An interesting article from the 8/26/2010 NY Times worth reading, reflecting and considering…
YOUR BRAIN ON COMPUTERS: Digital Devices Deprive Brain of Needed Downtime
Time without digital input can allow people to learn better or come up with new ideas.
We all need these — personal learning networks — digital spaces and containers that chronicle our learning. I like these for allowing students to share their varied ways of learning and as a digital repository of my own work. Listen to this 7th grader’s perspective..
I love this quote from one of my career transition colleagues, Marianne Moore from Virginina, “it is not acceptable for kids to be silent passengers in the classrooms and teachers need to change/facilitate that process so that kids are engaged!”
Today marks the conclusion of another successful week of teaching graduate students about the framework of universal design for learning (UDL). This is our eighth year of offering this course at GW University in Washington, DC and I’m always encouraged when students leave the week long institute stating that they’ve learned so much. This speaks to me as an instructor that we’ve accomplished what we hoped — to impart the information they needed to learn, to clarify clear goals that they understood, and to engage them in a learning experience that engaged their interests.
Indeed, so much has changed and evolved in the field of UDL since our first offering of this course in 2003. Texts have been written, websites have debuted, the UDL principles have been clarified and expanded, and legislative references to UDL have helped to anchor a definition and direction. These are exciting times. Unfortunately, so many educators still need to understand the what, how and why of UDL.
As students left our institute this week, I was impressed with their ability to grasp the big picture. To quickly identify the differences between UDL and assistive technology and why each are important. To recognize the effective design of an online course portal and why this design helps to highlight the critical features of a course, offer multiple means of representing the course information, and encouraging multiple avenues that engage the learner.
Every educator hopes that their students will assimilate new knowledge in their classes. As they practice their craft, they become true guides on the side in this learning process–recognizing the strengths and interests of the learner, sharing the vast array of information and resources and, designing an instructional setting that can reach and meet learners through their multiple neural channels.
I’ve been recruited! Having just sat through an hour long APPLE demonstration on the iPad, I can now say that I am converted. I want to get my hands on one of these very slick mobile devices. Not only is this electronic device the size of a small book, the thickness of a 1/2 inch pad of paper and weighing just 1.5 lbs but, this tool has an amazing array of features and apps.
For instance, the iPad has the same adjustable view that alternates on a turn between portrait or landscape. Using the keyboard is simpler in the landscape view that allows a wider keyboard reach for accessing keys. Direct link to the YouTube selection or a downloadable NetFlix app provides seamless access to movie views. The device also packs with a case that doubles as a stand. Thus, the iPad can become a display for sharing photos, a stand to watch a movie or perhaps a stand to hold the iPad that has been set as my alarm clock 
In addition, Apple has loaded this tool with a set of Accessibility features and functionality. The ability to have voice-over capability to listen to the words on a page, the ability to enlarge the view with the touch of a finger, and the ability to have the pages automatically turned. Words within text can also be explored with a direct link to an embedded dictionary. Great tools to support reading. I just wish they would lift these tools up into the main part of the device instead of subsumed under “Accessibility”. Functions such as these are universally appealing to all learners — not just those needing access for a special need!
The 14th National Issues Forum on Vocational Evaluation and Career Assessment has been in process this week in Oklahoma. I’ve been fortunate to be attending this great event where such practitioners assemble from all over the US (and parts of Canada) to share best practices, strategies and resources. I’ve attended these Forums since the second in 1986. Always a great place to reunite with like-minded professionals that value the importance of vocational evaluation and career assessment processes that celebrate multiple hands-on measures to determine career abilities.
This Forum was especially exciting with the kickoff keynote address by Brian Kurth author/owner of Vocation Vacations. I enjoyed Mr. Kurth’s message around adult career mentorship that assured work life balance. As Mr. Kurth noted, such work/life balance for any individual should include a career opportunity to do something that allows passion, fulfillment, and the pursuit of happiness. I’m looking forward to one day hopefully “test driving” one of his listed dream vacations!
Yesterday while attending the Virginia Transition Forum, I had the wonderful opportunity of hearing a parent describe an example of universal design for learning (UDL) in action. They shared how when they were first introduced to the great software program Inspiration (a graphic web/ outlining tool) they thought of their son and how this tool would be so beneficial for him. As they noted, their son was one drawn to sharing his projects through more visual means. Writing was often a struggle and developing his thoughts in linear outlines proved to be a challenge. He had more success when showcasing his strengths through more visual means. As she introduced her son to this graphically rich outlining tool, he quickly began to conceptualize a model of his thoughts around an assigned project. When his Mom demonstrated how this same visual outline represented the same linear text outline, “his mouth dropped open and he looked at me with a look of amazement”. At that moment, her son had what we educators refer to as important “ah-ha” moments. He had found an important tool that could allow him develop his assignments in a mode that worked for him yet satisfied the content needed for the task at hand. Multiple opportunities for him to represent information!
The National UDL Center has recently realized a series of wonderful videos that support the importance of this approach. To explore, visit the following weblink at http://www.udlcenter.org/screening_room/udlcenter#video0
This is pretty exciting, http://www.apple.com/ipad/ipad-video/#medium. I’ve been following tablet computers since they debuted, watched the first ebook evolve and purchased an iTouch last year. Since I love to photograph, carrying my photos on these types of devices is a treat…to review, to share, to enjoy. I download many applications (apps) that have educational value, assistive technology functions, or are just plain fun.
What I like about this new device is the technology embedded within this sized device that helps an individual read a digital book, watch a video, or view a photo. Equally, if I browse a website that includes technologies that provide further enhancements to the reading experience–such as color highlights, background color changes, or sound–then, I truly have a useful technology that can support so many learners. This seems to far surpass the current ebook readers that are only available in black/white displays. I look forward to a chance to review these more closely!
At the EDUCAUSE ELI 2010 conference in Austin, TX this week, the folks at New Media Consortium shared some interesting trends from their recently released 2010 Horizon Report. As noted in their projected trends, notice some of the following across anticipated years until adoption:
One year of less: Mobile computing and Open Content. For many of us this is no surprise. Mobiles are everywhere and these authors confirm that these include cellphones, netbooks, smartbooks and other devices that offer the “form and function” of many laptops/desktops. So, we are on the go and we have access everywhere. Sounds like this will be fueled by the continued growth of wifi access and multiple applications that run on these tools. Access to Open Content is also be an encouraging trend that supports what many educators have been doing by exploiting the power of widely available tools on the web. As these authors contend, “the notion of open content is to take advantage of the Internet as a global dissemination platform for collective knowledge and wisdom, and to design learning experiences that maximize the use of it”.
Two – Three Years: Electronic Books and Simple Augmented Reality. This is another exciting trend. The growth of e-books has been amazing and, as such, often seems to include new functions and tools. Several upcoming announcements from major technology players indicates that we may finally see more functions in these tools such as color highlighting and background screens, enhanced multimedia functions, faster processing and even the ability to create material. Wider access to digital books will also be available. The second trend here, simple augmented reality, offers (in my opinion) a promising opportunity for educators. As these authors note, this has been popular in many game based websites. But the opportunity here to maximize a virtual environment to teach a task, share an experience, or extend an opportunity are amazing. This will be important for those with disabilities that are confined by limits in their mobility.
Three – Four Years: Gesture-Based Computing and Visual Data Analysis. For those of us who use data in our work, the latter of these will be quite helpful…offering opportunities to explore and share information through visual means. However, the trend in gesture-based computing supports so many opportunities for the future. Here we see the continued expansion of all those “cool” functions that make computing quick and “to the touch”. Think about how convenient access is on your iTouch with the touch of your finger. This close responsiveness to the computer by human touch or gesture interaction will continue to evolve in many applications. Again these authors note, “The distance between the user and the machine decreases and the sense of power and control increases when the machine responds to movements that feel natural.” I see these developments as extremely empowering for many individuals who have lost their physical capabilities or range of motion.
These are exciting times for realizing the power of technology in teaching and learning.
On this eve of Martin Luther King day, it seems so fitting to share this blog post. Today I made the wise choice to see the movie “Blind Side”. As this story begin to unfold and throughout, I was reminded of why I am a passionate advocate for the importance of an educational framework such as universal design for learning. One that encourages multiple ways to teach and encourage connections to the material, multiple ways to allow individuals to demonstrate what they know, and multiple ways to engage learners.
Why I believe every student should have the good fortune of completing a comprehensive vocational evaluation or assessment. A process that encourages multiple assessment tools and approaches to help an individual uncover their strengths, abilities, and interests. One that for many, may be the first time they’ve had a positive experience in an assessment situation.
And why many of us as educators do what we do. Here was a story about the human condition, the spirit of resolve, the power of change. Kudos to the individuals this story is developed about. The educators who took the time to notice the intelligence that resided in this young man, his strengths, his capabilities. Hats off to the family that offered him a home where he could feel safe and flourish.
A wonderful story and certainly the type of story Dr. King would have appreciated as a testament to his dream. What a wonderful story that underscores why we must strive to create educational environments where all students can learn, can display their strengths and unique gifts, can prosper towards their goals –whatever direction they make take. A must see!
