My presentation at the
Disability Awareness – New Challenges for Education Conference in Krakow, Poland, 22-23 October 2009
Disability Awareness – New Challenges for Education Conference in Krakow, Poland, 22-23 October 2009
Title:
Empowering ALL Learners – towards an inclusive pedagogy centred around students learning preferences
Empowering ALL Learners – towards an inclusive pedagogy centred around students learning preferences
Summary:
Hands-on laboratory classes have traditionally been at the heart of science teaching an approach that puts learners with physical disabilities/impairments at a considerable disadvantage. This primacy of lab skills is rooted in the perception that in order to find suitable employment science graduates must acquire hands-on experience of a range of experimental skills. However recent employment statistics (for Bioscientists) are contradictory to this notion.
This study aims to move beyond the straightjacket of laboratory classes by not only mitigating the accessibility issues of learners but also by creating alternative learning opportunities which stimulate cognitive learning that is at least comparable with laboratory classes. A pedagogic model is introduced which aims to put the learner at the heart of his/her learning by providing a choice from a variety of alternative assignment options thus providing students with an opportunity to tailor their learning towards their physical and mental requirements and needs.
This study aims to move beyond the straightjacket of laboratory classes by not only mitigating the accessibility issues of learners but also by creating alternative learning opportunities which stimulate cognitive learning that is at least comparable with laboratory classes. A pedagogic model is introduced which aims to put the learner at the heart of his/her learning by providing a choice from a variety of alternative assignment options thus providing students with an opportunity to tailor their learning towards their physical and mental requirements and needs.
Analysis of the summative assessment outcome provides tentative evidence that learning in this way has been more effective. Further refinements to the current format will be discussed in addition to how this model may be extended to a broader range of learners.
