Common Core Learning Community – Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Accessibility

In this post, I will share our most recent challenges related to UDL and also provide an update to our initiative. 

Core Challenge to Launch by Oct 1

My colleague Jon Wray and I have been working diligently to gather ideas for what were are calling the Core Challenge.  (to be housed at www.corechallenge.org)  We settled on that name because our endeavor to develop open teacher- and student-created curricular resources will truly challenge the mathematics community to collaborate in unprecedented ways.  While we firmly believe that every teacher possesses at least 1 world-class idea to share yet we understand that culture of American education has not adequately prepared us for “putting ourselves out there” is such a public way.  Further, the American culture of education has rewarded and perpetuated the “close the classroom door and leave me alone” renegade spirit that has left our least experienced teacher trying to figure out the hidden secrets of teaching a by themselves.

Universal Design for Learning and Accessibility – A Journey Begins

In an effort to be completely transparent, I’d like to share something that Jon and I have been grappling with over the past month or so...namely, “How would teachers, students, and teacher leaders from the Maryland School for the Blind and/or the Maryland School for the Deaf (and all persons that belong to and support the blind and deaf communities) consume, review, and/or contribute to the Core Challenge.” Admittedly, our expertise in this area represents a surface understanding.  Each year, we work with our Department of Special Education to support a dozen students who use assistive technologies but we have never (shamefully) grappled with this challenge at the design level.  We are setting out on a journey for answers and ideas.  We have scheduled meetings with leaders from each of the aforementioned school as well as a number of vested stakeholders in our local district…but we need your input.  Please consider sharing your ideas related to the following questions….

-       What are some of the major challenges facing deaf and/or blind students and teachers in regards to accessing curriculum resources online?

-       What are some strategies that are in place right now that could enhance our ability to deliver teacher-created resources for all?

-       What designs could be put in place from the beginning to ensure that people contributing to the Core Challenge have guidance for submitting resources that is accessible to all.  (we are not looking to retrofit here)

Your ideas and thought are greatly appreciated.

Core Challenge Project Update

The Howard County Public School Systems, is partnering with the Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics, to host a state summit to discuss issues related to the Common Core on September 22 and 23, 2011 in Columbia, MD.   Leaders from school districts, the MSDE,  and other members of the mathematics community will meet to discuss the challenges associated with developing curricular resources that will ensure student success in this next era of reform.  Here is a sketch of our program agenda…

I.               Unpacking Our Common Understanding of Transition Challenges (Group)

II.             A Discussion of Focus Standards (Dr. Francis “Skip” Fennel, Past-President of NCTM)

III.           A Vision for Collaborative Curriculum Development – The Core Challenge (Bill Barnes and Jon Wray, President and Past-President of the Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics) 

IV.            Developing Open Resources to Support Conceptual Understanding Using the Livescribe Pen (Jon Wray will lead the development of pencast using 2GB Pulse Pen donated by Livescribe)

V.              Developing Recommendations for Support (Group)

Our state summit represents a small, but critical step forward.  The State of Maryland prides itself on innovation and reform.  Stay tuned for more information about this meeting.

Will you take the Challenge?

The Common Core Learning Community endeavors to create a “FOREVER FREE” transformative tool for mathematics instruction.  Classfive, our corporate developer has donated thousands of dollars in support of this initiative.  They are seeking corporate partners to accelerate development.  (We have helped them understand that the Common Core countdown clock never rests) 

We invite you to become part of the movement.  As we move to the formal phase of development, the “time for words” with be quickly replaced by a “time for action.”  Begin by spreading the word.  Continue by working with your colleague to identify world-class ideas or resources that you’d be wiling to contribute to this endeavor.  Once the site is launched, challenge yourself to consume, review, or contribute to the community.  As an exercise, take a look at my pencast.  Review it, critique it, and make it better.  It is quite liberating once you realize that the goal is really just to create a better mathematics experience for all of our children.

Multiplying Binomials - Conceptually
brought to you by Livescribe

In my next post, I will share project updates, including information that we learned about UDL and Accessibility.

Take care,

Bill Barnes

President –MCTM

William_barnes@hcpss.org (follow me on twitter @billjbarnes)