Experimental Course for Experimental Course for Students with LD/ADHDStudents with LD/ADHD

Diana Cassie, Ph.D.Diana Cassie, Ph.D.

Dalhousie UniversityDalhousie University

Addressing the Learning Needs of Addressing the Learning Needs of Students Diagnosed with LD Students Diagnosed with LD

and/or ADHDand/or ADHD

2.5 to 4.5% of university students 2.5 to 4.5% of university students have LD and/or ADHDhave LD and/or ADHD

These students benefit from These students benefit from special educational resourcesspecial educational resources

An experimental course is An experimental course is underwayunderway

What challenges do those What challenges do those diagnosed with LD and/or ADHD diagnosed with LD and/or ADHD

face?face? Differences between high school and Differences between high school and

universityuniversity Pace of learningPace of learning IndependenceIndependence Nature of instructionNature of instruction Learning resourcesLearning resources Demand for self-advocacyDemand for self-advocacy Social challengesSocial challenges

Some of these differences can have Some of these differences can have a greater impact on students with LD a greater impact on students with LD and/or ADHDand/or ADHD

Research Support for a Research Support for a Course InterventionCourse Intervention

Existing university courses for Existing university courses for this student populationthis student population

Research on effectiveness of Research on effectiveness of learning serviceslearning services

Economic implications of not Economic implications of not respondingresponding

Key Elements of the Key Elements of the PresentationPresentation

Draft ArticleDraft Article

Curriculum Design Meta-Curriculum Design Meta-StrategyStrategy

Learning Outcome OrganizerLearning Outcome Organizer

Software Solution for Career-Software Solution for Career-Relevant Learning OutcomesRelevant Learning Outcomes

ICPOGMUERICPOGMUER

(Acronym)(Acronym)

Meta-strategyMeta-strategy

Program heuristicProgram heuristic

IImagemage (1/4)(1/4)

Involves focus on the learnerInvolves focus on the learner What do these students need to What do these students need to

know/need to know?know/need to know? What experiences do they require?What experiences do they require? Ideally, what should they be able to do?Ideally, what should they be able to do?

Culminates in a list of potential Culminates in a list of potential Learning OutcomesLearning Outcomes

IImage mage (2/4)(2/4)

Learning Outcomes:Learning Outcomes:

Students will learn and apply metacognitive Students will learn and apply metacognitive strategies to monitor and regulate their learning.strategies to monitor and regulate their learning.

Students will understand their learning strengths Students will understand their learning strengths and weaknesses.and weaknesses.

Students will explore their learning styles.Students will explore their learning styles. Students will complete an assessment of their Students will complete an assessment of their

multiple intelligences.multiple intelligences. Students will relate their multiple intelligences to Students will relate their multiple intelligences to

their educational and career plans.their educational and career plans. Students will explore and use assistive Students will explore and use assistive

technologies to address their learning needs.technologies to address their learning needs.

IImage mage (3/4)(3/4)

Learning Outcomes (cont.):Learning Outcomes (cont.):

Students will learn about, develop and apply self-Students will learn about, develop and apply self-advocacy skills.advocacy skills.

Students will monitor and document the Students will monitor and document the effectiveness of learning strategies explored and effectiveness of learning strategies explored and acquired in the course.acquired in the course.

Students will use valid and reliable measures to Students will use valid and reliable measures to explore and understand their career interests, explore and understand their career interests, aptitudes, and values.aptitudes, and values.

Students will incorporate knowledge of their Students will incorporate knowledge of their interests, values, aptitudes, and learning interests, values, aptitudes, and learning challenges, in their educational and career challenges, in their educational and career decision-making.decision-making.

IImage mage (4/4)(4/4)

Learning Outcomes (cont.):Learning Outcomes (cont.):

Students will identify accommodations and Students will identify accommodations and strategies that would be appropriate for use in the strategies that would be appropriate for use in the workplace to address their particularized learning workplace to address their particularized learning disabilities.disabilities.

Students will know the rights of individuals in the Students will know the rights of individuals in the workplace who have disabilities.workplace who have disabilities.

Students will identify considerations for disclosure Students will identify considerations for disclosure of a disability in the workplace.of a disability in the workplace.

Students will record and maintain their career-Students will record and maintain their career-relevant knowledge and attainments in an relevant knowledge and attainments in an electronic career portfolio.electronic career portfolio.

CCategory System ategory System (1/2)(1/2)

Involves analysis of extensive Involves analysis of extensive list of possible Learning list of possible Learning OutcomesOutcomes

Classification via Category Classification via Category SystemSystem

CCategory System ategory System (2/2)(2/2)

Knowledge Knowledge

SystemsSystems

TheoriesTheories

Propositions/generalizations/postulatesPropositions/generalizations/postulates

ConceptsConcepts

Factual informationFactual information

Skills Skills

BeliefsBeliefs

AttitudesAttitudes

ValuesValues

InterestsInterests

AwarenessAwareness

Affect Affect

Cognitive skills (simple/complex) Cognitive skills (simple/complex)

Psychomotor skillsPsychomotor skills

PPrioritiesriorities

Involves selection of Learning Involves selection of Learning Outcome Priorities for the Outcome Priorities for the course to be designedcourse to be designed

Consider limitations of contextConsider limitations of context

OOrganizers rganizers (1/2)(1/2)

““Content Organizers” link Content Organizers” link Learning Outcomes to enhance Learning Outcomes to enhance conceptual clarity and facilitate conceptual clarity and facilitate instructional methodologyinstructional methodology

Example: S-O-SExample: S-O-S

OOrganizers rganizers (2/2)(2/2)

Know Know AboutAbout

Know How Know How ToTo

Be Able Be Able

ToTo

SelfSelf

OthersOthers

SituationSituation

The S-O-S OrganizerC

on

text

s

Levels of Knowledge

GGrowthrowth

Identify lowest and highest Identify lowest and highest levels of learning associated levels of learning associated with each of the Learning with each of the Learning OutcomesOutcomes

Lowest Level Highest Level

MMethodologies ethodologies (1/2)(1/2)

Selection of creative and Selection of creative and motivational instructional motivational instructional methods to facilitate learner methods to facilitate learner movementmovement

Lowest Level Highest Level

MMethodologies ethodologies (2/2)(2/2)

Variety of instructional methodologiesVariety of instructional methodologies

Incorporation of supportive interactions in Incorporation of supportive interactions in the learning process (learning tutors, the learning process (learning tutors, coaches, mentors, etc.)coaches, mentors, etc.)

UUnits nits (1/2)(1/2)

The basic unit of instruction at The basic unit of instruction at university tends to be a “lecture” university tends to be a “lecture”

Lectures can be clustered to Lectures can be clustered to comprise units of instructioncomprise units of instruction

Apply a Generic Lesson Plan Apply a Generic Lesson Plan formatformat

UUnits nits (2/2)(2/2)

Format should encompass the following:Format should encompass the following: Title of LessonTitle of Lesson Learning OutcomeLearning Outcome TimeframeTimeframe Learning Resources RequiredLearning Resources Required Initial Instructional ActivityInitial Instructional Activity Instructional SequenceInstructional Sequence Alternative Instructional StrategiesAlternative Instructional Strategies Evaluation: Diagnostic/Formative/SummativeEvaluation: Diagnostic/Formative/Summative

EEvaluationvaluation

Focus on evaluation tools that Focus on evaluation tools that can facilitate learners’ can facilitate learners’ performance, educator’s performance, educator’s instruction and management of instruction and management of coursecourse

RResourcesesources

Identify, describe, and “locate” Identify, describe, and “locate” relevant instructional resourcesrelevant instructional resources

A Helpful ResourceA Helpful Resource

Personal History Documentation Personal History Documentation (PHD)(PHD) Software solution to identify, Software solution to identify,

explore, analyse, organize, manage, explore, analyse, organize, manage, and record career-relevant attributesand record career-relevant attributes