Vision for Education--2020 Jennifer Mastrianni Post University

Vision for Education--2020

The NEA is: A professional employee organization Represents 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers,

related service providers, education support professionals, college faculty, school administrators, retired educators, and student teachers (Ralabate, 2007).

Dedicated to the advancement of public education

The Mission Statement “Advocate for education professionals and to unite our

members and the nation to fulfill the promise of public education to prepare every student to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world,” (NEA, 2015).

Technologies Utilized by the NEA Complex Thinking and Communication

The NEA website has their own search bar Professionals, parents, students can search the internet for

journals regarding topics of their choice Appropriate for all users who wish to seek educational

advice/solutions/online technologies to better their studies

Utilizes modern applications such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Pinterest

Posts information regarding professional development, parental supports, and supplemental learning

Works with modern technology (i.e. Smart phones, iPads) Appropriate for all users (adults and children) with access to

modern technology

Digital Literacy

Vision for Education--2020

Public Policiesstrongly

supportedby the NEA

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

Students with disabilities are tohave free, appropriate education

Individualized Education Plans and transitional supports come the age of 15 are given to students to help with the education process

Americans with Disabilities Act

People with disabilities are guaranteed the same opportunities as everyone else in life

Section 504

Children with disabilities are granted same opportunities for education as non-disabled

Although they may not qualify for special education, accommodations and modifications are available to them (Wright, 2015)

Higher Education

Act

“Federal law that governs the administration of federal student aid programs” (Higher Education Act, 2015).

*But are these laws governed appropriately??

Demographic Trends: Who is at risk for not attending postsecondary education?

“Historically, special education classes have long experienced an over-representation of racial minorities and male students as well as students from lower-income households,” (Robson, Brown, and Parekh, 2014).

Being labeled creates a barrier for these students, making it more difficult to receive quality education, transitional supports, and acceptance to postsecondary education (Robson, Brown, and Parekh, 2014).

Students, typical and special needs, were more likely to attend postsecondary education institutes than those whose parents did not attend any coursework after high school (Robson, Brown, and Parekh, 2014)

“Low-income, first-generation, and low-performing students face particular barriers securing guidance, counseling, and transition advice, as do students with disabilities,” (Brand & Valent, 2013).

What economic trends affect students with special needs?

• Students with special needs “participate in postsecondary education in smaller numbers and frequently do not complete their degrees,” (Gilmore and Bose, 2005). This leads to low competitive employment and decreased earnings for people with disabilities

• Students from lower income districts may not have the resources available to them as would a higher income district; this is a disadvantage to students with disabilities due to the fact that the range of services and technologies utilized to help them learn may not be available

• Education for students with special needs is more expensive. They tend to take longer to complete a degree program, rendering them ineligible for scholarships that require degree completion in four years. Sums of financial aid granted are typically smaller for students with disabilities. Accommodations needed for the student may not be covered by financial aid. (Frieden, 2003)

Technology in a postsecondary education classroom

“High school graduates with disabilities—many now accustomed to assistive technology and learning accommodations—are moving on to higher education, compromising approximately 10% of the student body,” (Kraglund-Gauthier, Young, and Kell, 2014).

Universal design for learning (UDL) are teaching methods designed to help students with disabilities have equal access to the postsecondary curriculum (Pace and Schwartz, 2008)

Classroom Performance System: a software system that includes response pads or clickers, and receivers with radio frequency technology that allows students to interact with content material in their courses, at times anonymously (Pace and Schwartz, 2008)This sounds great, but in reality, these systems

are not beneficial: lack of training for professors, technical difficulties, and having the want but not the drive to implement in the classroom

SCANNINGPositive Aspects Interested groups of individuals can be

assigned to scan media for current trends and emerging issues

Groups of scanners can include representatives from all levels of an organization

Due to trends researched, “decision makers can anticipate what is happening in the state, region, nation, and world that will affect the nature and quality of the institution and its educational programs,” (Morrison, n.d.).

Scanning leads to creating scenarios, and other futuring techniques, that can determine a positive solution for a company/organization in times of change

Challenges Time consuming and costly; depending on

how the organization wants to organize their scanning activity, training and technology equipment would be needed (Morrison, n.d.).

Larger institutions, such as a university, have the expertise required to conduct scanning, but these individuals would have to add on hours of extra work onto already busy schedules (Morrison, n.d.).

“Neither a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history to wait for the train of the future to run

him over.”Dwight D. Eisenhower

(Moorcroft, 2007)

“the systematic survey of information sources focusing on trends,” (Reference for Business, 2015).

Futuring is the process of anticipating change and making decisions that will impact future possibilities for organizations. It can “minimize surprises and broaden the span of managers’ thinking about different possibilities,”(Mietzner and Reger, 2005). Two futuring techniques that can be used are scenarios and scanning.

SCENARIOS Positive Aspects Creative ways to anticipate future

threats and opportunities to a company; the amount of possibilities can be endless

Develop multiple futures based on either optimistic or pessimistic situations within an organization; find the strong points and weakest links

Provide leadership for new directions

Risks and strategies are shared among groups of professionals, possibly leading to the development of a common language within an organization

Challenges The practice of developing scenarios

is very time-consuming. If an organization is currently crashing, there may not be enough time to come up with a valid conclusion to a problem.

Participants must be very capable, and experts in their field. A deep understanding of what is being scrutinized is essential for success.

It is easy to focus on the most-likely to succeed scenario, rather than looking at all possibilities, even the negative.

By the year 2020, the NEA will coordinate with their affiliating state organizations to build up

their website to offer additional information regarding supports and benefits that the HEA, IDEA,

ADA, and Section 504 offer to students and families

Plan for Change Utilizing community supports Providing information on postsecondary education support Improving participation and persistence in postsecondary education Increasing financial aid opportunities Addressing postsecondary education needs through trained personnel (Frieden, 2003)

If such issues are not addressed, the NEA will not fulfill their goals by 2020, and students with disabilities will decrease their numbers in postsecondary education.

The NEA will address current trends and challenges in special education with relation to postsecondary education, with the help of their state affiliates, and define a unified, national plan

Call to Action

Meetings of professionals, community leaders, and parents will convene to discuss what type of services would be most beneficial

Personnel would be sought to set up online technological supports, as others would be hired to lead potential forums, trainings, and discussion boards

Much discussion would need to revolve around financing; donations, funding, and the potential need for outside help (either from the general public or the government) would need to be discussed

“Studies and trend data point to gains in employment and earnings made by people with disabilities who participate in postsecondary education, but if people with disabilities are to share fully in the benefits of a postsecondary education, they must have better access to this opportunity,” (Gilmore and Bose, 2005).

References Brand, B., & Valent, A. (2013, March 1). Improving college and

career readiness for students with disabilities. RetrievedApril 2, 2015, from http://www.ccrscenter.org/sites/default/files/Improving College and Career Readiness for Students with Disabilities.pdf

Frieden, L. (2003, September 13). People with Disabilities andPostsecondary Education--Position Paper. Retrieved April22, 2015, fromhttp://www.ncd.gov/publications/2003/Sept152003

Gilmore, D., & Bose, J. (2005). Trends in postsecondaryeducation: Participation within the vocationalrehabilitation system. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 22(2005), 33-40.

Higher Education Act. (2015, January 1). Retrieved April 23,2015, from http://www.tgslc.org/policy/hea.cfm

Kraglund-Gauthier, W., Young, D., & Kell, E. (2014). TeachingStudents with Disabilities in Post-secondary Landscapes:Navigating Elements of Inclusion, Differentiation, Universal Design for Learning, and Technology. Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal, 7(3), 1-10.

Mietzner, D., & Reger, G. (2005). Advantages and disadvantages of scenario approaches for strategic foresight. Int. J.

Technology Intelligence and Planning, 1(2), 220-239. Moorcroft, R. (2007). The art of the clairvoyant, Editorial,

Manager: British Journal of Administrative, pp. 4-5. Morrison, J. (n.d.). Establishing an Environmental

Scanning/Forecasting System to Augment College and University Planning. Retrieved March 21, 2015, from http://horizon.unc.edu/bios/Morrison/papers/4.html

The National Education Association. NEA's Vision, Mission, and Values. (2015, January 1). Retrieved March 12, 2015,

from http://www.nea.org/home/19583.htm

References continued…

Pace, D., & Schwartz, D. (2008). Accessibility in post secondaryeducation: Application of UDL to college curriculum.

US- China Education Review, 5(12), 20-26. Ralabate, P. (2007). Truth in Labeling: Disproportionality

in Special Education. Truth inLabeling: Disproportionality in Special Education. Retrieved March 12, 2015, fromhttp://www.nea.org/home/18456.htm

Reference for Business. Futuring. (2015, January 1). Retrieved March 21, 2015, from

http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Ex-Gov/Futuring.html

Robson, K., Anisef, P., Brown, R., & Parekh, G. (2014). Theintersectionality of postsecondary pathways: The case ofhigh school students with special education needs. Canadian Review of Sociology, 51(3), 193-215.

References continued…

Wright, P. and Wright P. Discrimination: Section 504 and ADA.(2015, January 1). Retrieved April 23, 2015, fromhttp://www.wrightslaw.com/info/sec504.index.htm

References continued…