities continued to evolve, and alleviate some of the pressure staff were feeling at the time. The invaluable perspective gained through the EDTL Project meetings that took place regularly, also promised the NUIG EDTL Team were persistently sourcing the most relevant answers to staff’s questions.

By Spring 2021, the positive feedback received by the NUIG EDTL Team and the NUIG Inclusive Learning Team, proved that it would be possible to host an online Inclusive Learning symposium. And that it would be possible to invite international keynote speakers, who might not have been able to partake under ordinary circumstances, as the online environment eradicated any of the concerns challenging in-person events.

The two-day event focused on raising awareness across issues of equality, diversity and inclusion in higher education. It highlighted the importance of centring the student voice, while showcasing and sharing inclusive pedagogies, practices and approaches.