We are following up on the results of the microcredential course offered by IL3 to enhance professional teachers’ digital skills. This interview was with Pilar Modamio Charles, who is a Full Professor at the University of Barcelona and Director of the Master and Postgraduate Degree in Comprehensive Pharmaceutical Care at IL3-UB. She was interviewed after following the Microcredential course on Creating Accessible Documents.
- From your experience as a university professor, what does digital accessibility mean to you in the context of Higher Education? Digital accessibility for me is to ensure that all students who are in Higher Education can fully access information, contents and learning tools, regardless of their abilities.
- Prior to starting this course, had you had experience with students who had specific needs related to accessibility? Yes, in my career of more than 30 years as a teacher at the University of Barcelona, I have had experiences with students who had specific visual or cognitive needs, but it has been limited and the response has basically consisted of making some adaptation in the evaluation. I would also like to add that I myself have probably not paid as close attention to these accessibility-related needs as I now do, or should have, after having taken this course.
- What motivated you to enroll in the course “Creating Accessible Documents (Word and PowerPoint)”? What drove me most, first of all, was learning about the concept of digital accessibility from expert professionals, in order to build a knowledge base. Secondly, to find out what tools I could have at my disposal and, thirdly, to start applying them in a practical way during the course, mainly in documents and presentations that I use in class. All this, with the ultimate goal of acquiring practical skills to produce accessible educational materials suitable for all our university students.
- What practical learnings would you highlight in Word and PowerPoint?
First, I want to emphasize that I did not have specific knowledge of accessibility on how to design documents and presentations that complied with international standards, which now, after taking the course I know exist and are necessary. In this sense, I would highlight that I have learned how to take advantage of the functionalities of Word and PowerPoint to design teaching materials that are inclusive such as:
Structure documents using accessible styles, headings, and tables
Add alt text to images and graphics and captions to videos in PowerPoint.
Check contrast using tools such as Contrast Ratio.
Check compatibility with screen readers and ensure keyboard navigation.
Apply WCAG 2.2 and UNE-EN 301 549 in documents and presentations, ensuring that the content is understandable and usable for everyone. - Did your way of designing documents and presentations change after taking the course?
Yes, without a doubt. I now plan the structure of the documents from the beginning thinking about accessibility, applying coherent styles, avoiding designs that can confuse or cognitively overload students and always including alternative resources, such as subtitles and image descriptions. My PowerPoint presentations are clearer and easier to navigate for all users. - From the perspective of developing digital skills, what impact do you think this training has on your professional practice? It has had a very positive impact, as I can now integrate digital tools and accessible educational resources in a conscious and planned way. This strengthens my digital and pedagogical competence, improves the quality of my materials and contributes to more inclusive and effective teaching. In addition, it allows me to be aligned with international accessibility standards.
- What message would you convey to other university teachers about the importance of training in digital accessibility?
Clearly, the COVID-19 pandemic marked a before and after in the digital needs of university teachers, but we must continue to move forward and consider digital accessibility as a priority. Having completed this course, I would tell other teachers that training in these skills is essential, in order to create inclusive educational resources from the start and respond to a social demand that undoubtedly exists. - The course addresses standards such as WCAG 2.2 and the UNE-EN 301 549 standard. What is your opinion about the incorporation of these regulatory frameworks in teacher training? Incorporating these standards provides clear and universal criteria for designing materials that are accessible to an ever-widening diversity of students, and also for assessing their compliance. Therefore, I believe that they are fundamental and beneficial for both students and faculty, promoting the quality of higher education and their alignment with international good practices.
We thank Prof. Pilar for her feedback. She is affiliated to the Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Care Unit, the Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology Section, the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, and Physical Chemistry and the
School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences of the University of Barcelona.