| Summary: | This essay describes a mock conference model of instruction suitable for use in undergraduate teaching, and which adheres to principles of learner-centred instruction and universal design for learning. A staged process of learner preparation for the conference is outlined, and student and instructor roles during preconference, conference, and post-conference periods are described. The model is not discipline-specific or course level-specific and may be utilized in a variety of teaching contexts. I have implemented this model in a first-year undergraduate course, where students presented conference-style oral presentations and virtual poster presentations, and I guided them along the staged preparation process. Potential benefits of this model include fostering the development of self-directed autonomous learners by prompting students to take responsibility for their own learning, and providing students with diverse learning preferences and needs with equal opportunities to succeed by imparting variety and flexibility into the way in which course material is presented.
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