A Dance with the Butterflies: A Metamorphosis of Teaching and Learning Through Technology

This paper describes a web-based collaborative project called A Dance with the Butterflies that applied the brain-based research of the Center for Applied Special Technologies (CAST) and principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to Pre-K-4 science curriculum. Learning experiences were designed for students to invoke the Recognition, Strategic, and Affective neural networks for learning identified in the CAST research. Instruction was based on the Science Education content standard that all students should develop an understanding of the characteristics, life cycles, and environments of living organisms. Teachers designed interdisciplinary projects for students with the metamorphosis of the butterfly as the theme the unit. Participants from nine states and four countries learned about UDL to transform teaching and to collaborate through a blog that supported their learning. They shared new technology applications for use in their projects. The learning that occurred and the excitement to use technology for learning clearly demonstrate the power of the UDL framework for increasing engagement and understanding by all learners.     

Inclusive education in Latin America and the Caribbean: Exploratory analysis of the national reports presented at the 2008 International Conference on Education

This exploratory analysis of inclusive education issues in Latin America and the Caribbean is based on a series of documents produced in the framework of the organization of the 48th session of the International Conference on Education, in particular the National Reports presented at the Conference as well as country reports presented at preparatory meetings. The content analysis of the materials focused on the following topics: (a) the legal and normative framework; (b) the current educational policies; (c) the proposed or adopted approach in terms of inclusive education; (d) the main target groups; (e) inclusive education and the curriculum; (f) the kind of indicators most frequently mentioned; and (g) problems and challenges for inclusive education. One of the main challenges for the countries in the region is the appreciable gap between the stated principles and vision on one side, and the actual practices of inclusive education, on the other. Thus, there is an urgent need to ensure that policies and strategies translate into concrete actions aimed at changing the institutional practices and pedagogical approaches in the school and the classroom.     

美国特殊教育课程融合取向的设计模式及启示

课程的开发与实施是影响融合教育有效开展的关键因素之一。作为实施融合教育的先驱国家,美国对融合取向的课程进行了深入的探索,积累了丰富的理论与实践经验。在简述融合教育下美国特殊教育课程演变的历程中,本文重点关注调整课程与通用课程,从概念界定、类型划分、设计原则、效果的影响因素与评价等方面进行分析与总结,并在比较中揭示两者的区别,以找到有助于解决我国特殊教育课程尤其是随班就读课程问题的启发策略。     

加拿大安大略省《幼儿园大纲》解读

加拿大安大略省从2010年开始推行全日制幼儿园,于2016年完成了《幼儿园大纲》的修订工作。修订后的新大纲提出了一个基于幼儿成长需求的幼儿园课程四框架,主张在探究文化中遵循基于游戏学习的基本原则,倡导多方合作协调的幼儿园公平和全纳教育,实施"让儿童的思考和学习看得见"的叙事性评价。这些对我国学前教育纲领性文件的修订、幼儿园课程改革都富有启发意义。我国学前教育纲领性文件也有必要融入文献、案例,兼具指导性和操作性,应当将全纳教育的理念渗透到幼儿教育实践之中,构建一个以儿童为本的幼儿园课程框架。     

Universal Design for Learning: Preparing Secondary Education Teachers in Training to Increase Academic Accessibility of High School English Learners

Although the concept of universal design for learning (UDL) is well understood in the world of architecture and in the area of special education, its use to increase the academic performance of high school English learners (ELs) is not widely explored. To reduce this void, this article presents an overview of the UDL concept and its principles, applies UDL to classroom instruction and assessment of high school ELs, and offers suggestions on how UDL can be infused in preparation programs for secondary education teachers. This article also provides an example of how a school system has integrated UDL into its educational framework to increase academic accessibility for all.     

K-12 online lesson alignment to the principles of Universal Design for Learning: the Khan Academy

The field of K-12 education is being transformed, with an influx of students, including those with identified disabilities, engaging in blended and fully online learning. While online learning shows promise for students with disabilities through flexible content and personalised instruction, concerns regarding accessibility and appropriateness of online learning for this population still exist. In order to examine this concern, researchers developed and used a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Scan Tool to measure lesson content and alignment with UDL principles, guidelines and checkpoints. Four hundred and seventy-eight math, science and world history Khan Academy lessons were randomly selected and evaluated for this study. The paper highlights the results of the study, in terms of the lessons’ alignment with UDL principles and guidelines, as well as a discussion on limitations and future research.     

融合教育课程:内涵、缘由及策略

随迁农民工子女的社会融合教育是一个热点话题。要使学校的融合教育更富有成效,应重视课程问题。学校应调查并根据随迁农民工子女的教育需求、社会生活需要来确定融合教育课程目标、构建融合教育内容,根据随迁农民工子女的特点在课程实施时贯彻渗透性、活动性、合作性原则,并根据随迁农民工子女社会融合的指标体系来评价融合教育的效果。     

Universal Design for Learning in Pre-K to Grade 12 Classrooms: A Systematic Review of Research

Some researchers have characterized Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as a promising framework to provide diverse students with access to the general education curriculum, but to what extent and how have UDL-based interventions fulfilled that promise? The purpose of this review was to analyze studies that investigated impacts of UDL-based instruction on academic and social outcomes for pre-K to grade 12 students. For the 13 studies that qualified for our review, we analyzed how researchers applied UDL principles as well as outcomes and efficacy of UDL-based interventions. Results of this analysis suggest that overall, UDL-based instruction has the potential to increase engagement and access to general education curriculum for students with disabilities, and improve students’ academic and social outcomes. However, we found mixed results; the efficacy of UDL-based interventions varied considerably within and across many studies, with effect sizes ranging from small to large. In addition, we found that although authors noted that their interventions were UDL-based, there was considerable variance in how authors reported connections between specific UDL guidelines and components of their interventions.     

融合教育体系中的学科课程与教学课程建设———以师范院校“语文课程与教学”课程为例

融合教育需要融合学校和融合教育师资,融合教育师资的培养需要有适应融合教育的课程。“语文课程与教学”是师范院校小学教育和特殊教育专业的一门重要课程,为了适应融合教育师资培养的需要,必须对这门课程进行改革,构建新的课程体系,在课程性质、结构内容和课程资源建设各方面体现融合教育理念和语文教育特点,以区别于普通学校“语文课程与教学”和“特殊（聋、弱智、盲）学校语文课程与教学”,并把这门课程纳入融合教育师资培养的课程体系中。     

Exploring variation in nurse educators’ perceptions of the inclusive curriculum

This paper reports findings from a study into how nurse educators view the notion of an inclusive curriculum within their discipline. UK nurse education is professionally accredited, with substantial levels of work-based learning. Therefore, this analysis should be useful to practitioners on other professional courses. The study was based on a phenomenographic analysis of data collected from interviews with 15 nurse educators in one university. Analysis exposed wide variation in respondents’ perceptions and experiences of developing and delivering an inclusive curriculum. Much discussion focused on teaching students with disabilities and tutors expressed concern over implications regarding fitness for practice and public safety. However, there was recognition that diversity was a feature of the contemporary educational environment and that nursing courses had much to gain from inclusive practices. Key differences identified related to the extent to which change was required to current processes and practices. The findings indicated a concern over support for educators to manage these issues and suggested that in the absence of more robust direction, the student experience is shaped by the attitudes of individual tutors. In light of this, the author suggests that a coordinated and consistent response from the higher education establishment, professional bodies, practitioners and policy-makers is necessary to fully establish the notion of inclusive curricula in any professionally accredited course.     

质量评价维度下学前融合教育现状述评

随着学前融合教育日益受到全社会的关注,关于其质量方面的研究也日益丰富。文章综合中国目前学前融合教育现状的研究,以质量的视角对中国大陆学前融合教育的发展状况进行探析,得出:(1)中国大陆在构建学前融合教育质量观念上缺乏理论创新,对学前融合教育的质量内容与要素存在模糊;(2)缺乏适合中国大陆国情的学前融合教育质量评价工具;(3)中国大陆在融合教育理念与知识、物理环境、心理环境、课程与教学、支持系统五大维度下的学前融合教育现状不容乐观,需在各个方面逐步改进,从而提高我国的学前融合教育质量。     

Predicting pre-service teachers’ preparedness for inclusive education: Bangladeshi pre-service teachers’ attitudes and perceived teaching-efficacy for inclusive education

This study reports on the second phase of a larger study, which investigated the preparedness of pre-service teachers to teach in inclusive classrooms in Bangladesh. Phase 1 employed two standardised scales that were used with 1623 pre-service teachers from 16 teacher education institutions to measure their attitudes and perceived teaching-efficacy for inclusive education. The findings of Phase 1 indicated that the level and length of training, along with gender, influenced both teacher attitudes and teaching-efficacy. In Phase 2, semi-structured interviews with six administrative heads of the pre-service teacher education institutions were conducted in order to better understand these findings. Outcomes of Phase 2 indicated that curriculum, teacher-related and a number of contextual variables may explain the differences in the findings of this study that were in sharp contrast to those from previous international research. Recommendations for policy and curriculum reform for pre-service teacher education are also made.     

融合教育背景下学前教育专业课程设置的探讨

融合教育的实施对幼儿教师素养提出了新要求,高校学前教育专业课程一直承担着培养幼儿教师素养的重任,但学前教育专业传统的课程设置却一直都忽视了特殊教育的诉求。因此,以培养学前融合师资为目标,对学前教育专业本科课程设置进行改革势在必行。融合教育背景下,学前教育专业课程设置的改革构想主要包括三方面：探索学前教育专业融合教育导向的课程结构,构建学前融合教育方向课程的实践教学体系,加强学前教育专业的课程管理。     

Ethics across the curriculum: Detecting and describing emergent trends in ethics education

This paper presents an inclusive and emergent approach to identifying ethics courses and revealing their pedagogical methods and goals. It outlines a two-year study of undergraduate and professional courses at a private university addressing ethical themes. The study began with three assumptions: 1) ethics education occurs across the curriculum; 2) instructors are master practitioners with learning theories and goals that are often implicit; and 3) education contributes to three domains of human development: existential, civic, and vocational. These principles informed the development of a method for describing ethics education based on instructor reports of what and how they teach. Results of an application of this method are presented, and implications for ethics teaching and assessment in higher education are discussed.     

Universal design for learning in anatomy education of healthcare students: A scoping review

There are concerns among healthcare practitioners about poor anatomical knowledge among recent healthcare graduates. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework developed to enhance students' experience of learning and help students to become motivated learners. This scoping review identified whether UDL has been utilized in third level healthcare education and if so, whether it had been used to enhance student motivation to study anatomy. Seven online databases were searched for studies reporting the use of UDL in the curricula of medical, dental, occupational therapy (OT) or speech and language therapy (SLT) programs. Studies were screened for eligibility with set inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and analyzed. Analysis revealed that UDL was not specifically mentioned in any of the studies thus there are no published studies on UDL being formally applied in healthcare education. However, the authors identified 33 publications that described teaching methods which aligned with UDL in anatomy curricula and a thematic analysis yielded four main themes relating to teaching strategies being employed. Universal design for learning was not mentioned specifically, indicating that educators may not be aware of the educational framework, although they appeared to be utilizing aspects of it in their teaching. The review revealed that there is a lack of research concerning the anatomy education of OT and SLT students. The role of UDL in enhancing motivation to learn anatomy in medical, dental, OT and SLT programs has yet to be explored.     

The end/s of education: complexity and the conundrum of the inclusive educational curriculum

The conundrum of the inclusive educational curriculum is that the more inclusive a curriculum becomes in practice, the less inclusive it becomes in principle. In this paper we explain the conundrum and argue that its appearance is a product of what could be called ‘object‐based’ logic which is underpinned by a deterministic understanding of causality. As long as we employ object‐based logic to think about the curriculum, we cannot avoid asking what a curriculum is for. Whoever answers this question necessarily excludes other possibilities. We argue that a relational or ‘complex’ understanding of causality, which is shared by complexity theories, poststructural theories, deconstruction and Deweyan pragmatism, offers a way out of the conundrum by offering a different understanding of process and hence the guiding role of the curriculum in the educational process. In allowing the possibility of a guiding role for the curriculum, while dispensing with the need for a curricular ‘end’, complex logic can inform an understanding of curriculum which succeeds where humanistic education in its various forms has failed.     

Civic education in Ethiopian schools: Adopted paradigms,instructional technology,and democratic citizenship in a multicultural context

After nearly two decades of military dictatorship, democratic civic education has been integrated into the Ethiopian school curriculum. This paper examines the policy–practice concordance in implementing the civic education curriculum based on empirical evidence generated on the philosophical underpinnings, curricular contents, pedagogical approaches, and the role of instructional technology. Data were gathered through a questionnaire survey on 179 randomly selected high school students, key informant teachers, and content analysis of students’ textbooks, teachers’ guides, and official policy documents. The findings reveal that the existing civic and ethical education curriculum is eclectic in its character blending the minimal interpretation of democratic civic education with the inclusive conception of ethno-cultural diversity relevant to multicultural societies. Nevertheless, the manner in which the TV-instruction is used in classrooms is found to hinder interactive learning that is instrumental to nurture democratic and active citizens.     

The effectiveness of universal design for learning: a meta-analysis of literature between 2013 and 2016

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is often promoted as an inclusive teaching methodology for supporting all students within diverse contemporary classrooms. This is achieved by proactively planning to the edges of a classroom by thinking of all the potential needs of students. To examine its effectiveness, a meta-analysis was conducted on empirical research, containing pre- and post-testing, published in peer-reviewed journals between 2013 and 2016 (N?=?18). Results from this analysis suggest that UDL is an effective teaching methodology for improving the learning process for all students. The impact on educational outcomes has not been demonstrated. The implications of this study will be discussed.     

试论融合教育推动下的课程调整

融合教育课程是融合教育成功的关键,也是提升融合教育质量的重点。在融合教育的推动下,美国等实施融合教育的先驱国家对融合取向的课程进行了深入地探讨,积累了丰富的理论与实践经验。本文以此为背景,对课程调整的产生、概念、类型、实施原则等进行了简要分析,并从中总结出在普通教室中实施课程调整的实践意义,以期对我国随班就读课程改革起到一定推进作用。