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Syllabus –Lynda Barry – Notes from an accidental professor

My dream learning environment — a flexible space that supports creative endeavour

Posted on June 17, 2016 by Chrissie Butler

Syllabus –Lynda Barry – Notes from an accidental professor

What spaces makes your brain hum? Who is your dream teacher and how do they teach? What kind of learning space supports your creativity? I asked myself these questions in the podcast My dream learning environment. Here’s the transcript. Take a look:

Q: Kia ora, Chrissie — and thanks for agreeing to be interviewed.

A: No worries. It’s a pleasure.

Q: OK, so let’s start with the question we ask each guest as an opener: If you could study anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?

A: University of Wisconsin — to study with Lynda Barry.

Q: Woah, no hesitation there! Why Wisconsin?

A: Because Lynda Barry is there and she works in a way that would totally make my brain hum. I would be camping outside the door to get in each day.

Q: That’s quite an endorsement.

A: Yep, she’s a total inspiration and a mentor. A maker and a teacher and a wonderful rule breaker and explorer. Best of all, she only gives feedback by saying “good” and laughing uproariously, and for me that is the perfect fit.

Q: I think you might need to tell us a bit more.

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Ask your students how you can become a better teacher

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Chrissie Butler

Katrina is a year-13 student. She knows what helps her learn and what can get in the way. Earlier this year I had the chance to interview her. Take a look at the video before you read on.

So now you’ve watched the video, here’s some questions for you:

  1. If Katrina was a student in your class or a member of your school community, how could you make the learning environment more effective for her?
  2. Which of those tweaks or changes might provide additional support or options for other students? Get really specific if you can.
  3. How could you increase the usefulness or flexibility of these changes by innovatively using digital technologies?
  4. Which of the tweaks or changes you identified could just become the “way you do things”? Could they become part of practice across year groups and learning areas? How could you support this to happen?
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Influencing inclusive practice: Universal Design for Learning in teaching and facilitation

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Chrissie Butler

Inclusive designPhoto: © Copyright wfmillar and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Chrissie Butler
Chrissie Butler

Allanah King
Allanah King

Introducing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to colleagues and supporting its use in our inclusive practice is a big part of my work at CORE. Recently Allanah King and I had an hour or two in transit together. Allanah is a Learning with Digital Technologies facilitator, classroom teacher and a passionate advocate of the difference technologies can make in learning. We got talking about how UDL is continuing to influence the way she works. Here’s an edited Q and A of our discussion.

Chrissie: So Allanah, how is UDL is influencing the way you think about planning learning?

Allanah: I think it has made me much more aware of things I do that might get in the way of other people’s learning. So for example it makes me think about barriers hidden in the way I teach or facilitate, or barriers in the resources I use or the way I organise the learning environment. At the same time, it is also helps me create much more user-friendly environments. I know now that there are things I can do from the outset to make learning experiences more effective for more people. A key thing is that I can build in support or different ways to access material or instructions at the beginning, rather than add it in later. And I can offer that support to everyone so that can use it if they need it.

Chrissie: That’s cool. I think that’s what I would call a “design to include” mindset. It’s like we know there is always going to be diversity. That’s a given. Someone in the room is always going to have dyslexia or will have forgotten their glasses, or easily loses attention if someone talks for long. Plus everyone will be bringing different experiences and histories. When we don’t have that design to include mindset, we can inadvertently design to exclude. We don’t mean to, we do it unconsciously.

Allanah: Yep, when I was first full-time teaching in a classroom of primary-school-aged children, I had never heard of Universal Design. I was teaching from the perspective of doing what I thought was best for all my students. I taught from a position from where I thought most children would succeed. Once everyone was occupied doing something, I would try and 'pick off' the outliers or groups of children who historically had been struggling to give them more support.

As I became a more experienced teacher, I tried to see the lessons from more of a child's perspective. I started structuring lessons around the individual needs of learners and at the same time wanted to create an environment that worked for everyone.

As I learn more about Universal Design, I design lesson sequences in a way that supports all learners right from the beginning, rather than as an add-on. That’s quite a big difference.

Chrissie: That makes a lot of sense to avoid the retrofitting. Have you got any examples?

Allanah: At one point I had a student called Anna in my class. As Anna had low vision, I made sure that when I wrote instructions for everyone on the whiteboard I read them aloud so Anna could hear them. I also gave Anna her own copy in large print to take to her desk. I made sure when we played sport we used large bright coloured balls so Anna could more easily see the ball. When we worked with text in Google Docs, I increased the default font size of our Google Docs (video tutorial) so we could all see the text more readily as we typed. In my planning across the curriculum, I tried to make things work for Anna and, in doing so, ensured that all learners in the class benefitted. My teaching was enhanced, and all students could participate and were able to access the content independently.

Chrissie: That’s a great example of a UDL approach in action. For example, offering those instructions in different ways aligns with the principle of Representation. Not only did you provide Anna a range of options to support her understanding, you also offered them as a support for everyone. I can imagine in your classroom that students would also be encouraged to take photos using tablets to capture ideas for later or just to bring the information nearer to them. These approaches also support independence and provide students with opportunities to make good choices about what they need to support their learning.

The use of coloured balls was also a great approach. It’s such a small thing, but it can make such a massive difference to a student’s participation – it levels the playing field. The coloured balls could be considered an assistive technology, just like Google Docs – they both increase access. The beauty is that they can be used by everyone. This is really the Action and Expression principle in action. We recognise and minimise barriers to participation and create options and embedded supports for students so they can just get on with creating and learning and sharing.

Chrissie: So what about your work as a facilitator, how is UDL having an impact there?

Allanah: As a Blended eLearning Facilitator I facilitate a number of practical workshop sessions with teachers and endeavour to make sure my approach and resources are designed with Universal Design for Learning principles in mind. I try think of the sessions from the perspective of the participants. Whenever possible I send out a Google Form giving participants a taste of what to expect from the session and asking what they would like me to know about them. Here is an Example Google Form from a workshop from Chisnallwood Intermediate. I give people access to the resources beforehand so they know what’s coming. I make sure they have access to those same resources during and after the session so they can rewind bits if I went too fast, or if they missed part of the session, or were not able to attend at all.

I am also conscious that all participants will be at different stages of their elearning journey: some may be just beginning, others may be eLearning whizzes. So my strategy is to give participants a range of options during a session including an ‘escape lane’ where they can self direct their own learning or explore a line of inquiry that grabs their attention as I am working alongside others who wish to go at a more structured pace.

UDL has also really influenced my thinking when I am preparing resources for participants. Now I try to provide resources keeping in mind that people will have quite different preferences – some may prefer to watch videos, some may prefer to follow written instructions, some may prefer to have the resource on their iPad and some may prefer to be led directly as they walk through the material step by step. Others will use a combination of all the options. I also try to make resources that are rewindable and reviewable.

Chrissie: I can increasingly see how UDL is having a significant impact on how we facilitate and work alongside adults. So often workshops, staff meetings or professional learning sessions are scheduled in the late afternoon when teachers are exhausted and already “full up” with the day. Creating engaging, flexible, rewindable options makes so much sense. Designing to include seems to be an imperative in those contexts.

So that is a snapshot of our conversation. Huge thanks to Allanah for her openness and willingness to share her journey.

if you are interested in finding out more about Universal Design for Learning, visit:

  • Inclusive Education TKI website
  • Universal Design for Learning video library on Edtalks
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Virtual field trips open the door for all learners

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Barrie Matthews

Virtual field trip

In this blog post I’d like to briefly explore how participation in a virtual field trip with the aid of technology such as web conferencing helps all students learn alongside their peers.

Dyslexia Advocacy Week and the Web

This week (16-22 March) is Dyslexia Advocacy Week in New Zealand. Curious, I did a web search and landed at Plus 20 in 2015 – Making Good in the Classroom, where I wondered if the content could be accessed other than by just reading text. I was pleasantly surprised as. Alongside the usual option of reading the text on the web page yourself was the option of having the text read to you in a fairly good automated rendition. The text highlighted in time with the narration, and it could be paused and restarted. I further noticed that the heading fonts on the page were big and wavy and colourful, and there is also an interesting big-scale, colourful graphic that summarised the content. I must admit, although I enjoy reading, I went straight to the interactive graphic to get the underlying message quickly! Anyway, I thought this was a good example of a website that was accessible to those with dyslexia, but was also interesting and accessible for everyone.

It got me wondering if everything on the Web improves learning for everyone, not just for students with dyslexia (reading), dyspraxia (fine motor skills), dysgraphia (writing) and dyscalculia (maths). It seems to me that the UDL (Universal Design for Learning) framework offers some hope — I wrote more about this in a previous blog called UDL and Teaching.

Our own experience in applying the principles of UDL

We have always taken this issue seriously. We are increasingly applying UDL principles to our e-learning programme called LEARNZ virtual field trips which has been operating on the Web for 20 years, reaching a wide diversity of New Zealand teachers and students. We are always looking at ways to make our field trips more engaging and more accessible and UDL is part of the “heavy lifting” we undertake so precious teacher time goes further in reaching all students in a class. For students with dyslexia, any learning experience that removes total reliance on printed text should be beneficial.

The benefits of web conferencing as a useful tool for all learners

To provide more immediacy and a more realistic experience for all learners, another addition to LEARNZ is Web Conferencing. It allows multiple interactions to take place in real time between people in different locations. Incidentally, we are also using the same platform to run regular free Teacher PLD about LEARNZ.

During field trips, web conferencing enables our guest experts in the field, such as scientists or conservationists, to discuss and answer students’ questions. LEARNZ teachers, working alongside the experts can also connect to the platform using their mobile phone over the cellular network. Enabling the webcam on their mobile phone means they can show who the experts are, where they are and what they are working on. Back in the LEARNZ office support staff preload or upload in real time related material like photos, diagrams, charts, raw data and web links or summarise spoken responses in the text area. Students, or teachers on their behalf, type questions live into a chat window and the expert’s support people or the LEARNZ support people answer them straight away or provide hints to guide their inquiry.

The multi-mode nature of web conferencing, its immediacy and flexibility allows all students to get a sense of what’s going on and to deepen their understanding. Dyslexic students benefit because web conferencing de-emphasises reading text. Although they may initially find the many nodes of a web conference busy and overwhelming, access via a mobile device shows just one node at a time and allows dyslexic students to focus their attention and spend more time on one activity; such as interpreting a photo.

Web conferencing also allows collaboration. Students, or teachers on their behalf, can upload items to share. It could be photo of a class on its own field trip. It could be a photo of a local action they have taken, like native planting along a waterway. It could be water quality data for discussion.

Conclusion

Combining a field trip experience with a web site and a web conferencing platform whilst applying UDL principles creates a powerful e-learning experience for everyone, dyslexic students included. 

What other sites have you found to be a good user experience for those with dyslexia as well as all users?

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Strengthen your inclusive practice

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Chrissie Butler

Wondering how you are going to meet the variability of learning needs of the students in your classroom? Keen to plug into the experience of other teachers or hear first-hand recommendations from students? Come and explore Inclusive Education: Guides for schools.
Inclusive Education: Guides for schools” is the new Ministry of Education’s website. There you’ll find a range of guides which provide “New Zealand educators with practical strategies, suggestions and resources to support learners with diverse needs”.

To orientate yourself visit the Guide intro or About Inclusive Education pages. Alternatively just dive in and explore guides such as:

  • Dyslexia and learning
  • Making the curriculum accessible to all
  • Inclusive use of digital technologies
  • Creating a more inclusive classroom culture
  • Universal Design for Learning

It’s worth noting that guides focused on an area such as ASD and learning have separate content dedicated to supporting teachers in primary contexts and intermediate/secondary contexts.

Valuing first-hand experiences and perspectives

On the website you’ll also find videos of NZ students talking about how teachers can create more effective learning environments. For example, here a high school student with dyslexia makes some useful recommendations that could be employed in every classroom and could benefit all students.

Having dyslexia – how teachers can help from Ministry of Education on Vimeo.

You can also view videos of NZ teachers talking about how they are adjusting their practice to develop more student-centred approaches in partnership with families and carers.

Involving families in transitions from Ministry of Education on Vimeo.

International content has also been curated for the website.You’ll find videos, articles and research papers from leading educational researchers and teachers from around the planet, plus there’s TED Talk videos and relevant case studies and stories. It’s great that we can now both access an international body of knowledge and tailor it for our own context. We can also make a considerable contribution.

Resources

The website includes a growing Resources and downloads archive where you can filter your search by both subject and format. We’re also keen to add to the archive, resources that you have found particularly useful, so do let us know about them using the inclusive@tki.org.nz email.

Bookmark the site — more content to come

It’s worth bookmarking the site as new content will be available early in term 2. Upcoming guides focus on leadership, governance, assessment, deterring bullying behaviour, supporting positive behaviour, approaches to support Māori and Pasifika students, IEPs, and developing the teacher's aide role.

Help us improve and refine the website

Lastly we would love to hear your feedback and recommendations of things we could refine and improve on the website. We want this site to be useful for NZ schools and their communities. The design and content development have been underpinned by many, many cycles of inquiry and cross-sector collaborations and we are keen for this to continue.

Email feedback, ideas and suggested resources to inclusive@tki.org.nz, add a comment below or just utilise the feedback link on the website.

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