ADCET UDL Symposium: Making Practical Learning Visible - Using Observodon as a UDL-Aligned Tool for Video-Based Assessment and Feedback
In-person presentation
In higher education (HE) and vocational education and training (VET), assessing practical competence remains challenging, particularly for diverse learners studying online, on placement, or across multiple sites. Text-based assessment and feedback often fail to capture authentic performance and can introduce avoidable barriers to clarity, engagement, and progression.
At the 2025 ADCET UDL Symposium, the sector signalled strong interest in authentic assessment and inclusive digital practice. This presentation extended that conversation by demonstrating how video-based evidence and feedback, integrated within the Learning Management System, can operationalise Universal Design for Learning (UDL) 3.0 in practical and scalable ways across HE and VET.
Observodon is a video observation, annotation, and feedback tool that integrates directly within existing Learning Management Systems. Framed explicitly through UDL 3.0, the approach supports multiple means of representation (visual and spoken feedback), action and expression (demonstrating competence through authentic performance rather than text alone), and engagement (iterative, self-paced improvement supported by concrete visual evidence). By reducing reliance on written explanation alone, this design expands access to assessment and feedback for learners with diverse literacy, language, or learning needs.
Drawing on implementation across trades, clinical skills, and teacher education contexts, this presentation illustrated how video-based evidence and time-stamped feedback increase transparency of expectations, reduce ambiguity in assessment decisions, and support more consistent moderation across educators and sites. From an Aotearoa New Zealand perspective, this aligns with mana ōrite (equity and fairness) by making standards and feedback more visible, usable, and culturally responsive.
The session had two clear goals: (1) to demonstrate how video-based assessment can be intentionally designed in alignment with UDL 3.0 principles in HE and VET, and (2) to provide participants with a practical workflow they can adapt within their own programmes. The presentation primarily focused on illustrating design principles and implementation examples.
Presenter
Michael Grawe is an educator and Professional Learning Manager with Pathways Awarua, specialising in adult literacy and numeracy across Aotearoa New Zealand. He works at the intersection of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and digital innovation, developing tools that support more inclusive learning and reduce cognitive load. He contributes to Observodon, an interactive video platform supporting reflective, feedback-rich practice within Learning Management Systems (LMSs), and co-directs ExplainIT NZ, creators of DysCalculator, a calculator app designed for learners with dyscalculia and maths anxiety. Michael brings over 25 years’ experience in education and learner development to this work. Michael Grawe LinkedIn page
(June 2026)