Promoting the Understanding and the Rationale for Inclusive Thoughts in Youth (PURITY)

A concept Ideated by FLRC, INDIA

Principal Researcher:

Malola Prasath , Director RD&DFoundation for Learning Research in Chess, India

Charudatta V Jadhav, Vice President,International Braille Chess Association

Document Version: 0.3 / 2012/Aug/24

Presentation Date: 2012/Aug/30 FIDE CIS Commission

Disclaimer:

Scope - Sharing FLRC’s works and details specific to Education Research carried out to FIDE –CIS Commission.

Released for dissemination of fundamental concepts.

Introduction• We improve the focus of chess in schools from a perspective of

“Inclusion and continuous availability of Instruction”

– Design Thinking of PURITY Strategic Framework• All in “24 hour tactical Programme, spread across an year”

• Collectively building accessible practices (Mutual)

• Developing Best Practice templates for Regular Schools

– Designing A Classroom Interaction• Activity based Learning Environment

• Planning/Evolving a Structured Chess Syllabus

– Discussion oriented chess instructional methodology

• Intuitive, Non-trivial, Objective, Stimulating exercises

• Observer centric instruction to synergize interaction.

From a Striking Observation• Cognitively, when Sighted, our thinking stems from pieces

(We first see) and results to the destination Squares

(we spot as a result of searching)

• Although this can be same for blind, yet in the process of localising chess pieces to it square, Braille Chess players make an additional contact to (understand the squares first) than with the pieces.

• Thus, Braille player MAY spring their thoughts from “Squares” and result in the “piece” that they want to bring to the Squares.

• Can We this Methodology Difference to learn Design Exciting Course – YES!

Explaining the Method with a Chess Example

• Analysis – Objective evaluation based on realistic features in the position.

• Synthesis – Creation of objective feature and verification based on acceptable constraints.

Chess Elements possibly Differently Perceived!?

Table 1: The table gives an over view of the differently impaired thought on chess (Malola et al, CISCCON 2007)

Stimulus Visually Impaired Sighted

Chess board Baseline Background

Squares Primary Input Secondary Response

Pieces Secondary Response to squares as

Stimulus

Primary Input

Pawns Primary Response to Squares as Stimulus

Primary Stimulus to Squares as

Response

King Stimulus to Final Baseline

Stimulus to Final Baseline

Piece co-ordinati

on

Perceived Information

Sensed Information

Relative Squares

Sensed Information Perceived Information

Color Imbalan

ce

Perceived from Sensation of the

squares and pieces

Sensed from Perception of

activity of pieces.

• Braille Chess Players sense from physically Squares to Pieces

– Confidence is placed on the real entities like squares, chess board.

– Notion of Piece is realized from ‘holistic view’ of position.

• Sighted players sense from Physically from Pieces to Squares

– Co-ordination of pieces is the complex image perceived by sighted players, hence pieces are inherently not localized in the chess board view.

– Confidence is placed in the most logical move order from the game.

Research Aspect: Inclusive Classroom design

Current Baseline

Visually Impaired Analysis

Chess

Synthesis

Visual

Touch

Discussion

Sighted Students

Imagination

Reality

Next Baseline

The red arrow indicate the difference in orientation. So it could be possible that the annotations from the Sighted may not be continuously available to Braille players.

PURITY focus to understand this transaction across Synthesis elements in chess and Analytical elements in chess

Moving ahead with Responsibility

• If so, is it possible to have chess instructions that will allow, sighted and blind to “experience different things” within the same time? – YES!

• Can we have sighted and Braille Chess players as multiple audiences to the same Chess instruction, to exploit the independent methodology that best yield the moves? May be Possible?!

• If so, can we predictably engage these children to share their perception in a group and synergistically progress in learning? Is it possible??

Yes! And That’s the motivation for Chess-in-Schools to promote PURITY as Gateway to Understanding Accessibility

Our Systemic Approach for Interaction!• We build interactive learning programme where,

– Regular and Special Schools’ Children, co-operate to learn 2 hours a month, 24 hours (1/365 days) spread across an year.

– Build a Structured Learning Environment (1:5 blind to sighted ratio)

– Evolve the collective intelligence, as a continuum in learning and shared vision

– Rest of the Year, we sharpen on the independent methods.

• Minimized Teaching and Focused on Active Learning

– Pace the progress towards baseline of thoughts and idea exchanges

– A multiple-audience design is crafted out of chess positions

– Synergistic discussion to hand-hold progressive thoughts.

– Stabilise the overall learning approaches from the sessions.

• Observer Centric Classroom Evolution

– Facilitate Teachers to evolve with the classroom,

– Active Research community is establish to liaise with the teachers

– Facilitate more observers (1:3 observer to participant ratio)

Delivery Engine follows an ORBIT• Organising Committee

– Policy /Practice / Process Observers (Under evaluation)– Government observers (been requested)

• Research, Development and Dissemination Networks– Facilitate the training needs and support (Methodology Established)– Manage dissemination of best practices(Under evaluation) – Learning Research Special Interest Group

• Blind Institutions and other Special interest groups like NGOs– Blind Schools/ colleges, National Chess Federations,

• Institutional Networks that host the Participation (Under Study)– Maintain accessible Environment(Under evaluation) – Build the classroom and facilitate the methods (Under Design) – University and Research labs (Under evaluation)

• Technology Support Team (System Architecture under development) – Build special purpose assistive technologies and equipments

• Scanning Chess boards and Clocks, Tactile displays etc…• Maintain the sensitive data in shared Repository

Stages of Engagement(based on Kolb’s

Stages in Learning)

Inspire Inclusion Nurture the Inspiration

Synergise the Nurture Experience Synergy

Acquisition level 1 Inspire Learning Environment

Mentor Groups for Habbit Creation

Orchestrate Involvement with Focus Groups

Baseline Instructions

Acquisition level 2 Promote Participation Induce Stakes of the Team First

Improve Teacher's Cohession

Publish Results

Specialisation1 Cultivate Responsibility Grasp Modest Actions involving Goals

highlight thoughts in Operation

Account all Inspireing actions

Specialisation2 Identify Observing Workforce

Create Observing Workforce

Focus on Observers Reach Develop Observer's anagle

Integration1 Motivate to Share Ideas Appreciate Each Move Document Discussions Bring Teachability in Practice

Integration2 Quantify Overall Exposure Levels

Invite Suggestions Reflect a Credit Ownership Experience Unique Learning

Exit maturity Discover Learning Events

Document the interaction

Rationalise Learning Efforts

Evolve Instructional Design

Design Goals and Maturity Stages

Classroom Design: Stage for Interaction

Participation through Observation

• Classroom environment is flexible, children and teachers can interchange their roles and be placed at following locations.– Group A – Synergistic field, 1:5 Ratio

– Group B – Strong conflict field, 1:2 Ratio

– Group C – Negotiating fields, No braille involved

– Observers – Observers for each group

– Casual observers – just hanging there

– Mentors – Few children can be mentors/ moderators,

• Buzzer based timed sessions, averaging upto 45 mins period– Students move from one group to another

– Credits complete when a sighted student takes 6 roles, in 12 sessions

– Braille students work in both Group A, Group B and interview discussion

• Documentation is critical ICT strategy for Research– Think aloud, share and note down the thoughts

– Instructional design to be progressive updated

Strategic Collaborations

• PURITY framework is intended to support regular schools to understand accessibility in an incremental approach.– Notion of accessibility is felt within as a need

• Towards Interoperability with existing Chess programmes and help with newer designs of programme.

• We commission existing programmes and build strategies for orientation into our Interactive Framework.

• We promote the design guideline

Products we have studiedInteresting Programmes

Nature of Chess Programme

Attractive Key Attributes Pilot tried

Dinausor Chess First Contact Practical, Motivational, Reward Centred System

NO

Bandana – National Chess Syllabus

First Contact Practical, Motivational, Reward Centred System

YES

Chess and Maths Workbook (Alexy Root)

First Contact and Beginners

Inspired framework Mathematics Methods for Chess

YES

Maurice Ashley First Contact and Beginners

Practical, Lucid and entertaining No

Chess Trainer Software Beginners to Advanced Steppe Method, time tested TASC method

YES

Chess Mentor Software Beginners to Advanced Proven Method of Imbalance based learning

YES

Silman’s How to reassess in Chess (Imbalance)

Practical Manual for Chess

Practical, Engaging and systemic approach to chess

Ongoing

NIIT-IGNOU Certificate Programme

Teacher’s training and Introductory

Certificate Programme for the teachers.

Ongoing

Character Education in Chess, by Roumen Bezergianov

Teacher’s training / Reading Material

Expand on Character personification Ongoing

Partnerships with other Initiatives• We engage with AICF-B, on Training programme that

is assessments centred – Build 100 Rated players (VISION)

– Sponsorships are based on continuous improvements.

– Training methodology is highly structured.

• AICF-B supports Chess-in-Schools for blind schools by assisting with boards, training materials. – Training programme is based on 3 Levels

• (beginner, intermediate and Advanced Levels)

– Audio book, and even coaches to 34 schools.

– A Web-portal dedicated to capture transaction with Coaches

• 5 Bands in each training level, based on the maturity of learning.

Acknowledgments to “Special Interest Groups”• Dr. Iian Davison, Dr. Kate Phillip and Dr. Jennifer Sprat of Aberdeen

University to have shared feedback of our Seminal work in 2007.

• We acknowledge Braille Chess Association,UK for allowing us, to visit their tournament at Winter Congress, Derby, UK, 2008. (We had to change our belief since then!)

• We acknowledge special appointments given by Dr. F Gobet, of Brunel University on explanation of acquisition of expertise, 2011.

• We Sincerely thank RNIB, LONDON, for allowing us to access Books, Journals and Learning Materials, to gain understanding on accessibility needs, 2011.

• We acknowledge Pittsburgh Science Learning Centre, Pittsburgh PA, COCO Research Centre, University of Northumbria, Newcastle UK and Durham University, Durham UK to have shared some inspiration through their relevant works and key references related to pedagogy, 2012.

• Acknowledge IBCA for helping us to be “observers” at Braille Chess Olympiad, 2012 to witness the highest level of motivation within the Braille Chess Community.

Acknowledgments inside the Family• Chess Fraternity who has supported with interesting methodologies,

(Chronological)– AICF-B’s National Programme on Chess-in-Schools Portal and Evaluation

Scheme

– IM Jeremey Silman, sharing his ideas on “How to reassess chess – Rev. 4” and the Chess Mentor Software

– Months of discussion with FM Charlie Storey, sharing minute details from Bandana National Chess Syllabus

– Albert Vasse, Chairman DGT, shared the Chess Trainer Software, based on Dutch Curriculum (Steppe Method)

– IM Malcolm Pein, and CSC Supported with Alexi’s Books for detailed Study

– Rouben , Character Education in Chess,

– Binita Shah, Director of IWICA, shared Thailand’s National Chess Curriculum commissioned for Schools.

– Tamil Nadu Government, for sharing the Manual in Tamil, for the teacher’s training Programme

Thank You