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Through a mixed-methods approach that utilized teacher surveys and a focus group with computer science (CS) instructional coaches, this study examined elementary teachers’ confidence in meeting the needs of students with disabilities, the extent to which the teachers could use the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework in CS education, and the strategies that their CS instructional coaches used with them to help meet the needs of all learners, including those with disabilities. Findings from a Wilcoxon signed-rank test and a general linear regression of the teacher surveys revealed that teachers’ confidence in teaching CS and in meeting the needs of students with disabilities increased over the 5 month coaching study, but their understanding of UDL remained low throughout the study. A qualitative thematic analysis of open-response survey questions revealed that the teachers could identify instructional strategies that support the inclusion of students with disabilities in CS instruction. These strategies aligned with high leverage practices (HLPs) and included modeling, the use of explicit instruction, and opportunities for repeated instruction. When asked to identify UDL approaches, however, they had more difficulty. The focus group with coaches revealed that the coaches’ primary aim related broadly to equity and specifically to access to and the quality of CS instruction. However, although they introduced UDL-based strategies, they struggled to systematically incorporate UDL into coaching activities and did not explicitly label these strategies as part of the UDL framework on a consistent basis. This finding explains, to a large extent, the teachers’ limited understanding of UDL in the context of CS education.
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This content will become publicly available on October 11, 2027
Examining Symbology in Introductory Statistics through a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Lens
Mathematical symbology can pose barriers in increasingly diverse introductory statistics classrooms. This qualitative study examines instructional practices that support students’ developing symbol sense through a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) lens, focusing on UDL Considerations 2.1 and 2.2. Data include interviews with 39 students, surveys from 86 students, and video-stimulated recall interviews with five instructors. Findings indicate that students view symbols as essential yet initially intimidating, and that symbol sense develops through intentional instructional mediation. Effective practices included explicit attention to symbol morphology, translation between symbols and natural language, structured reference tools, revisiting symbols, and highlighting relationships among symbols. These strategies appeared to support students’ developing sense of symbols and promoted more equitable access to statistical meaning-making.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2314358
- PAR ID:
- 10684306
- Editor(s):
- Leatham, Keith
- Publisher / Repository:
- 48th Annual Conference of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME-NA)
- Date Published:
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- Communication, Instructional Activities and Practices, Undergraduate Education
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Location:
- Provo, UT
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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