Multimodal Learning Preferences in Higher Education: Implications for Digital Pedagogies and Universal Design for Learning

Abstract

Higher education today faces the challenge of addressing the diversity of ways in which students learn, in a context increasingly shaped by digitalization, equity concerns, and the demand for pedagogical innovation. Exploring programs with a strong practical and social dimension, such as Pedagogy and Nursing, makes it possible to understand how multimodality can enhance the quality of learning and professional training. The aim of this study was to identify university students’ multimodal learning preferences and to examine their implications for the integration of digital pedagogies and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The research followed a quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional design. A total of 90 students participated by completing Lynn O’Brien’s 36-item questionnaire administered online. Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, including chi-square tests and independent sample t-tests, to compare learning preferences across programs. Results revealed a strong predominance of the visual channel in both Pedagogy and Nursing, with no significant differences between the two groups (?²=0.01, df=1, p=0.938, Cramér’s V=0.01). This suggests that visual learning resources can serve as a common axis for enhancing multimodal approaches in diverse academic contexts. The study concludes that, even in scenarios characterized by limited resources or sociodemographic inequalities, frameworks such as TPACK, SAMR, and UDL provide feasible pathways to guide pedagogical strategies, strengthen academic leadership, and foster a more inclusive and equitable higher education.