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Learning Support and Technology-Enhanced Learning
Penny AndrewsUniversity of Sheffield &
Leeds Metropolitan University
My Story
• Dropped out of F2F uni twice (UEA & Leeds)• Successful (to a point) distance BSc with OU• Library Graduate Trainee – working with VLE
team, disability officers, Skills for Learning• F2F/some blended learning for MSc• Research Assistant on Autism&Uni project• Future PhD?
What might have helped?• One stop “diagnostic” shop online for help – directing specific
queries to student services, library, personal tutor, disability services, counselling, IT support, academic skills, tech skills but not a sea of links. VLE or Portal can often be the one place that brings these siloed areas together.
• Proper tasters of courses, not just an outline and a reading list• Social support, beyond meet-up groups for those in crisis.• Visual guide to buildings (inside as well as out!) without gimmicks
like panoramic views.• Ways to alert staff urgently (via tech) that I was having a “bad” day
without standing up and saying so or fretting over an unread email.
Participation in support & success• Buddying – learners with similar difficulties helping other learners.• Diaries and blogs – so we can tell you and those who follow us what
the early months are really like.• Let us in to the VLE a lot earlier, show snippets of lecture recordings
and practice quizzes etc. Ask us what we’d like to know before we start, what we’re worried about, and ask current students what they would have liked to know or what they struggled with.
• Ask us what has worked for us before. It’s easier to tell you that than imagine what we need or do what everyone else does.
• Look at college and school systems and interventions; transition is difficult and continuity is good.
• Just because we don’t ask or complain, doesn’t mean we’re happy. If we haven’t logged in for a while, find out why not.
autism&uniautism&uni – bringing out the best in the autism spectrum
The Autism&Uni project is developing tools and practices to:• improve the chances of young adults with autism or Asperger’s syndrome entering
higher education• support the young students to learn the skills they need to negotiate student life and
studies successfully
Autism&Uni is creating scenario-based course resources that can be used to benefit students on the autism spectrum, either independently or with the help of professionals in HE institutions. The course content is designed to allow further development and tailoring to suit the unique environments of each country and institution.
Autism&Uni is an EU-funded project under the Erasmus Lifelong Learning Programme, with partners in the UK, Finland, Netherlands, Poland and Spain. The project runs from October 2013 until March 2016.
autism&uni project vision• Widening access – greater numbers of young adults on the autism spectrum will gain
access to higher education. Educational opportunities for people with autism spectrum disorders will improve across Europe.
• Better experience – young adults on the autism spectrum will be able to negotiate the challenges of entering higher education and adjusting to its demands. They will find higher education institutions prepared to understand both strengths and challenges stemming from their autistic characteristics.
• Support for HE institutions – institutes of higher education will be supported in their task of accommodating students on the autism spectrum. By mapping good practice and by providing tools and information we will help staff in the HE community to fulfil their legal and ethical responsibilities towards any student with the potential to succeed.
• Participation – autistic people are involved in the project right from the start, giving real agency in designing solutions for the challenges students on the autistic spectrum face.
• Flexibility and accessibility – with all the end products, the project aims for broad distribution and open access.
Autistic researchers
• Nothing about us without us!• On Autism&Uni, I’m working on the mapping exercise,
literature review and scenarios. I know I am just one person with autism and what works for me doesn’t work for all.
• Heta in Helsinki is working on the dissemination of the project materials and information about the project itself, and contributes much useful feedback.
• The mapping exercise involves autistic learners applying to uni, current autistic students, recent autistic graduates, autistic uni dropouts, disability advisors, teachers, parents and professionals. Prototypes will also be tested with these groups.
VLE design & online learning
• Think about colours and fonts – does text “jump”?• How clean and logical are layouts? Do you use templates
that work for that subject area?• Information architecture – does the tutor have control?
Do they know how to use the VLE well? I can show you bad examples.
• Clarity and options – can I print? How many pages will it be? What kind of document will load? Why do unused options still show?
• Learning outcomes – map everything that’s on the site to the stated objectives or we don’t see the point
Blended & F2F learning
• If I see 88 slides on the PowerPoint in advance, I WILL read them and then die of boredom.
• How well does the VLE hook into other online and F2F services?
• Is the online stuff compulsory (quizzes, forums, etc)?
• Do you keep an eye on reading lists? Is reading list software even used?
Participation in Learning Design
• Focus groups & prototyping – include the people most likely to have a problem with what you’re doing, even if it’s tough. Go beyond student reps.
• Offer incentives for insight – disabled students can feel like they’re forever telling their story for free & should be grateful.
• Projects can take risks – ask autistic and other SpLD students to share favourite resources and re-design layouts for existing content that work for them.
• Get out of the silos and get specific – talk to disability advisors, skills tutors and librarians about issues they help disabled students with at your institution.
Image creditsDomenichino, Virgin and Unicorn, (working under Annibale Carracci), Fresco, 1604 – 1605, Farnese Palace, Rome. Public domain.Halo Rainbow Sky Desert Atacama Desert Chile, Simon, Pixabay. CC-0.Rainbow by the Tarbatness lighthouse, Sylvia Duckworth, Geograph. CC-BY.Thunderstorm Weather Dark Sky Clouds Rainbow, werner2brigitte, Pixabay. CC-0.July 7 2009 Extravaganza - Prediction = True, Pilottage, Flickr. CC-BY.Blue Glass Marbles Kids Games Play Round, inspiredimages, Pixabay. CC-0.Fluid Magenta & Blue Mist Abstract Painting, Mark Chadwick, Flickr. CC-BY-NC-ND.Together Team People Circle Hands Group Support, acky24, Pixabay. CC-0.Cat Kitten Cute Kittens Cats Kitty Feline Tree, ballswinger, Pixabay. CC-0.
Contact
• [email protected] for everyday stuff• [email protected] for Autism&Uni
project• Twitter: @pennyb and @autismuni
