Bonus Blog – Ineffective Professional Development Training

Bonus Blog Prompt:  For years, we have had classrooms and training experiences for children and adults that had little impact on their future performance. As we see in the Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age, UDL Theory and Practice, and UDL in the Classroom  texts, UDL hinges on using the brain networks as a starting point for helping everyone learn. What are some current non-school-based learning experiences that are ineffective and how might they be changed using what we know about the three brain networks? (Hint: think professional development, adult training programs, etc.).

 

Adult Workforce Development type training programs can yield ineffective results of one’s performance for a multitude of reasons. For example, in my experience In-Service Professional Development trainings for adults who serve individuals with disabilities are typically not delivered in a format that follows UDL guidelines, which is the exact opposite of what we strive for when training the individuals we work with. Additionally the trainings do not take into consideration that adult learners have different learning needs to be considered such as engagement and environment, and with adult learners the learner variability can be even more pronounced, even among a professional staff with similar education. This variability is due to the fact that everyone’s brain functions and processes information slightly different for one another. In the reading UDL: Theory and Practice it states that, “in the past quarter century, science has elucidated the great variability of the human capacity to learn. Yet our educational system is designed around the idea that most people learn the same way and that a “fair” education is an identical one.” Additionally, the article goes on to identify that brains of individuals vary considerably. The article used evidence of a brain of someone who was autistic and someone who was not to make this conclusion (Gordon, Meyer, and Rose, 2013, p.29).  It is this idea that leads to ineffective educational training programs. So the question is, how can we make this program effective for adult learners? A study conducted by Dorothy Billington from John Hopkins University concluded that by integrating seven specific characteristics to adult learning programs adult learners could be more effective. These characteristics are:

1. An environment where students feel safe and supported, where individual needs and uniqueness are honored, where abilities and life achievements are acknowledged and respected.

2. An environment that fosters intellectual freedom and encourages experimentation and creativity.

3. An environment where faculty treats adult students as peers–accepted and respected as intelligent experienced adults whose opinions are listened to, honored, appreciated.

4. Self-directed learning, where students take responsibility for their own learning. They work with faculty to design individual learning programs which address what each person needs and wants to learn in order to function optimally in their profession.

5. Pacing, or intellectual challenge. Optimal pacing is challenging people just beyond their present level of ability. If challenged too far beyond, people give up. If challenged too little, they become bored and learn little.

6. Active involvement in learning, as opposed to passively listening to lectures. Where students and instructors interact and dialogue, where students try out new ideas in the workplace, where exercises and experiences are used to bolster facts and theory, adults grow more.

7. Regular feedback mechanisms for students to tell faculty what works best for them and what they want and need to learn–and faculty who hear and make changes based on student input (Billington, 1996 p.1).

In addition to ensuring professional development highlight these characteristics in the trainings it is also important to ensure the professional development training is offered regularly for the professionals. An article by A. Aultry, Why America’s Schools Fail: Ineffective Professional Development states, “…that teachers are not properly prepared, have little time or a framework to receive professional development that is meaningful” (Aultry, 2009, p.1).

Moving forward if the seven characteristic concepts were implemented during educational trainings for professional development staff and trainings were offered at least once monthly I believe there could be a greater likelihood of effective learning. This is because the training is set up in a way that caters to the unique needs of the adults in the training while also accounting for variability, and making the training meaningful.

 

Aultry, Alton (2009) Why America’s Schools Fail: Ineffective Professional Development states. http://voices.yahoo.com/why-americas-schools-fail-ineffective-professional-5120289.html

 

Billington, Dorothy D. (1988) Ego Development and Adult Education. Doctoral Dissertation, The Fielding Institute. Dissertation Abstracts International, 49 (7). (University Microfilms No. 88-16, 275).

http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizons/lifelonglearning/workplace/articles/characteristics/ 

 

Meyer, A., Rose, D.H., Gordon, D. (2013). Universal Design for Learning Theory and Practice.

http://udltheorypractice.cast.org/reading?loc=intro.xml_l1969950

 

Week 11 – UDL Systematic Changes

Since I started at my current job in workforce development our organization has been going through constant changes. Our programs have been growing and changing continuously. The unique thing about my organization is that the “disability services” is the smallest program we offer, in that we serve a smaller number of individuals then the other career programs we have. Unlike other CRP’s or vocational rehabilitation agencies my organization serves more people without disabilities then with. This variability has left me with a constant fight of educating the department that UDL just like all the other disability best practices can and should be utilized among all our programs. Other then my staff that work to help individuals with disabilities gets job nobody even knows what UDL means.  A lot of change needs to occur in order to have UDL implemented throughout all the workforce development programs.

In my current role I schedule department wide in-service trainings for the other mangers and for staff. The first way I can begin to implement the idea of UDL is to provide training on it. I can take it one step further and have the staff create a tool to use for their particular training programs that follows the guidelines of UDL.  However, even if I give the best training and present the best tools I have to first ensure the other staff have an open mind about implementing this new concept system wide. As Webber stated, “We know that the process of changing a relationship is a lot more complicated than the process of changing a flat tire on your car. It requires a willingness to change. It requires a sense of openness, a sense of reciprocity, even a kind of vulnerability.”

	What am I currently doing?	What are the gaps that need to be addressed in my courses, classroom, assessment protocols, programs, etc?	What steps will I take as I move forward?
			Immediately…	In the future…
Understanding UDL	I try to educate my staff on UDL principles and guidelines through trainings	The program workbooks and other tools need to become universally designed.	Share resources such as the CAST website and other articles with staff to continue to educate them.	Re-create program work- books that are Universally designed. Continue to share UDL resources
Developing with UDL	Utilizing UDL with the creation of a new assessment program from the start	Creating work samples and tools that follow the UDL guidelines	Researching ways to make work samples that are already created to one that is universally designed.	Create new work samples That are universally designed

 

Week 10 Blog – Assessments

Think back to an assessment of your learning in school, on the job, or in a different situation. How was the assessment administered? Was it a summative or formative approach? Did you find it helpful? How would you have designed that differently given your understanding of UDL?

This topic came at a great time as I happen to be working towards my internship credits for the CVET program which has been keeping me busy doing many assessments. This past week I performed a vocational assessment on an individual who was mostly non-verbal, could not read, could not write, and overall had extreme difficulties communicating. Given the information I learned on UDL I really had to change the standard vocational tools used to ensure he was being assessed in a way that was fair and true to him and allowed me as the evaluator to obtain the proper data to complete a vocational assessment report. I found my new knowledge of UDL very helpful as I navigated through this new process of assessments. . If you really think about it the UDL principles can go beyond classroom curriculum and be applied to many avenues where individuals learn, such as vocational assessments. The essence of vocational assessment is to aide an individual to learn about themselves and what their skills, strengths, and abilities are. When thinking of UDL and vocational assessments they go hand in hand in that both suggest that all individuals are unique and learn in ways that are individualized to them. (Gordon, Meyer, and Rose, 2013, p.29). 

In the situation described I needed to show the individuals different occupational videos and had him point to a color (blue for yes, red for no) if that was a type of job he would want to do. I made this modification to almost every assessment tool as the current way the tools were set up were not universally designed for all levels of learners. As I continue with my career in assessment I can continue to uphold the UDL guideline and principles also to assessments. 

Week 5 Blog Post – UDL Guidelines!

As, I read through the materials and watched the online video I thought about all the different principles and guidelines that make UDL successful. The guideline that was kind of glossed over quickly in the video was the second guideline that discussed how educators ask learners to express what they have learned. This guideline resonated with me as I find myself always having trouble being able to express what I know. I have always felt I have all these ideas in my head, and it makes sense, but when asked to write a paper, blog post, or speak on the topic I cannot find the right words to express what I have learned. Since the expression of the learner on what they have learned is largely a way to gauge if they are learning and how the teacher is doing teaching I think that this guideline is very important.  I think it is so important that educator’s give students multiple opportunities to express their learning in various ways. Just as everyone learns slightly different, everyone also can express what they have learned slightly different. This approach to expression is important as unfortunately in our educational system today success of a teacher or a school is measured in what a student can express they have learned. In my current role I can give my staff various ways to communicate how they learned a new topic. Instead of doing the standard safety quizzes, I can provide an opportunity to act out a safety regulation or to speak on it as oppose to taking the quiz. This same concept with staff can be translated when working with individuals with disabilities. When I started looking for websites that can show me different ways student can express what they have learned I actually stumbled upon another word press blog that gave great ideas and examples. http://whatedsaid.wordpress.com/2010/09/15/10-ways-to-assess-learning-without-tests/ This blog talks all about how you can assess how a student is learning by having them express themselves in ways other than taking a test. I found it especially interesting. Overall, I think the UDL guidelines give educators and other implementing the UDL Framework key areas to remember when designing and delivering this curriculum. The article stated best the purpose of UDL guidelines. It stated, “They can be used to assess current practices, to stimulate discussion with colleagues, and to lead to a deeper understanding of how UDL can be effectively applied in the classroom in a practical way.” I believe whenever we are designing something around the idea of UDL as long as we remember that quote our focus will always move us in a forward direction.

Resources:

CAST (2011). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.0. Wakefield, MA: Author.

http://wp.me/PFUxT-2IR

Week 4 Blog Post – UDL and Variables

 

Learner variability is an interesting concept. When I first read the words “learner variability” I thought, oh that must mean changing the curriculum for the student’s needs which would expand upon the UDL concepts. Within the first 15 seconds of the learner variability video I learned I was wrong. In fact, learner variability was more about systematic learner variability, which not just addresses a specific individual’s needs but predicts the barriers that would exist in the learning environment. The one phrase that really stuck with me was when David Rose said, “Learner variability has to do with the power to be flexible and allow choices.” That phrase sums up what an expert learner means to me. An expert learner is essentially being the best learner you can be. This week’s readings and video’s helped you determined ways to do that, learner variability being one of those things. As educators we should begin to recognize the systematic learner variability for the specific population we serve and then design and implement our materials accordingly. One way we can recognize these variability’s is through research on the brain.

The CAST activity went to showing how one’s brain perceives information as it allowed one the opportunity to recognize information through observation of a single photo. As I completed this activity myself, I learned about how I focus on the big picture as oppose to the details. I especially liked how it showed the various eye patterns and that reflected how you were taking the information in the photo in differently each time you viewed it. Lastly, I enjoyed how at the end of the activity what you noticed most and why reflected a lot about what you value and what sticks out to you while gaining new information. I can see how if those things were identified and emphasized for you while learning you would pick up on it easier and faster. I would have people I am teaching take this exercise because knowing how someone perceives information even from a simple picture provides useful information on how best to teach that individual based on their perception of images.

If teachers continue to learn new information about the individuals they are teaching they can strive to provide multiple ways of representing, presenting, teaching, and engaging the information, based on the UDL principles. Based on the reading educators and others in the field should take the dynamic UDL framework one step further and continue to research and implement those new insights into their UDL framework as UDL is an evolving idea and contextual based on the social, emotional, dynamic, and variables present in the scenario in which it is being used (Rappolt-Schlichtmann, G., Daley, S. G., & Rose, L. T. 2012).

Week 2 Blog – UDL in the Workplace

      When thinking about Universal Design I thought about how it was or was not being used at my work both with the individuals we serve with disabilities and to the staff who work with them. The first opportunity I saw were we can make a tool more universally designed is the Career Workbooks we use to assist individuals to prepare for employment. I actually helped create these workbooks therefore, I feel I can be even more critical as it is my own work. These workbooks are not universally designed at all. They are paper version workbooks with little to no pictures, standard verbiage, and are not offered in any other format then what it is, the paper binder. According to the reading, Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age it really lacks flexibility. I think I can offer the workbook in a digital form, and have certain sections highlighted in a PowerPoint or PDF form. That would make it more universally designed, and would be a good way per the reading to implement it. Another thing that I have been continually advocating for that I feel would bring in a universally designed curriculum is to get itouches for all of our Project SEARCH interns. Based on the reading, The Future is in the Margins educational settings are still not using new technologies to their fullest potential but instead using them to support old goals and methods (Meyer&Rose, 2005). Incorporating itouches could use new technology to empower the interns to have a personal role in their success. We could also use that new technology to utilize apps that would assist them with staying on track when working, being more aware of time and when to take and return from breaks, and having their goals at the touch of a button. Overall, this weeks reading have made me take a good look at how much more flexible and universally designed teaching tools need to become at my workplace.

Week 1 Blog – Introductions

       I just recently completed a summer course that covered material around youth transition. The material in that course that was very new to me was reviewing and writing Individual Education Plans (IEP’s). Since I have never worked with individuals with disabilities in a traditional educational setting such as school, I was unfamiliar with these. I found this new information very informative and helpful to me. I think IEP’s are where much background information on an individual could be located and is an important piece of youth transition. Now that I have an understanding of what an IEP is, how to review them with a critical eye, and how the information should be implemented when constructing a transition plan, I feel like I have a more holistic picture of how to assist youth with transition from high school to post-secondary education.

            For the most part I would say the information on IEP’s was delivered in a way that was universally designed. There was a recorded lecture that I was able to listen to which was helpful as I am an auditory learner. There were articles and sample IEP’s to read and review. We then had the opportunity to write our own IEP based on sample information on an individual. Lastly, everyone in the course reviewed each other’s IEP’s and were able to collaborate and comment to one another to elevate one another’s understanding of the material. I was not necessarily offered options of which way I could learn as I was required to learn by all of them (i.e. listening to the lecture, reading the material, and reviewing peers work). I was fine with that though, as all the options provided made learning about IEP’s engaging, active, and understandable.

            Overall, learning about IEP’s was very challenging for me, especially when I had to write one myself having no previous experience doing so. However, being required to write something that we were learning gave that added depth to the material and really forced me to dive deeper into my research of IEP’s so I could be successful in writing one. Having to review already composed IEP’s also made me question what was truly relevant and necessary when writing them myself. In the end I feel much more knowledgeable regarding IEP’s and transition.