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Design for Different Learners

aidensiemens

Learning Support

This learning resource focuses on introducing project evaluation and financial modeling to Grade 12 students who may have little prior experience with financial analysis or spreadsheet tools. To support this, we adopt a constructivist and inquiry-based learning approach, where students actively build their understanding by working through financial scenarios rather than simply memorizing formulas.

Early modules focus on core economic concepts that form the foundation of project evaluation. Students begin by exploring the time value of money (TVM) and the idea that a dollar today is worth more than a dollar in the future. From there, they learn how to calculate present value (PV) and apply Net Present Value (NPV) as a decision-making rule for evaluating potential projects. These concepts help students build the theoretical understanding needed before working with applied financial models.

To connect these ideas to practical skills, the resource includes an Excel Basics lab, which acts as a practical example that students return to throughout the modules. As students move through modules, they progress from basic data entry to performing more complex analyses such as NPV calculations and project forecasting, applying each new concept directly within their evolving spreadsheet.

The course is designed to be delivered asynchronously, allowing students to progress through modules, videos, and applied activities at their own pace. Through this structure, learners are able to build both conceptual understanding and practical financial modeling skills while working through a consistent project evaluation scenario.

Universal and Inclusive Design

Our learning resource was designed using principles from Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which encourages instructors to anticipate learner variability and reduce barriers before they appear in the learning process. While reviewing our activities, we identified two main barriers.

  1. Technical friction when using Excel

The first barrier occurs in the technical modules of our resource. Opening a complex tool like Excel can create immediate friction for learners who are unfamiliar with data organization or financial modeling. To reduce this barrier, we redesigned our activities to include scaffolding rather than asking students to begin from a blank workbook. Instead, students start with partially constructed Excel files that contain example data and formulas. This allows learners to focus on understanding project evaluation concepts and interpreting data rather than struggling with the software interface itself.

2. Limited ways for students to engage with and demonstrate their understanding of concepts.

A second barrier appears in some of the conceptual learning activities. Early versions of our design relied heavily on students reading an article, watching a video, and submitting a written explanation of the concept. While this structure works well for some learners, it assumes that everyone processes information best through dense text and written responses. To make the activity more inclusive, we introduced multiple ways of engaging with the content, such as visual summaries, explanatory videos, and audio-based explanations of key ideas. We also expanded the ways students can demonstrate their understanding by allowing alternatives such as short recordings or visual concept maps.

References:

[1] Rose, D. H., Meyer, A., & the CAST UDL Team. (n.d.). Universal Design for Learning in post-secondary, technology-enabled learning environments (Module 2). In Universal Design. eCampusOntario Pressbooks. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/universaldesign/part/module-2-udl-in-post-secondary-technology-enabled-learning-environments/