Exploring education without barriers

When Honours Bachelor of Social and Community Development graduate Taofikat Atanda began her capstone research project in 2024, she didn’t set out to study something familiar. Instead, she chose a topic that was largely unknown—both to her and to many of her peers—and turned it into a research project that works to shift how postsecondary education is designed and delivered.

Atanda’s capstone project focused on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an educational framework that promotes inclusive teaching by recognizing that different students learn in different ways. Rooted in accessibility and equity, UDL encourages instructors to provide multiple ways for students to engage with educational content. Rather than retrofitting accommodations, UDL is designed to proactively remove barriers so that all learners can succeed.

From the outset of her capstone project, “Awareness of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in Ontario Higher Education and Its Impact on Students’ Overall Success”, Atanda saw an opportunity to explore an underexamined area — particularly from the student perspective — and contribute to a growing conversation around inclusive education in Canada. Examining ways to increase awareness and understanding of UDL, she developed evidence-based recommendations tailored to different learning styles for instructors and academic administrators demonstrating how UDL principles can be applied more effectively in higher education settings. These included a written report, an infographic poster designed for visual learners and a video for those who engage best through multimedia.

Throughout the research process, she was supported by School of Community Studies professor Dr. Ferzana Chaze, who provided guidance from concept development through to analysis, and Social Service Worker program professor Nicole Johnson, who supported the knowledge mobilization phase and helped ensure the findings could reach broader audiences.

As a part of her research experience, Atanda strengthened a wide range of skills, including translating academic publications into plain language for dissemination, promoting survey and participant engagement, data analysis and end-to-end research project management. She credits the project with building her confidence — not just as a researcher, but as a communicator too.

Atanda’s work was formally recognized in 2025, when she was selected as one of 12 recipients of the Generator Student Awards, which celebrate outstanding student contributions to research, innovation and entrepreneurship at Sheridan.

The impact of the project extended beyond Atanda’s time at Sheridan. Seeing firsthand how research can inform decision-making and address social issues helped solidify her career direction. Building on the skills she gained during her bachelor’s degree and through her capstone project, Atanda is now pursuing a Masters of Public Policy at McMaster University where she recently earned a scholarship award for ‘Most Outstanding Student’ in her research in public policy course.

For other Sheridan students considering getting involved in research, her advice is simple but powerful: don’t shy away from the unknown.

“Never be afraid to study something you don’t know much about or a topic that’s underexplored,” Atanda says. “That’s where the most important conversations begin. Research gives you the chance to explore new ideas, fill gaps and help shape the future.”

Interested in learning more about how to get involved as a faculty or staff member in research, innovation and entrepreneurship at Sheridan? Visit sheridancollege.ca/generator