Designing Digital Confidence with UCATT
In a world where nearly every class has an online component, computer literacy is no longer a “nice to have” for teaching and learning at the University of Arizona; it’s essential. For instructional designers in the University Center for Assessment, Teaching, and Technology (UCATT), computer literacy means more than knowing which buttons to click. It’s about creating digital learning spaces that are clear, accessible, and truly usable for both instructors and students.
At the university, UCATT instructional designers collaborate directly with faculty to build online and hybrid courses in Brightspace over a 16-week development cycle. Sometimes that starts with a syllabus and ends with a fully realized online environment. Along the way, instructors bring a wide range of comfort levels with technology.
“We see a whole range of computer skills in faculty,” said Stephanie Tammen, instructional designer. “Some are super users who can pick up any educational technology tool and run with it. Others need a lot more support just to feel comfortable using Brightspace.”
That support goes beyond basic troubleshooting. Tammen describes their work as a “teach a man to fish” approach, coaching instructors so they can solve problems on their own and design courses that make sense to students.
Her colleague Adam Davi, also an instructional designer, pointed out a common myth: that students automatically know how to use digital tools because they’re online so often. “We think that just because they’re using technology all the time, they understand how to use these tools,” he said. “They don’t.” Part of UCATT’s role is helping faculty not just use tools but present them in ways that are intuitive for students.
Accessibility and navigation are two of the biggest computer literacy gaps they see. Digital accessibility work – captioning videos, adding alternative text, structuring HTML pages, and creating consistent course layouts can be tedious, but it makes a major end-user difference. “Students want a common experience,” Tammen noted. “They want to know where to go to get their assignments and what to expect from week to week.”
The COVID-19 pivot sharpened those needs. Tammen remembers instructors who were confident in the classroom but suddenly felt “so lost” online. Those who admitted what they didn’t know and sought help made some of the biggest gains in digital literacy. Since then, remote collaboration has made it easier to screen-share, record quick how-to guides, and support faculty no matter where they are.
For instructors who feel intimidated by technology, Davi’s advice is simple: start small. “Baby steps,” he said. “Let’s try one thing that’s different… and then we can go from there.” Tammen agrees, encouraging faculty to begin with a clean, basic Brightspace site and build gradually, always with one guiding principle in mind: “Design for your students.”