I really enjoyed reading your blog on Universal Design for Learning and inclusive learning design. You clarified so effectively how UDL is a proactive framework in anticipation of learner differences rather than being reactive to them. I liked how you emphasized the idea of offering multiple means for students to access material, whether through doing, listening, or visual methods. Offering students an option of how they learn best does definitely encourage autonomy and inclusion.
I also appreciated your description of inclusive learning design. You highlighted giving voice to a range of voices and planning for personal bias in lessons, which are both required for facilitating safe and respectful learning environments. I also appreciated how you connected synchronous and asynchronous learning with inclusivity. Blending both modes can provide for students with different learning styles and schedules, making learning more adaptable and accessible.
Finally, your discussion about maintaining student-content, student-student, and student-instructor relationships in online settings was well put. Building these relationships prevents isolation and supports engagement. Overall, your post clearly demonstrates how inclusive and considerate lesson design benefits all learners.
I really enjoyed reading on your blog about Universal Design for Learning and Inclusive Learning Design. You did an excellent job of explaining how these approaches anticipate barriers and build flexibility in learning from the outset. I especially enjoyed your example from your psychology class, it beautifully showed how using several types of representation, engagement, and expression can help a wide range of students and create an inclusive classroom.
Your work on inclusive learning design was also extremely thoughtful. I appreciated the way that you moved from inclusion to belonging, representation, and cultural awareness, suggesting that accessibility is not enough on its own. The scaffolding and gradual release section was particularly effective at describing how teachers can build confidence and independence in students through time.
I also valued your thoughts regarding synchronous and asynchronous learning. The idea of integrating the two methods to achieve flexibility and connection is an implicit acknowledgment of the complexity of learner diversity. Finally, your discussion of interaction and presence demonstrated how technology could foster deep engagement and community. Overall, your posting provided a complete and thoughtful description of how inclusive design benefits all learners.
Your post provided a reflective and brief explanation of how Universal Design for Learning and Inclusive Learning Design can facilitate learning environments of equity by proactively eliminating barriers. I especially liked how you defined dispositional, situational, and institutional barriers and provided specific strategies on how to address them. This helped to show very well how the three UDL principles of engagement, action and expression, and representation can be put into practice.
I enjoyed your example of summer camp as a means of showing inclusive design in action. That was an excellent example of how consideration of students’ prior experiences and thoughtful scaffolding can help everyone feel included and confident. I also appreciated what you had to say about representation, as students tend to be more interested when they see themselves and their own interests reflected in the learning content.
I also valued the clarification of synchronous and asynchronous learning. A combination of these models can provide both flexibility and community, making learning more accessible to everyone.
Overall, your posting illustrates that inclusion is not an afterthought of adding on accommodations, but designing learning experiences with all students in mind from the beginning.
Designing for Inclusion and Engagement in Microbiology Learning
As a microbiology student, I’ve seen how learning design can make or break whether concepts “stick.” Module 3 highlights that inclusive design is about anticipating learner variability, supporting belonging, and keeping students motivated. In science-heavy courses like microbiology, these ideas are essential. Students enter with different strengths: some excel in lab skills, others in theoretical understanding. Thoughtful learning design helps bridge these differences so that all learners can succeed.
Photo by CDC on Unsplash
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
UDL is about designing courses that account for learner diversity from the very start, rather than fixing barriers after they appear. It emphasizes multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement ensuring students can access material, demonstrate understanding, and stay motivated in different ways.
Examples from Microbiology Learning
UDL Principle
Example in Microbiology
Multiple means of representation
Using diagrams and videos to illustrate bacterial cell structures alongside written explanations
Multiple means of action and expression
Allowing students to submit lab reflections as written reports, oral presentations, or digital infographics
Multiple means of engagement
Using real-world case studies on antibiotic resistance to spark curiosity and relevance
UDL reminds me that strategies designed for accessibility, like captions on microscopy videos, benefit everyone by reinforcing comprehension.
Inclusive Learning Design
Dr. Terence Brady’s TED Talk reframed how I think about inclusive education. He explains that Universal Design for Learning should function like architectural design built for access from the start rather than “retrofitted” later. This proactive approach ensures that education meets the needs of all learners, just as accessible buildings serve people of all abilities.
In microbiology, inclusion means anticipating variability and embedding flexibility into every stage of design. For example, scaffolding complex ideas like DNA replication through visuals and vocabulary support can help learners grasp molecular processes more effectively. As learners gain confidence, supports can be reduced to encourage independence.
Strategies educators can use include:
Integrating culturally and globally relevant case studies (e.g., public health microbiology in different regions)
Providing visual and linguistic scaffolds for complex concepts
Gradually reducing supports to promote learner autonomy
Designing for Diverse Learners
There is no such thing as an “average” microbiology student. Each learner brings unique strengths and challenges, and instruction should balance high expectations with multiple pathways to success.
Challenge
Support / Pathway
Strong in chemistry, weak in statistics
Scaffold microbial data analysis with guided tutorials
Strong in memorization, weak in application
Use open-ended case studies connecting pathways to real systems
Interested in theory, less confident in labs
Offer digital simulations and collaborative lab partnerships
By embedding UDL principles into microbiology learning, educators can design with empathy and flexibility so that every student can thrive, whether they’re decoding metabolic pathways or troubleshooting a failed PCR.
Motivation and Engagement
Motivation shapes how deeply I learn. I’ve found I’m most engaged when learning feels meaningful and connected to real-world microbiology.
Relevance: Studying microbial communities and their link to climate change made the content feel urgent and purposeful.
Autonomy: Choosing my own lab report topic gave me ownership of the research process.
Authentic tasks: Designing a mini-research proposal moved me from surface memorization to deeper application.
Feedback: Timely and specific feedback clarified my growth and built accountability.
These elements echo constructive alignment, where activities, assessments, and outcomes work together to support both motivation and mastery.
Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning
Both modes serve valuable but different purposes in microbiology education.
Flexibility, time for reflection, ability to review complex material
Recorded lectures on detailed processes like glycolysis
Balance: Record live sessions for those unable to attend, build discussion boards for peer collaboration, and offer alternate paths to achieve learning outcomes regardless of schedule or location.
Principles of Effective Online Education
An effective online microbiology course should be:
Aligned: Clear outcomes such as “Compare prokaryotic and eukaryotic gene regulation.”
Accessible: Transcripts for lectures, alternative formats for dense data, and flexible submission options.
Transparent: Weekly outlines connecting labs, readings, and assessments directly to learning outcomes.
Frameworks like UDL help maintain this alignment so that learning remains equitable and purposeful.
Interaction and Presence
Interaction builds engagement in online microbiology environments:
These create a sense of community that mirrors collaborative research spaces in real science.
Conclusion
Module 3 reinforced that inclusive design is as critical in microbiology as it is in any other discipline. Universal Design for Learning ensures barriers are minimized from the start, while inclusive design fosters equity, belonging, and motivation. Balancing synchronous and asynchronous modes supports flexibility, and thoughtful assessment design encourages deep learning. When educators combine theory with empathy and purposeful planning, they create microbiology learning environments where every student, regardless of background or ability has the tools and confidence to succeed.
I appreciated how you connected your example of studying to the principles of backward design. It shows so clearly how defining a clear end objective, such as mastering DFA and NFA. I have had the same experience myself where studying without an end outcome lost hours, so I could appreciate your experience. It’s a pleasant reminder that learning design, whether for a friend or an entire class, is most effective when it is deliberate.
My favorite section was your design thinking section too. I liked how you set up empathy to be the basis of innovation, especially in your co-op experience where you created a training app. That indicates that design isn’t always about being efficient but also about people, which I think is so easy to forget in technical fields.
I also agree with your interpretation of SOLO taxonomy. Bloom’s is helpful, but SOLO’s emphasis on progression is more representative of the way learning actually occurs. Your example of reinforcing the DFA/NFA result showed how minor wording changes can lead learners toward deeper understanding.
Your post does a great job connecting learning design theories to real-world experiences in programming and software development. I especially related to your example about surface learning in the Python course compared to deep learning during your internship. I’ve had similar experiences where the assessment style determined how much of the knowledge stayed with me after the course. Like you, I found that when activities and outcomes were tied to authentic applications, the learning became much more meaningful and lasting.
I also appreciated your emphasis on empathy in Design Thinking. The example you gave about redesigning a UI for accessibility highlighted how feedback and iteration are crucial, not only in tech but also in education. It made me think about how often courses fail to “test” their design with learners in mind. Your insights on SOLO Taxonomy stood out as well; the progression from surface to deep understanding feels especially relevant in computer science, where growth is often about moving from memorization to problem-solving.
Starting with the end goals in mind is especially valuable in the sciences. In microbiology, most lab courses begin with specific outcomes such as “students will be able to isolate and characterize a bacterial strain”. Knowing this at the start makes it clear why we need to learn each technique along the way—plating, staining, PCR, or microscopy. When my third-year molecular microbiology lab used this backward design approach, I found the learning much more meaningful because I could see how every step contributed to demonstrating the final outcome. Instead of treating each lab as a separate task, I understood the overall purpose and how my skills built toward that final demonstration.
Design Thinking
Design thinking is a model for solving problems centered on empathy, iteration, and prototyping. It focuses on creating solutions that meet actual learner or user needs.
Prototyping / Problem Solving involves testing practical solutions that still generate meaningful results, even if simplified. Our final setup was less complex but still valid.
Empathy means understanding others’ perspectives, challenges, and limitations. In my lab, this meant recognizing time and resource constraints when designing experiments.
Iteration is the process of refining ideas through feedback and testing. For us, piloting an antibiotic resistance experiment and revising it based on our TA’s input improved the design.
Aspect of Design Thinking
Connection to Microbiology Learning
Example from Lab Work
Empathy
Considering the needs of learners and the limits of lab resources
Realized the original antibiotic resistance experiment was too complex for the time and equipment available
Iteration
Revising and refining ideas based on testing and feedback
Piloted the experiment, gathered feedback from the TA, and adjusted the design
Problem Solving / Prototyping
Finding workable solutions that still achieve meaningful results
Simplified the experimental setup while still collecting valid and useful data
Learning Outcomes and Bloom’s/ SOLO Taxonomies
I find Bloom’s taxonomy particularly useful for describing different levels of learning in microbiology. It is a hierarchical framework that classifies learning objectives by their complexity, moving from remembering to creating (Simplylearn, 2021). For example, the lowest level, remember, focuses on recalling facts—such as listing the steps of Gram staining. The next level, understand, might involve summarizing those steps in one’s own words to show comprehension. At the apply level, students could use their knowledge of Gram staining to predict how a new bacterial isolate might appear under the microscope. The analyze stage would require breaking down results to investigate whether Gram staining provides reliable evidence for bacterial classification. At the evaluate level, students might defend or critique the effectiveness of Gram staining compared with molecular methods. Finally, at the create stage, learners could design an improved protocol or project that builds on the traditional technique.
A weak outcome in microbiology might be: “Students will know the steps of Gram staining.” A stronger one, aligned with Bloom’s higher levels, would be: “Students will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of Gram staining in differentiating bacterial species.” This stronger outcome goes beyond memorization to analysis and application. SOLO taxonomy also resonates with lab-based science because it highlights depth. Moving from surface responses to integrated responses.
Better Learning Design: Surface vs. Deep Learning
Looking back, I can see how surface learning and deep learning played out differently in my microbiology studies.
Surface Learning Example:
In my introductory courses, I often memorized metabolic pathways without really understanding how they connected.
This approach helped me pass tests, but I quickly forgot much of the material afterward.
The design of those courses emphasized recall rather than application, which made it easy to stay at a surface level.
Deep Learning Example:
In my fourth-year labs, I was required to apply those same pathways when interpreting experimental data.
For instance, understanding glycolysis wasn’t just about listing enzymes anymore—it became about explaining why a yeast strain failed to grow under certain conditions.
These tasks pushed me into problem-solving and analysis, which deepened my understanding and made the knowledge stick.
The contrast shows how course design shapes the type of learning. When activities and assessments only test recall, surface learning tends to dominate. When the design emphasizes application, problem-solving, and explanation, students are guided toward deep learning that lasts beyond the exam.
Inquiry and Project-Based Learning
Inquiry and project-based learning are deeply connected to microbiology research. In upper-level labs, my group once designed an experiment to test how environmental stresses affect microbial growth. There was no single “right” answer. We had to plan methods, troubleshoot, and interpret messy results, much like real research.
Sánchez-García and Reyes-de-Cózar (2025) emphasize that strong PBL includes elements such as a driving question, authenticity, inquiry, and public products. However, their review also shows that reflection and student voice are often underused, which I noticed in my own projects. While our inquiry was authentic, structured opportunities for reflection were limited. Still, the experience reflects how PBL fosters not just scientific skills but also collaboration, problem-solving, and adaptability. Key competencies for addressing real-world challenges.
References
Sánchez-García, R., & Reyes-de-Cózar, S. (2025). Enhancing project-based learning: A framework for optimizing structural design and implementation—A systematic review with a sustainable focus. Sustainability, 17(11), 4978. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17114978
Hi Amy, thank you so much for sharing such a thoughtful and motivational post! I particularly loved how you connected your own ADHD and growth mindset experiences to your learning trajectory. It made your observations seem very real and relatable. I also enjoyed your description of behaviourism, cognitivism, and constructivism. Especially how you showed how your professor employed all three theories collectively was a good example of how they can work together in the real world. I enjoyed the way you then applied the theories themselves to actual study habits. Your lists make it very easy to adopt the ideas. Your explanation of the ARCS Model was also a really nice thing about your post, and I liked how you wove in relevance and confidence in your own motivation as a student. It was wonderful at illustrating how theory applies in real life. Finally, I loved your conversation about prior knowledge, specifically your comment on not merely adding to what we have in mind but unlearning when necessary. Overall, your blog was nicely structured, engaging, and chock full of information that I can utilize for myself within my own education.
Hi Alexandra. Thank you so much for sharing! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your educational journey and how it took you from Calgary to UVic. It added such a personal touch to your introduction and made your account interesting. I also appreciated how you described your learning style so elegantly. Your point that you learn things more easily when you are able to see them and discuss them resonate strongly with me, since collaborative work tends to foster understanding. Your observation about how your own working definition of learning evolved over time was also useful. I liked the contrast between the way you used to think about “street smarts vs. book smarts” and the way you now value both formal education and life skills. All in all, your entry was reflective, intimate, and inspiring to read, and it helped me have new perspectives on my own learning experiences.
Hello Fiona! Thanks so much for the great post! I enjoyed how you transitioned your love of childhood books into your life of learning today; it made your concept of learning so personal and meaningful. The example of the sewing class and wood shop was one that I found particularly enjoyable, since it showed so well how creating new information connect back to something you are already passionate about ensures that it sticks with you. I also appreciated your discussion of behaviorism and cognitivism. It is interesting to see how you balance memorization with attempts to do the heavy lifting of making connections at the deeper level in what you’re learning. The motivation section was also what caught my attention, and how you differentiated the different ARCS categories according to whether you are learning for school or for yourself. Finally, I enjoyed the format of your post by use of pictures and diagrams and it made it appealing and easy to follow. Overall, your entry was understandable, well-organized, and motivating, and it caused me to think differently about my own methods of learning.
