students – Page 6

Accessing Education: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Online Learning

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A recently published paper explores the challenges and opportunities for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in online and hybrid learning. The study found that online and hybrid learning both supports and presents challenges to EDI, and that pedagogy and course design must be considered as a first step in addressing some of the challenges to EDI.

The study also found that further student support is needed to facilitate equity, diversity, and inclusion in online learning.

Overall, the paper highlights the importance of addressing EDI in online and hybrid learning and offers several recommendations for doing so.

These recommendations include:

Prioritizing the implementation of policies that support equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Considering the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to ensure that course materials are accessible to all learners.
Providing training for instructors to use UDL principles to design and deliver courses that are inclusive and accessible to all learners.
Providing support for learners who face challenges related to access, such as those with learning differences and/or disabilities, or those who live in underserved, remote/rural communities.
Engaging with reconciliation, decolonization, and Indigenization as part of the pursuit of EDI goals.

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UDL and Blended Learning: Thriving in Flexible Learning Landscapes

Novak, Katie (Author)
English (Publication Language)
232 Pages – 05/29/2021 (Publication Date) – Impress (Publisher)

The paper also highlights the need for further student support to facilitate equity, diversity, and inclusion in online learning, and encourages readers to engage with reconciliation, decolonization, and Indigenization as part of the pursuit of EDI goals.

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3 Pillars of High-quality Blended Learning

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Catlin Tucker continues to lead the way in blended learning. Her most recent post outlines the three pillars of high-quality blended learning.

Tucker describes the three pillars of successful blended learning are student agency, differentiation, and control over the learning pace. Student agency involves giving students meaningful choices in their learning process, such as content-based choices on subjects or topics and process-based decisions on learning approaches or resources, fostering a sense of responsibility and engagement.

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The Complete Guide to Blended Learning: Activating Agency, Differentiation, Community, and Inquiry for Students (Essential guide to strategies and … student learning in blended environments)

Catlin R. Tucker (Author)
English (Publication Language)
232 Pages – 07/05/2022 (Publication Date) – Solution Tree Press (Publisher)

Differentiation, the second pillar, requires adjusting teaching methods to address each student’s unique needs and abilities. This could involve varying assignments based on proficiency levels or providing structured guides for students who need additional support. The final pillar is student control over the pace of learning. Misalignment between the pace of learning and the learner’s needs can lead to disengagement or distraction; therefore, granting students autonomy over the speed at which they learn enhances engagement and success. By integrating these pillars, educators can create robust blended learning environments, enhancing student engagement and improving educational outcomes.

Larry Cuban on the “F” Word

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No, not that “F” word.

Larry Cuban shared his thoughts on leveraging failure as a valuable step in the learning process, something I’ve tried to convey to teachers and students over the years.

Cuban begins by recounting his career journey, which spans from his start as a high school teacher in 1955 to his time as a district superintendent and later as a professor at Stanford. He emphasizes that his career, while marked by many successes, was also filled with failures, which he believes are often overlooked in discussions about career progression.

Cuban writes, “While on the surface my long career as an educator appears as an unvarnished success albeit a modest one, it was a zig-zag path with cul-de-sacs and, truth be told, a road pitted with potholes of failure.” He argues that failures are an integral part of success and that society’s tendency to avoid discussing failures does a disservice to the reality of most people’s career trajectories.

He shares several instances of his own failures, including being rejected for teaching positions, struggling to connect with certain students, failing to reduce racial tensions in a department he administered, and being turned down for numerous superintendent posts and a deanship at Stanford’s School of Education. He also discusses his failures in getting published, with many of his submissions being rejected by publishers and editors.

Cuban emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and learning from failures. He quotes several famous figures to illustrate his point, including basketball star Michael Jordan, Winston Churchill, and Maya Angelou. He writes, “Defeats were doors that closed in my face. Yet other doors opened.” He explains that failures can lead to new opportunities and that persistence in the face of failure can lead to eventual success.

In conclusion, Cuban states, “Looking back at my career and the mix of success and failure make clear to me how complex the interaction between winning and losing is.” He underscores the importance of adopting a growth mindset and learning from failure, making it clear that success and failure are integral parts of any career journey.

Schools Prioritizing Social-Emotional Learning See Strong Academic Benefits

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A new, comprehensive report from the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research delves into the critical period of adolescence, a time of significant growth and change that sets the stage for adulthood. The report emphasizes the importance of investing in adolescents to ensure their future success and the prosperity of our society.

The report begins by highlighting the unique characteristics of adolescence. It’s a time of rapid brain development, particularly in areas related to social and emotional learning. Adolescents are not just oversized children; they have unique needs and potentials that require targeted support.

The study underscores the importance of a supportive environment for adolescents. Schools, families, and communities all play a vital role in shaping adolescents’ experiences. The report suggests that these environments should be designed to foster positive relationships, provide meaningful learning experiences, and promote healthy identity development.

One of the key findings of the report is the importance of social and emotional learning (SEL) during adolescence. SEL skills, such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making, are crucial for adolescents’ success in school and life. The report advocates for integrating SEL into the school curriculum and providing adolescents opportunities to practice these skills in real-world contexts.

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The Trauma-Sensitive Classroom: Building Resilience with Compassionate Teaching

Jennings, Patricia A. (Author)
English (Publication Language)
224 Pages – 11/13/2018 (Publication Date) – W. W. Norton & Company (Publisher)

The report also discusses the role of equity in adolescent development. It argues that all adolescents, regardless of their background, should have access to high-quality educational opportunities. The report calls for policies and practices that promote equity and ensure that all adolescents can reach their full potential.

In conclusion, “Investing in Adolescents” is a call to action for educators, policymakers, and society at large. It emphasizes that adolescence is a critical period that shapes individuals’ futures and the future of our society. By investing in adolescents and providing them with the support they need, we can unleash their potential and create a brighter future for all.

Teachers increasingly embrace ChatGPT — students not so much

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According to a survey conducted by the Walton Family Foundation and Impact Research, the use of AI tools among teachers has seen a significant increase, growing 13 percentage points from winter to summer. The survey found that 63% of teachers are now using AI, up from 50% in February. On the other hand, student participation has also increased but at a slower pace, rising from 33% to 42% during the same period.

The survey results revealed that a large majority of teachers (84%) who have used ChatGPT reported that the AI technology has positively impacted their classes. As the use of AI in education continues to grow, Common Sense Media announced plans to develop an in-depth AI ratings and reviews system to assess AI products used by children and educators on responsible AI practices and other factors.

The article also mentions that while some districts have blocked ChatGPT and other AI-powered tools, others are exploring how the technology can improve education workplace practices. As interest and use intensify, many education professionals are searching for guidance and credible sources of information on ways to safely and effectively incorporate AI.

The Power of Creation in Education: Lessons from Rodney Mullen

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In the world of skateboarding, Rodney Mullen is a legend. Known as the godfather of modern street skating, Mullen’s journey from a farm boy in Florida to a world-renowned skateboarder is a testament to the power of creativity, resilience, and individuality. As we navigate a transitional era in education, moving towards more student agency and authentic work, Mullen’s story offers valuable insights.

Growing up, Mullen felt like an outsider until he discovered skateboarding. The sport offered him a sense of freedom and individuality that resonated deeply with him. There were no coaches, no direct opponents – just him and his board. This is a powerful reminder of the importance of student agency in education. Like Mullen, students should have the freedom to explore their interests and passions, learn and grow at their own pace, and express their individuality through their work.

Mullen’s journey was not without challenges. As the sport of skateboarding evolved, he found himself struggling to adapt. However, this setback was also liberating. Freed from the pressure of maintaining his champion status, Mullen was able to explore and create new tricks. This resilience and adaptability are crucial skills for students in today’s rapidly changing world. As educators, we must create learning environments that encourage students to take risks, learn from their mistakes, and continually strive for improvement.

One of the most significant lessons from Mullen’s story is the power of creating something for the sake of creating it. Mullen found joy in innovating and creating new tricks, not for the accolades or fame, but for the sheer love of creation. This is a powerful message for students. In a world that often values grades and test scores above all else, it’s important to remind students that the process of creation and learning is valuable in and of itself.

Mullen’s story also highlights the importance of community and collaboration. In both the skateboarding and hacker communities, respect is earned by taking what others have done, improving upon it, and sharing it back with the community. This ethos of continuous innovation and growth is one that we should strive to foster in our classrooms. By encouraging students to collaborate, share their work, and build upon the ideas of others, we can create a culture of learning that is dynamic, inclusive, and empowering.

As we navigate this transitional era in education, let’s take a page from Rodney Mullen’s book. Let’s create learning environments that value creativity, resilience, individuality, and community. Let’s encourage our students to create for the sake of creating and to find joy in the process of learning. And most importantly, let’s remind them that, like Mullen, they have the power to shape their own learning journeys and to make a meaningful impact on the world around them.

Rethinking AI in Education: The Unintended Consequences of AI Detection Tools

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In the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence (AI), we are constantly faced with new challenges and ethical dilemmas. One such issue has recently been brought to light by a study published in The Guardian. The study reveals a concerning bias in AI detection tools, particularly against non-native English speakers.

These AI detection tools are designed to identify whether a piece of text has been written by a human or generated by an AI. They are increasingly being used in academic and professional settings to prevent what some consider a new form of cheating – using AI to write essays or job applications. However, the study found that these tools often incorrectly flag work produced by non-native English speakers as AI-generated.

The researchers tested seven popular AI text detectors using 91 English essays written by non-native speakers. Over half of these essays, written for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), were incorrectly identified as AI-generated. In stark contrast, when essays written by native English-speaking eighth graders in the US were tested, over 90% were correctly identified as human-generated.

The bias seems to stem from how these detectors assess what is human and what is AI-generated. They use a measure called “text perplexity”, which gauges how “surprised” or “confused” a generative language model is when trying to predict the next word in a sentence. Large language models like ChatGPT are trained to produce low perplexity text, which means that if humans use a lot of common words in a familiar pattern in their writing, their work is at risk of being mistaken for AI-generated text. This risk is greater with non-native English speakers, who are more likely to adopt simpler word choices.

The implications of these findings are serious. AI detectors could falsely flag college and job applications as AI-generated, and marginalize non-native English speakers on the internet, as search engines such as Google downgrade what is assessed to be AI-generated content. In education, non-native students bear more risks of false accusations of cheating, which can be detrimental to a student’s academic career and psychological well-being.

In light of these findings, Jahna Otterbacher at the Cyprus Center for Algorithmic Transparency at the Open University of Cyprus suggests a different approach. Instead of fighting AI with more AI, we should develop an academic culture that promotes the use of generative AI in a creative, ethical manner. She warns that AI models like ChatGPT, which are constantly learning from public data, will eventually learn to outsmart any detector.

This study serves as a reminder that as we continue to integrate AI into our lives, we must remain vigilant about its potential unintended consequences. It’s crucial that we continue to question and scrutinize the tools we use, especially when they have the potential to discriminate or cause harm. As we move forward, let’s ensure that our use of AI in education and other sectors is not only innovative but also fair and ethical.

For more details, you can read the full article here.

UK universities set out plans to use AI in teaching

The Russell Group, a collective of 24 public research universities in the UK, has published new principles outlining how its institutions will responsibly and ethically use AI technologies like ChatGPT.

The guidelines, agreed upon by all the group’s vice-chancellors, include training staff to help students use AI tools and adapting teaching and assessment methods to incorporate AI technology. The group believes this could enhance student learning experiences and prepare them for real-world applications of these technologies.

However, there are concerns about students using AI to complete coursework and assessments, which some academics view as undetectable cheating. As a result, all Russell Group institutions have updated their academic codes of conduct to reflect developments in AI and clarify when its use is inappropriate. Read the full article here.

A comprehensive AI policy education framework for university teaching and learning

The study titled “A comprehensive AI policy education framework for university teaching and learning” aims to develop an AI education policy for higher education by examining the perceptions and implications of text-generative AI technologies. The research collected data from 457 students and 180 teachers and staff across various disciplines in Hong Kong universities, using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Based on the findings, the study proposes an AI Ecological Education Policy Framework to address the multifaceted implications of AI integration in university teaching and learning. This framework is organized into three dimensions: Pedagogical, Governance, and Operational. The Pedagogical dimension focuses on using AI to improve teaching and learning outcomes, while the Governance dimension tackles issues related to privacy, security, and accountability. The Operational dimension addresses matters concerning infrastructure and training.

The framework fosters a nuanced understanding of the implications of AI integration in academic settings, ensuring that stakeholders are aware of their responsibilities and can take appropriate actions accordingly. The study highlights the importance of students playing an active role in drafting and implementing the policy. The research also addresses the growing concern in academic settings about the use of text-generative artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, Bing, and the latest, Co-Pilot, integrated within the Microsoft Office suite. The study found that nearly one in three students had used a form of AI, such as essay-generating software, to complete their coursework. This has led to calls for stricter regulations and penalties for academic misconduct involving AI. Read the full study here.

Information Wants to Be Free

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This summer, as part of my doctoral work, one of my courses focuses on leading organizational change. The text, Leadership and the New Science, offers a challenging perspective on leadership.

While we normally think of organizations as well-structured, curated entities, the author here delves into fields of quantum physics and chaos theory, positing that the structure of an organization only becomes apparent after being constructed naturally, after the chaos.

Yes, it’s different. But I’m enjoying the perspective, particularly when thinking about public schools and how we just keep trying to organize teachers and students into neat little groups that fit into certain categories.

Hint: that don’t work. Period.

Forgive my foray into Kentucky speak.

Information was the topic of a recent chapter and how it influences organizations. Or, perhaps, how it builds organizations, giving life to them.

Below are some thoughts I shared with the group:

“In a constantly evolving, dynamic universe, information is a fundamental yet invisible player, one we can’t see until it takes physical form. Something we cannot see, touch, or get our hands on is out there, influencing life. Information seems to be managing us”
Wheatley, 2006, p. 96

For most of my life, I’ve been a dealer in information. Whether it was teaching amateur performers how to harmonize in a small church choir, training employees and salespeople, teaching middle school math students, or writing articles, videos, tweets, podcasts, etc., for people worldwide on technology and education topics, I’m an information dealer.

Information, above all else, wants to be and should be free. At least, that’s what people who are smarter than me have said. Stewart Brand brought this concept into being in the early years—the very early years—of the digital age. At the first Hacker’s Conference, then again in his 1987 book The Media Lab, Brand declared, “Information wants to be free” (Brand, 1987; O’Leary, 2009). This thought became a slogan for the early hacker community (no, not those hackers, the good kind), placed forever in Hacker Ethics (The Hacker’s Ethic, 2001).

The Internet, at first a connection between 12 universities to share resources and information (High, 2018), became the democratizing force of the modern world. Over several decades, the internet has made it easier and faster to access vast information and knowledge from anywhere in the world (Castells, n.d.).

But what does this have to do with organizational leadership? Every organization communicates, and what they communicate, in its simplest form, is information.

As Wheatley (2006) discusses, information is a fundamental player in every organization, including schools (p. 96). In my experience, communicating information to every stakeholder is essential for a well-functioning school. Communicating with all stakeholders builds trust, transparency, and a positive school culture. When school leaders effectively communicate with students, parents, staff, and community members, they can keep everyone informed about what is happening inside the school and create a sense of belonging and ownership (Gurganus, 2019).

When I think about the flow of information in schools, I think back to Wheatley’s (2006) words on the Colorado River finding more than one way to reach the ocean (p.18) and how schools are finding new ways to share information within the organization as well as with the broader school community. I can only think that, as we get better at sharing information, our schools will continue to improve, and our discussions about what is equitable for all students will help guide education into a bright future.

References:

Brand, S. (1987). The media lab: Inventing the future at MIT. Viking.

Castells, M. (n.d.). The impact of the internet on society: A global perspective. OpenMind. Retrieved June 11, 2023, from https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/articles/the-impact-of-the-internet-on-society-a-global-perspective/

Gurganus, R. (2019, May 7). Reaching the masses: Communicating with all stakeholders. NASSP. https://www.nassp.org/2019/05/07/reaching-the-masses-communicating-with-all-stakeholders/

High, P. (2018, March 26). The father of the internet, Vint Cerf, continues to influence its growth. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterhigh/2018/03/26/the-father-of-the-internet-vint-cerf-continues-to-influence-its-growth/

O’Leary, B. (2009, October 20). 75 words. Magellan Media Partners. https://magellanmediapartners.com/publishing-innovation/75_words/

The hacker’s ethic. (2001, November 30). https://web.archive.org/web/20011130010117/http://hoshi.cic.sfu.ca/~guay/Paradigm/Hacker.html

Wheatley, M. J. (2006). Leadership and the new science: Discovering order in a chaotic world (3rd ed). Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.