UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Mary Ann Tobin, assistant research professor and instructional consultant for the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, recently shared her expertise on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) with listeners of the ThinkUDL podcast.

According to the Schreyer Institute’s definition of UDL, UDL proactively addresses the variability of students’ diverse abilities, cultural expectations and prior learning to make learning more accessible, thus creating a more equitable environment.

ThinkUDL airs conversations with UDL practitioners at colleges and universities and is hosted by Lillian Nave. In the episode "Teach to Reach with Mary Ann Tobin," Tobin describes how she presents UDL to foster University-wide buy-in, the benefits of cross-divisional collaborations on UDL implementation and how UDL addresses systemic and incidental barriers to any teaching and learning context.

Tobin is a founding member of Penn State's Universal Design for Learning Team, which works to raise awareness of the UDL framework, teach others about the framework and increase its implementation in teaching and learning contexts across the University.

Penn State instructors and staff can learn more about UDL by enrolling in the “Teach to Reach” short course, a free, non-credit, asynchronous online course facilitated by Tobin and other Penn State UDL experts. The course, which is conducted in Canvas and offered each semester, will run from Oct. 4 to 31 this semester. Registration is open through Sept. 22 on the Schreyer’s Institute’s Events page.

Questions about “Teach to Reach” or UDL can be directed to Tobin at matobin@psu.edu.

The Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence is part of the Penn State Office of Undergraduate Education, the academic administrative unit that provides leadership and coordination for University-wide programs and initiatives in support of undergraduate teaching and learning at Penn State. Learn more about Undergraduate Education at undergrad.psu.edu.