Online course: Universal Design Beyond the Classroom (October 2026)
Implementation of universal design principles in Teaching & Learning promotes inclusivity and equity while also ‘futureproofing’ your teaching.
As our classrooms and lecture theatres become increasingly diverse, our practices must also adapt to reflect the changing landscape of higher education. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework based on research in the learning sciences, including cognitive neuroscience, which guides the development of flexible learning environments that can accommodate individual learning differences and cater for the wide range of diversity in our lecture rooms. This CPD course will give you an introduction to the concept of Universal Design for Learning and invite you to review and update your own Teaching and Learning practice.
This Badge is sibling to the Universal Design in Teaching and Learning. Not sure which Badge is for you? Complete this quick quiz to help your decision.
Course Schedule
Below is the schedule for the 2026 national iteration of the digital badge courses in Universal Design for Teaching & Learning and Universal Design for Learning Beyond the Classroom.
Your Peer Group Facilitator will be in touch once the course has started to introduce you to your Peer Group, where you can then agree on times to meet them.
| Week # | Activity | Date | Time |
| 1 (beginning 5th Oct) |
Webinar 1 – Introduction and Orientation | Monday 5th October 2026* | 1pm – 2pm |
| 1 | Peer Group Introductory Meeting | Anytime during week 1 | Confirm with your peer group facilitator |
| 1 | Self-paced eLearning Module 1 | Anytime during week 1 | N/A |
| 2
(beginning 12th Oct) |
Self-paced eLearning Module 2 | Anytime during week 2 | N/A |
| 3
(beginning 19th Oct) |
Webinar 2 – Introducing the Redesign Activity | Thursday 22nd October 2026* | 1pm – 2pm |
| 3 | Peer Group Meeting 2 | Anytime during week 3 | Confirm with your peer group |
| 3 | Self-paced eLearning Module 3 | Anytime during week 3 | N/A |
| 4
(beginning 25th Oct) |
Self-paced eLearning Module 4 | Anytime during week 5 | N/A |
| 4 | Peer Group Meeting 3 | Anytime during week 4 | Confirm with your peer group |
| 5
(beginning 2nd Nov) |
Self-paced eLearning Module 5 | Anytime during week 3 | N/A |
| 6
(beginning 9th Nov) |
Weekly drop-ins begin | – | Confirm with your peer group |
| 7
(beginning 16th Nov) |
Work on redesign | – | Confirm with your peer group |
| 8
(beginning 23rd Nov) |
Work on redesign | – | Confirm with your peer group |
| 9
(beginning 30th Nov) |
Work on redesign | – | Confirm with your peer group |
| 10
(beginning 7th Dec) |
Final Peer Group Meeting | Anytime during week 10 before the submission date | Confirm with your peer group |
| 10 | Webinar 3 – Submission & Verification / Future Facilitator Activity | Monday 7th December 2026* | 1pm – 2pm |
| 10 | Submission Deadline | Monday 14th December | 11:59pm |
*Please note that webinars will be recorded and made available on the course platform.
Learning Outcomes
- Reflect on the Diversity of Students in your Institution;
- Gain a good understanding of the Universal Design for Learning framework and how it can support diverse learners;
- Deepen your understanding of UDL through peer engagement;
- Redesign some elements of your teaching and learning practice based on your knowledge of UDL principles;
- Consider how you will change your practice more broadly in line with a UDL approach.
Learning Activities
| Activity | Per week | Ten Weeks |
| Live Webinar | 60 min | 3 hours |
| Peer Group meeting | 30-60 min | 1.5-3 hours |
| Independent learning | N/A | 7 hours |
| Redesign Activity | N/A | 12 hours |
| Total | N/A | 25 hours |
Content
| Indicative content | Facilitator/Guest speaker |
| Introduction to UDL
Multiple Means of Engagement Multiple Means of Representation Multiple Means of Action & Expression Reflecting on Your Practice |
AHEAD & UCD |
| Facilitator’s Badge | Dr Lisa Padden, UCD
Purpose: Develop capacity for delivery of Digital Badge by institution staff for institution staff |
Registration
For more information, please contact UDBeyond@ahead.ie, or our eLearning and Digital Media Officer Danielle O’Rourke – danielle.orourke@ahead.ie