Knowing your own learning style

Transcription

1 Knowing your own learning style Creating resources to enable learners to have autonomy in identifying their preferred style/s of learning Key words: learning styles, assistive technology, sensory learning Bridge College Bridge College is run by the Together Trust charity and is a non-residential provider of specialist education that can cater for learners between the ages of 16 to 25 with disabilities, complex needs and autism. The current college building is a purpose-built state-of-the art facility that has been open since September Bridge College currently has a cohort of 92 learners with a wide range of disabilities, both physical and learning as well as a large population of autistic learners. Learners are currently working between milestones 2 and Entry Level 3. We also provide support for a level 2 learner at a mainstream FE college. Learners Five learners working at different milestone levels were identified to participate in the project, including two working at milestones 3/4, one at 6/7 and two towards Entry 1. The learners had a range of different support needs, relating variously to physical disabilities, gross motor difficulties, visual impairment and learning difficulties and disabilities. Key project aims The purpose of Bridge College s project was to create resources for our learners to enable them to have autonomy in identifying their best individual style/s of learning. The original idea was to create resources so that our learners would be able to create their own Individual Learning Plans, but given the relatively short time frame and potential complexities involved in this, we felt that would be a better long-term aspiration. We felt that there was work that needed to be completed around each learner being able to identify their current best learning styles and skills before they began work on their individual learning plans. We wanted to help our learners to actually identify what their learning skills are. This project will potentially have a major impact as it takes a very person-centred approach to finding out how best our learners learn which should enable us to adapted and tailor for the individual s needs any further resources and areas of study. This will provide maximum independence and learning opportunities during 1

2 the learner s education within Bridge College. This approach, once fully evaluated, may become part of the initial and/or baseline assessment process for new learners. The tools that we have utilised as part of this project will provide us with a basis from which to personalise our learners study programmes. These may potentially change over their time at Bridge and will be continually reviewed throughout their time in education. Key activity A core team, comprised of heads of curriculum and support, a Speech and Language Therapist, an Assistive Technologist and an Occupational Therapist identified three different approaches in order to support the learners with their understanding of their learning and skills, each aimed at differing ability levels of the learner population. For learners at milestones 3/4, we have utilised several different assessment scales and collated this into one document that gives a breakdown of how those particular learners work best, along with video evidence of learner responses to different types of items. In order to gain a greater understanding of sensory preferred learning styles, and make it a meaningful process for the learners, a team at the college has proposed the idea of using a set of assessment methods to support the collation of information around the following areas of interest: What is my level of engagement in my learning activities? What do I enjoy / not enjoy? How do I express myself? Does anything need to change to improve my learning experience? What targets do I need to work on? From this information the team created a Sensory Learning Styles Map to support the collation of evidence (see appendix 1). The benefit of this tool is that it has helped us to gain a greater understanding of what is motivating for the learner over a period of time. It will allow tutors to adapt their learning environment and activities to the specific style of the learner. Through discussions with the team we have recognised that this is a continuous assessment tool. For some of our learner working at Milestone 6/7 we have used some software already quite widely used across the college called The Grid 2 (Sensory Software Ltd.). This software can be utilised to make accessible grids/virtual pages on a computer, tablet device or ipad (with limitations) for communication and/or general computer accessibility. For this section of the project a mind map was produced based on learning styles questionnaires (see appendix 2). A set of accessible grids were created from this mind map (see appendix 3). The learner accesses the pages by pressing the spacebar on the computer keyboard, listening as a 2

3 computer voice reads out each of the choices on the screen (at two second intervals) and pressing the spacebar again when they get to the choice that they want. The grids offer a choice of different methods of learning e.g. using a computer, with staff help. Further screens offer choices of different ways of learning e.g. with pictures, by listening. Each of the learner s choices are automatically copied and pasted into a Word document that loads up automatically as the grid set is opened. The choices can also be ed to a specific address that has been set up for the purposes of this particular project via the grid set. For learners working toward Entry 1 we have used an ipad app called Explain Everything. This app can be easily customised and used to explain different types of learning styles to the learner; it can record the audio and visuals of everything happening as it is discussed. Some alterations were made in the early stages of the project to the Grid 2 sets, 3

4 based on discussions within the team. Work has already begun on variations of the grid sets for different learners, including a less complex version of the Bridge Learning Styles grid set that is more sequential ; once a particular learning style has been identified by the learner, there is not the opportunity to then go back and choose other options. We plan to utilise the resources that we have already identified across a wider range of our learner population, adapting and continually improving them as necessary. Many of the resources would be very useful during the initial assessment process for potential new learners hoping to attend Bridge College. Impact/anticipated impact The grid set has already had a very positive impact on learners understanding of how they learn best and their ability to share this information. For example after just 30 minutes spent using the grid, one learner, unprompted, explained to a Speech and Language Therapist several days later, I learn best by listening to instructions I learn best using a computer and working with others. Video, photo and written evidence have provided us with useful data which will help us continue to develop the resources that have already been implemented. Person-centred development, learner involvement and promoting independence have always been very important to Bridge College. We believe that the resources and methodology developed and tested within this project will provide an excellent basis for developing personalised study programmes. The impact will be increased as we begin to use these tools during initial/baseline assessment to help shape the individual study programmes of the young people who come to Bridge College. If we can identify learning styles within the early stages of the learner s programme, the education can be provided in a much more meaningful way. 4

5 Appendix 1 Sensory Learning Styles Map Area of Interest Methods of evaluating Date Completed Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 What is my level of engagement in my learning activities? CCC Response to work Learning to Learn What do I enjoy / not enjoy? How do I express myself? Does anything need to change to improve my learning experience? What targets do I need to work on? Response to key objects of reference Intensive Interaction Video evidence from a range of activities Video evidence in a range of sessions ACA Communication dictionary (written and / or video) Discussion with family / tutors / support teams Discussion with family / tutors / support teams Outside / PC Video Evidence Stage 1 Targets set Wheelchair dancing Ball, outside L2L, HLW Self engaged More videos needed Initiation / engaged Intensive Interaction training received Happy using II, OoR and switches Increasing comprehension of routine using OoR Mounting for switch 5 Break, dinner Stage 2 Video Evidence Music

6 Learners name: E**** Tutor:_K**** Appendix 2 6

7 7 App endi x 3