Category: EDCI – 572: Development and Implementation of Curriculum

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.” Edward Abbey

INTRODUCTION:

The above quote resonates with me as I reflect on the professional challenges that lay ahead in terms of providing educational opportunities to my current learners. I feel as though I am on an unknown trail. I am not sure which direction I am going, what obstacles and their difficulty lay ahead, what equipment may be necessary to assist in overcoming hurdles, and where the trail will finally end. Although I may feel intimidated by the unknown challenges, I recognize that this journey will enable me to develop new strengths and skills while working towards the ultimate goal of facilitating in my students’ learning successes (metaphorically reaching the summit).  

IDENTIFYING LEARNER EDUCATION ACCESSIBILITY:

In terms of how, exactly, I will be providing educational opportunities and support to students, thereby facilitating their learning, is unknown at this time.  Suffice to say, that is my “wicked problem”(Buchanan, 1992, p. 14). Given the demographics of our school community, there must be more than one design plan or option made available to honour accessibility for all learners, while at the same time supporting their critical thinking skills and learning growth overall. Designs chosen to assist learners, according to Richard Buchanan, must “…integrate knowledge in new ways, suited to specific circumstances and needs” (Buchanan, 1992, p. 19). Therefore, when thinking of my classes, I have identified three groups of learners I must consider, including when designing course material.

Consequently, it is essential to provide options to learners that will support them in their learning endeavours, based on the learning provisions they have available to them, outside of the regular classroom setting. 

For those students (GROUP A) with computer and internet access, there are a variety of ways they can demonstrate their learning, critical thinking skills and reflecting, including but not limited to creating My Blueprint portfolios, Prezi, PowerPoint, and Adobe Spark.  Using these digital literacies will enable students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding in a variety of formats that involve critical thinking skills. Furthermore, the skills used to create and complete assignments digitally, connect to the learning outcomes listed in the BC Digital Literacies Framework. For example the learner: 

• • • Locates, organizes, analyzes, evaluates, synthesizes and ethically uses information from a variety of sources and media. (Gr. 10-12)

• • • Integrates, compares and puts together different types of information related to multimodal content. (Gr. 10-12)

• • • Creates complex models and simulations of the real world using digital information. (Gr. 10-12)

Lastly, for those learners with computer/internet access, it will be easy for me to provide quick feedback and online assistance through email.  

For students without internet access, (GROUP B) it will be more challenging to support them in their learning, however not impossible. Although these learners may be more restricted to traditional methods, which involves picking up and dropping off a paper-based learning package from the school, they can still complete assignments that support both their learning and the development of their critical thinking skills. For example, learners can create posters, written personal responses or reflections, timelines, flow-charts, diaries, 3-D creations and pamphlets to demonstrate specific concepts. Unfortunately, these learners will not have access to rapid feedback like those in the previously mentioned group. Communication may exist in the form of a phone call to them or if allowed, a brief meeting/tutorial at school. 

The third group of learners (GROUP C), will follow a similar in learning design to the second group (GROUP B), where they would also complete a paper-based learning package; however, the difference being that they would not come to the school to pick it up or drop it off. This group of learners includes those that are regularly bussed in and out on a daily basis, and may not have the support at home to provide transportation to come into the school to pick up and/or drop off work. As busses will likely not be running, there is a chance that educational packages will have to be taken from our school, by a designated individual, to a particular location where families can come, and pick up and/or drop off materials on specific dates, such as once a week.

MY CONNECTION TO BUCHANAN’S ARTICLE:

Upon reading Buchanan’s article, I was able to connect my three groups of learners, based on their learning accessibility, to the four levels of design which included: Symbolic and Visual Communication, Material Objects, Activities and Organized Services, and Complex Systems & Environments for Living, Working, Playing and Learning. (Buchanan, p. 9 & 10). Although assignments and delivery will vary in the design format between each of my learner groups, the end goal, being that of learner success in understanding and demonstrating knowledge around specific content, will remain the same.

Connection Between the Four Levels of Design and My Learning Groups

CONCLUSION: 

Regardless of the method of educational support, my learners will be receiving, I recognize it will not be seamless. It will be a huge accomplishment for all.  Furthermore, it will be essential for me to consider individual challenges with technology, including limited usage or time constraints, as other family members may need to access the computer for their courses as well.  For all learners, it is essential for me to remember that they will be taking on challenges from many courses at once, and working in diverse learning environments.  

Clearly, navigating this new winding trail of education design and delivery will be a challenge. However,  it is a challenge I believe is worth taking on, and one that can be met. 

By: Deirdre Houghton March 28, 2020 

References 

101 inspirational mountain quotes about epic journeys. (2020, February 3). The Broke Backpacker. https://www.thebrokebackpacker.com/best-mountain-quotes/

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (1992). MIT – Massachusetts Institute of Technology. https://web.mit.edu/jrankin/www/engin_as_lib_art/Design_thinking

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/kindergarten-to-grade-12/teach/teaching-tools/digital-literacy-framework

Introduction:

(Photo on Unsplash by Ben Owen).

After having time to reflect on this past week’s sudden and unprecedented changes to the education system, specifically the indefinite closure of schools, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I am having a difficult time grappling the challenges that lay ahead. I am constantly wondering how this situation may be an impasse in halting one’s learning journey. Indeed this anomalous situation is perplexing, both personally and professionally.

Admittingly, I completely understand the reasoning and necessity behind the swift closures and respect the installation measures put in place for the safety of us all. This experience, when compared with my previous hiking/trail running metaphors, is much like enjoying scenic trails, then, suddenly, around the next corner, unbeknownst, is a mother black bear and her cubs. Clearly this situation, much like the school closures, stops one in their tracks. It is these unforeseen events that force us, as educators, to accept challenges, make changes successfully work through the hurdles and support our learners.

Personal Struggle: 

In regards to my personal struggle around school closures, although frustrating, they are very insignificant compared to the struggles that others around the world and indeed our country are enduring at this time. The closures, however, remind me of the frustrations that some learners may have with not having a connection to the internet to support their own learning needs. 

Last week, our little cohort of three in Fort St. James spent a great deal of time collaborating and completing tasks associated with our EDCI-572 project. We gratefully took advantage of many of the digital tools we have access to in our school. Then, suddenly, we were notified that all staff, district-wide, would be permanently locked out of the school over the course of spring break so decontaminating processes could be completed. This notice quickly put us into overdrive to complete as much work as possible, in a short period of time. No longer would we be able to meet as a group on our regular Tuesday nights for our online class or meet at designated times at school to discuss our progress and what our next steps would be. In short, our spring break masters’ meeting schedule was stopped, and our present learning journey is forced to take a different path. Initially, my panic button or alarm sounded as I started to think about the internet access I have at home, which is spotty at best (hence the need to work at school). Upon quick discussions and multiple texts, we have come up with a few plans, not limited to sitting in the school parking lot with a laptop, to access the internet. Although these challenges have forced us to make quick changes so that our learning journey can continue, it has forced me to think (and worry), professionally, about the learning journey that our learners will be heading out on and the challenges they may face.

Professional Struggle:  

Professionally, like other educators at this time, I am constantly asking myself questions. Where do we go from here? Now What? Sure we can make up or provide access to online assignments for students, but what about those learners that have a poor internet connection at home, thus leading to growing learner frustration and overall shut down. Then there are also the learners who have neither a computer at home, never mind internet access, and they also do not have parental support for their learning. These learners are the ones that depend on the school community for their learning accessibility and support. I am cognizant of the fact that many of our students live in remote or outline areas, thus bussed into school daily; I wonder if their lack of accessibility to online learning will facilitate in a “shut-down” of sorts in their desire to continue to learn. Have they in their minds checked out and consider school done for the year? Will they be able to make changes that will enable them to meet some challenges in continuing their learning journey?

Conclusion: 

(Photo on Unsplash by Nikita Kachanovsky)

In spite of the fact that there are many online courses and digital supports available to support one’s learning, this unprecedented world situation has made me realize just how fragile online learning connections can be for some learners, especially outside of the school environment. I recognize there is not an easy answer to this situation for any educator. This current impasse will involve various creative and innovative strategies to meet and support the needs of our diverse learners to enable them to continue with their learning journey.

By Deirdre Houghton, March 22, 2020