Transcript Technology Enhanced Brain-based Learning Strategies

Technology Enhanced
Brain-based Learning
Strategies
Monica Phelps, M.S.
Johns Hopkins University
Center for Technology in Education
Gretchen Rockafellow, M. Ed.
Baltimore County Public Schools
Carney Elementary
MICCA
2003
Today’s Presenters
Monica Phelps, M.S.
• General Educator 1988-1994;
Special Educator 1994-1999 Johns
Hopkins University Center for
Technology in Education 1999present
• Partners: Early Childhood/ Early
Intervention Project with MSDE;
Autism Project with BCPSS
• Projects/Interests: Online Course
and community development,
emergent literacy, and parent
collaboration
Gretchen
Rockafellow, M.Ed.
• Special Educator for 17 years in
the areas of hearing impairment
and autism. Currently working in
a self-contained classroom for
children with autism
• Adjunct faculty – Johns Hopkins
University since 2001
• Projects and Interests: Assistive
Technology and literacy access for
all students
The Center for Technology
in Education
The Center for Technology in Education
(CTE) strives to improve the quality of life
of children and youth, particularly those
with special needs, through teaching,
research, and leadership in the use of
technology. This unique partnership
combines the research and teaching
resources of The Johns Hopkins University
and the leadership and policy support of the
MSDE.
Putting it in context
What is your mindset?
Application to the Student with
Special Needs
Current brain research has primarily yielded
results in the understanding of the learning
processes for the typically developing brain.
This workshop has been designed to
encourage the application of the same basic
principles to the student with special needs
through the use of Assistive Technology
solutions.
It is general accepted that the acquisition of
skills leads to increase in knowledge
through generalization of the skills to other
situations. Most teachers believe that this
process of learning should be internally
rewarding and thus motivating.
Let’s look at an example.
Eliciting a Behavior Change
Motivation
Skills
Knowledge
Design Principles Based on
Brain Research (Lackney, J. A. (2002). 12 Design
principles based on brain-based learning research. )
You can click on these links to see an AT application
• “Rich-stimulating environments”
• “Places for group learning”
• “Linking indoor and outdoor places”
• Engineering public spaces Fire Drill
• “Safe places”
• Variety activities, spaces, and displays
• “Resources available”
• “Flexibility”
• “Personalized spaces”
What is Assistive
Technology?
• Any item, piece of equipment or system that
helps compensate for learning difficulties in
some way.
• A definition of assistive technology may be
a system of no, low and/or high-tech tools
and strategies that are suited to a person
based on their individual needs.
• Also services as a way of meeting the
individual’s need to access the AT or the
curriculum
AND…
• As a tool to assist in the accomplishment of
tasks that would be difficult or impossible
to complete without assistance.
• Assistive Technology is "any item, piece of
equipment, or product system whether
acquired commercially of the shelf,
modified or customized, that is used to
increase, maintain, or improve functional
capabilities of individuals with disabilities.“
(From IDEA ’97)
Assistive Technology…
• Provides opportunities to experiences that might
otherwise be too
– Frustrating
– Stimulating
– Boring
• Provides repeated opportunities to express oneself (voice
output), be understood (voice output), control your
environment (switches, v.o., adapted keyboards, etc)
• Provides opportunity to learn independence thereby not
learning helplessness
• Is NOT a panacea, cure, the only answer…Categories of
Assistive Technology
CEREBRAL
CORTEX
The “thinking” or
rationale part of
the brain.
Emotional Center
including the fight or
flight response.
LIMBIC SYSTEM
The autonomic or involuntary
responses (I.e. breathing,
blinking, heart, etc.)
BRAINSTEM
Growth of a Brain
Network
At
birth
50
trillion connections
Ages
3 to 10
1000
Age
trillion connections
20
500
trillion connections
Experiential Learning
• Repeated use strengthens brain connections.
• If connections are not used, they are
“pruned” away.
• The brain “grows itself” for whatever
environment it experiences.
• Most of this experience-based growth
occurs in the cortex (the “executive brain”).
Experiences that
Strengthen Connections
• Are frequent, regular, and predictable
• Occur in the context of a warm, supportive
relationship
• Are associated with positive emotion (fun,
excitement, humor, comfort)
• Involve several senses
• Are responsive to the child’s interests or
initiative
Contact Information
• Monica Phelps
[email protected]
• Gretchen Rockafellow
Gretchenrockafellow@m
sn.com
Reference list:
Multiple means of
expression and control
•
•
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•
•
•
•
Writing
Drawing
Reading
Researching
Designing
Presenting
Acting
• Support
performance-based
learning (e.g.
through
apprenticeships)
Multiple means of engagement
• Learning Styles
• Self-selection
• Individualized
learning
• Motivation
• Tap into the affective
system to promote
engagement in learning
Analyzing Brain
Chemistry
• Cortisol
– stress hormone
• Serotonin
– neurotransmitter
Software Adaptations Reading
• Text to speech
programs to read
text on the screen
• WYNN
Cost of Assistive Technology
No Cost
$1 to $500
$500 to $1,000
$1,000 to 5,000
Over $5,000
(Koshakji, A. (1997). Focus on Technology for the Diverse
Workforce. A report from the Technology for the Diverse
Workforce Conference, Knoxville, TN.)
Looking at “Accessibility”
in a New Light
• Shortening the time of implementation of
intervention
• “Now” world application
• Reducing the resources (time and money)
necessary to reach more learners
• Providing services that are least restrictive
Scenarios for Assistive Technology
Young Children, Children, and Youth with Disabilities
Categories of Assistive
Technology
• Stability
• Mobility
• Self Care
• Communication
• Computer Access
• Recreation
Low Tech Accommodations
• Making materials
easier to
manipulate…
AT to Create Rich
Environments
• Supplementing text
with picture symbols
for emergent readers
and those with language
differences…
• Making it easier to
recognize relevant
information…
Low Tech Accommodations
• Making it easier to
recognize relevant
information…
Creating Environments
• Concept map or outline of ideas for group work
• Assistive technology for children who need a writing
scaffold
• Instructional technology for all students
Software Adaptations –
Reading & Writing
• Text to speech programs or “talking word
processors”
• Write OutLoud, Intellitalk II
Software Adaptations - Writing
• Word prediction – Co:Writer
Internet Accessibility
For those who use screen
readers and text readers:
• Internal indexing for
lengthy pages (table of
contents in upper right
corner of page)
– Microsoft link
• Buttons include alt-text
identification features
• Tables and fields include
text descriptors
• Flashing items cannot
exceed a specific rate