ADCET UDL Symposium: Cognitive Load Theory as a Design Lens for Innovative UDL in Higher Education

In-person presentation

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is being increasingly adopted in higher education to improve access and participation across diverse student populations. Yet implementation often emphasises the provision of options without equal attention to how those options interact with human cognitive architecture. Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) offers a complementary, empirically grounded framework for understanding how instructional design affects working memory, schema construction, and long-term learning (Sweller, 1988; Sweller, van Merriënboer, & Paas, 1998). This session argued that aligning CLT with UDL strengthens inclusive course design while preserving disciplinary rigor.

CLT distinguishes intrinsic cognitive load (disciplinary complexity), extraneous load (inefficient design), and germane processing (schema development). In university contexts, learners often encounter dense texts, complex problem solving, and high-stakes assessment, which cause unmanaged extraneous load and can disproportionately disadvantage neurodivergent learners and those navigating linguistic, cultural, or accessibility barriers. Evidence-based strategies such as signaling, segmentation, worked examples, and coherence reduce unnecessary processing and improve transfer (Mayer, 2021). When intentionally mapped onto UDL 3.0 guidelines (CAST, 2024), these principles support structured flexibility: scaffolded choices, transparent expectations, tiered complexity, and aligned multimodal materials.

Drawing on examples from undergraduate and graduate course design, this presentation introduces a practical alignment inking UDL checkpoints with CLT-informed decisions about sequencing, modality, and assessment design. Participants will examine how cognitive efficiency and inclusive design operate as mutually reinforcing aims in higher education classrooms.

By bridging cognitive science and inclusive pedagogy, this session reframed innovative UDL practice in higher education as both justice-oriented and evidence-informed, ensuring that accessibility is accompanied by cognitively coherent learning experiences.