Nothing about them without them: Authentically engaging students in UDL growth
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The document outlines a workshop focused on engaging students in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, highlighting the importance of involving them in the development process to overcome transitional friction and potential pushback. It emphasizes student voice in both classroom and school-wide contexts as crucial for the successful implementation of UDL, alongside a call for the creation of inclusive resources and professional development for students. The session encourages discussion on eco-systemic challenges in involving students and aims to provide a collaborative environment for sharing experiences and strategies.
Nothing about them without them: Authentically engaging students in UDL growth
- 1. Nothing about them without them: Authentically engaging students in UDL growth UDL Workshop, 1st International Universal Design for Learning Symposium Learning Together. Maynooth University, June 8th, 2023 Frederic Fovet, PhD.
- 2. Land Acknowledgement • I acknowledge that I work on the traditional lands of the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc within Secwépemc'ulucw, the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwépemc. I also acknowledge that I live on the unceded an traditional lands of the Sylx people. I acknowledge these communities’ language, their culture, their elders and recognize their claims to land.
- 3. Objectives of the Session • Explore the participants’ fears or concerns about student voice/ involvement in UDL development • Examine the notion of ‘transitional friction’ and the need to be transparent with students as UDL is being implemented • Explore ways to involve students as co-advocates for UDL growth, across institutions • Create UDL resources/ professional development, not just for educators but for student groups and student representatives • Consider the eco-systemic hurdles that stand in the way of the implementation of these values
- 4. Gauging the room (fears, concerns and hopes) • We will be using Menti as a polling tool. If you visit www.menti.com, I will generate a code that will enable you to vote (anonymously). • Involving students in UDL implementation, how easy is it really? • Impossible in our current context • Challenging and I do not feel I have the time or resources • Challenging but I try and succeed at times • Feasible and represents a cornerstone of my UDL approach • I consistently and successfully involve students in all my UDL works
- 6. Personal lens and methodological stance • Involved in UDL development and strategic growth both in the post-secondary and K-12 sector • Have worked in personalized, experimental settings for over a decade – where student autonomy and voice were key in the pedagogical format • Have used grounded theory in my PhD. to explore the perspectives of students with uneasy relationships with school as an institution • Spent 4 years in student services, working with a student advisory committee • Grounded my mindset firmly in student advocacy/ reciprocal relationships • I do a lot of work on critical pedagogy, both in my research and my practice, and constantly reflect on power dynamics/ status/ hierarchies
- 7. Modelling UDL in the session format • It can be challenging and frustrating to discuss UDL in virtual workshop sessions which are inherently traditional and ‘sage on a stage’ in format. • Becomes increasingly contradictory when UDL advocates present in non-UDL ways. • UDL is not just about the classroom; these principles of inclusive design apply to all our interactions with others (PD, conferences, campus services, HR communications, etc.) • Within the parameters we are given today: - Personalized communication beyond the session itself with the help of a Padlet: https://edswgrad.padlet.org/ffovet1/nothing-about-them-without-them-authentically- engaging-stude-klhpmi1vchx4yzmz - Continues interaction and dialogue on social media - Interactive tasks: some small group work & we will be using Menti.com - Time will be set aside for questions at the end; conversations can continue face to face after the session - Personalized interaction possible through email - Will share by slides again through SlideShare
- 8. Level 1: Transitionalfriction – involvingstudentsso they understandyourUDLstrategies • It will be essential to involve students in the UDL implementation process and to interact with them with transparency • The risk of not doing so is that we can create push back from the very stakeholders we want to see benefit from thee initiatives
- 9. What is transitional friction and why does it occur in the process of UDL implementation? • “Transitional friction” is a term I use to describe the push back one can sometimes experience from students when attempting to integrate a UDL approach in class. • Small group discussion: Can you provide examples of instances where you were surprised by student push back when integrating UDL strategies in your classroom? • Whole room discussion: What might be the causes of this push back?
- 10. Transitional friction: a recap • A phenomenon that occurs whenever a learner is pushed out of traditional classroom practices towards transformative and student-centered pedagogies. • Paolo Freire describes a very similar process in relation to critical pedagogy: he calls it conscientization and explains how challenging it can be. • Poor, inaccessible, and non-inclusive pedagogy can still represent a ‘zone of comfort’ for many learners as this is all they have known and experienced. • Shifting students out of these habits can be confusing/ painful/ uncomfortable • Transparency is key • Communication is essential • This may require time • Ideally, embed this in your toolbox and think about it systematically •
- 11. Avoiding transitional friction in your UDL work – best practices and tips • Let’s take 5 minutes to discuss in pairs, or small groups, what your experiences have been in trying to reduce or eliminate ‘transitional friction’ • Are there any tips you have for others? • Are there certain habits you have adopted to involve learners in your UDL thinking, in order to avoid surprise and confusion?
- 12. Think aloud moment • “Surely this only works with high school students/ end of secondary?” • Reactions? • Can elementary teachers consider these strategies?
- 13. Section 2: Urgency in involving students in strategic UDL development • Involving students as co-advocates for UDL growth, across institutions • Student voice is necessary not just within the classroom but on the scale of a school as well. • Assertion: the scaling up of UDL is challenging organizationally. Students have a key role to play in this process. • Why? • They are the key stakeholder group • Their opinion carries weight • Their testimonial is the best argument to swing colleagues and administrators towards UDL
- 14. Acknowledging the issue • We have poor models of student involvement in school administration • Often this represents mere lip service or tokenism • Yet the literature on student involvement as stakeholder in school leadership is vast • Dichotomous gap between practice and scholarship here. • The proof is in the pudding! If you google these key words, your top result dates back to 1922: • Satchell, J. K. (1922). Student Participation in School Administration. The School Review, 30(10), 733–741. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1077930 • Yet even PISA quantifies the positive impact of this involvement: Willms (2003) • Some models in terms of experiential learning (DofE, IB, etc.) • Yet if you search the literature for student involvement in leadership for inclusion, there are no resources whatsoever to be found.
- 15. Whole room discussion • Do you have examples/ testimonials of ways students can become involved in the school-wide push for UDL growth and implementation?
- 16. Section 3: Creating UDL resources/professional development, not just for educators but for student groups and student representatives • If we want students to become involved in the scaling up of UDL and in its growth, we need to expose learners to the principles of UDL/ the social model/ inclusive design mindset on the scale of the school, not just the classroom.
- 17. Some encouraging examples in the further and higher education sectors • Anecdotal evidence from Frederic’s practice • Focus on student involvement in the John Kelly Institutional Awards • No models yet in the K-12 sector
- 18. Imagining school-wide resources for students on UDL • Whole room brainstorm • What would we include? • What might be the more palatable format for such resources? • How can we make them sustainable and available to all? • Connecting this back to the Index for Inclusion • Changing mindsets and creating a new hidden curriculum necessarily involves learners • What might this look like in terms of ‘school wide resource for learners on UDL’ in your own environment/ context?
- 19. Index for Inclusion (Booth & Ainscow, 2011) • “Indicator C.1 Orchestrating learning • Are students encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning? • Do teachers explain the purpose of a lesson or group of lessons? • (…) • Are curriculum plans shared with students so that they can choose to study at a faster pace or in greater depth? • (…) • Are students consulted about the support they need? • Are students consulted about the quality of lessons? • Are students involved in finding ways to overcome their own and each other's difficulties in learning? • Are students given a choice over activities? • Are the interests, knowledge and skills acquired independently by students valued and drawn upon in lessons?”
- 20. Section4: Acknowledgingthe eco-systemichurdles that stand in the way of the implementationof these values • Whole room: Why are we so reticent as educators to engage learners in learning decisions? • Why are we hesitant to collaborate with learners in strategic thinking and vision? • How can we overcome these mindset issues? • What strategies might you envision to erode these ecological barriers? • Breakout activity: Share a thought about your own observations in this respect, with a partner or in groups of three
- 21. Section 6: Discussion • Participants will be invited to share their comments and questions? Or their key takeaways from the workshop and plans for implementation
- 22. References & Resources Booth, T. & Ainscow, M. (2011) Index for Inclusion: Developing Learning and Participation in Schools. Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education, Bristol. Coffey, A., & Lavery, S. (2018). Student leadership in the middle years: A matter of concern. Improving Schools, 21(2), 187–200. https://doi.org/10.1177/1365480217732223 Fovet, F. (2018) Exploring the Student Voice within Universal Design for Learning Work. The AHEAD Journal, 8. Retrieved from: https://www.ahead.ie/journal/Exploring-the- Student-Voice-within-Universal-Design-for-Learning-Work Satchell, J. K. (1922). Student Participation in School Administration. The School Review, 30(10), 733–741. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1077930 Willms, J.D. (2003) Student engagement at school: A sense of belonging and participation. Results from PISA 2000. OECD. https://www.oecd.org/education/school/programmeforinternationalstudentassessmentpisa/ 33689437.pdf
- 23. Contact details • Frederic Fovet (PhD.) • Implementudl@gmail.com • School of Education, Faculty of Education and Social Work, Thompson Rivers University • ffovet@tru.ca • @Ffovet • www.implementudl.com