The "Knowing-Doing Gap" in UDL: A Qualitative Test of Faculty Awareness vs. Application

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has become a prominent policy reference in inclusive higher education, yet evidence of its actual classroom implementation remains limited. This qualitative pilot study examines the extent to which faculty self-reported awareness of UDL corresponds to meaningful pedagogical application, testing the existence of a “knowing–doing gap.” Using a deductive analytical framework, the study analyzes open-ended survey responses from five university professors across Southern Europe, evaluating both conceptual understanding of UDL principles and concrete teaching practices against CAST guidelines. Results reveal a pronounced bifurcation: while some faculty demonstrate superficial or misconceived understandings of UDL—often equating it with generic organization or accessibility—only a minority translate the framework into operational practices such as learner choice and multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression. The findings indicate that self-reported awareness substantially overestimates actual pedagogical competence. The study argues that awareness-raising initiatives are insufficient and may produce false positives, calling instead for professional development focused on operational UDL strategies and applied design templates. Although exploratory, the analysis provides an early diagnostic signal of a structural gap between inclusive policy discourse and instructional practice in higher education.