Instructional Design with UDL in a Master’s in Higher Education Teaching

Abstract

ABSTRACT
This study examines the integration of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles into the instructional design of an online Master’s program in Higher Education Teaching. Using a qualitative approach and documentary analysis, it reviews curricular documents, institutional guidelines, and faculty and identify the presence of the UDL principles of representation, action/expression, and engagement. Findings indicate an inclusive, student-centered model featuring active learning, collaboration, authentic assessment, and digital accessibility. Opportunities for improvement include enhancing verifiable accessibility criteria and making inclusive practices more explicit at the micro level. Progressive actions are proposed, such as RA↔UDL matrices, syllabus templates with key fields, peer review, and validation of multimodal evidence to strengthen internal coherence without lowering standards. When effectively operationalized, UDL supports multiple pathways for participation and assessment with equivalent rigor, fostering fairness and validity in evaluation. The study concludes that the program’s inclusive model is a strong foundation, whose consolidation depends on gradually documenting and auditing the application of UDL guidelines.