ABSTRACT
In examining curricula, it’s first important to recognize that there are always multiple levels of curriculum in operation and that an individual faculty member typically won’t have control over every level. In exploring course and assignment design, primary emphasis is approaches to learning that are learner-centered, or educational practices that shift the focus and power in the classroom from the teacher to students, and practices that are active, requiring students “to do meaningful learning activities and think about what they are doing”. When designing courses, most people have had little or no training in how to do so effectively. Faculty may start with texts they plan to use or ideas for activities or a list of important topics to cover. Universal Design for Learning, is a relatively new pedagogy that focuses on making learning accessible to a more diverse array of students and helping all learners to become expert learners.
