The foundation of my online literacy instruction (OLI) is a commitment to accessible design, which aligns with the GSOLE Online Literacy Instruction Principles and Tenets. On this page, you will see examples of an online writing lab I created to make the writing center resources more readily accessible for students, as well as an excerpt on accessibility standards from the tutor handbook I am currently revising. Although each module of the GSOLE course had a different focus, the overarching theme of accessibility complemented my own interest in learning more about how to prioritize accessible content in my OLI work.
Creating Access with an Online Writing Lab
The Madonna University Online Writing Lab (MU OWL) was developed as a supplemental resource for the Writing Center: www.madonna.edu/owl. I assessed the MU OWL based on the task from Module 1.4 asking participants to demonstrate the ability to “…design and justify the pedagogy for an accessible activity using the affordances of a digital technology….” and determined that the MU OWL puts OLI theory into practice because of its provides accessible online writing resources that are available 24/7 to students on and off campus.
The video above provides a brief introduction to the MU OWL. Read my full reflection here:
Accessibility Guidelines
As an example of how I prioritize accessibility in the writing center, I have included an excerpt written for my writing center’s tutor training guide. Module 1.2 focused on how to ensure an online environment was accessible and inclusive, and by developing a set of guidelines for tutors to follow/consider when adapting their tutoring techniques for an online rather than in-person session, I was able to connect what I had learned about ensuring accessibility with how that could be put into practice in my local context.
You can read the excerpt here: