Pod 1 completed interactive learning resource on the topic: Maintaining mental health in university
Author: asiataryn
After reading through the Pod 12 Interactive Learning Resource on macro and microeconomics, I have gained a strong understanding of the basics of economics, as introduced in their resource. Overall, there were many strengths and the entire resource was well-written with very few grammatical or spelling errors, it was easy to read and flowed well through each point. The resource was designed to specifically include ELL learners and single parent learners, and it was easy to see how this resource would benefit both of those contexts. With no time limits and an entirely online delivery, it would be easier for learners to take the course at their own pace and are able to learn anywhere, so I think that was very well planned out. I particularly think that the use of technology through videos, diagrams and PowerPoint slides creates a cohesive and engaging resource where learners can interact with the material in ways that benefit them. These technology choices were rationalized well, particularly the idea that videos can be replayed as benefitting all learners in understanding the complex topics in economics. I also have to say that each essential question and corresponding section provided learners with the information needed and well supported them in achieving success, so the alignment of the course was very well done.
While the resource has many strengths, I do have some constructive feedback concerning the structure and presentation of the resource itself. I found myself somewhat confused about how the learners would be assessed, because although we were given the breakdown and explanation of the assessment plan, I’m not sure where those activities actually are in the resource. To me, it seemed that each heading for each section are the essential questions, but I am unsure whether I missed something and those are questions are directed to the learners? I understood that there was a quiz as a summative assessment but again, I am not sure how it will be delivered to the learners. The assessment activities were the only section that I found confusing to navigate as it seems as though they are not in the document itself, which is one suggestion to perhaps consider. For example, if there was another page for the summative quiz and formative assessments, it would help to separate the content from the assessments, which may help to clarify what the learners will need to complete. Similarly, I am interested to know how each activity is interactive as they are mostly video resources, so are learners going to interact with each other or with the video itself only? I wonder if the video activities could encourage more learner interaction by providing a space to annotate or comment section to post questions and discussions of each activity. Lastly, I personally had difficulty understanding how the grades were going to be assigned, as I didn’t quite understand how two grades divided by two would achieve the result, although that may be a misunderstanding on my part, I would suggest perhaps clarifying the breakdown more.
Overall, this resource was well-written and enjoyable learning experience that encompassed videos and visual aids. I can see how an ELL or single parent learner would succeed in this course and how it engages learners in thinking about macro and micro economics. As a learner, this resource gave an in-depth and engaging examination of micro and macro economics that encompassed multiple forms of technology, appropriate learning outcomes, and strong learning assessments.
My topic for the interactive learning resource focuses on maintaining mental health in university. I chose a TedX video from speaker Hailey Hardcastle that discusses the prevalence of mental health difficulties in students and how to effectively prioritize mental health in academic settings. This video is a valuable examination of the stigma surrounding mental health and the benefits of allowing students to take mental health days while in school.
Why you should take a break: Prioritizing mental health in schools | Hailey Hardcastle | TEDxSalem
- What kind of interaction would the video require from your students? Does it force them to respond in some way (inherent)?
This video does not inherently force interaction from students, as it is just a discussion of mental health stigma and challenges often faced by students. Students are able to sit back and watch the video without necessarily participating in an interactive activity that encompasses behavioural teaching principles
2. In what way are they likely to respond to the video on their own, e.g. make notes, do an activity, think about the topic (learner-generated)?
Although this video does not have inherent interactivity, it does have an element of user-generated interactivity. The themes and personal stories within the TedX talk are highly thought provoking and encourage listeners to reflect and respond emotionally to the discussion. Learners could engage in responding to the video through various forms, likely by taking notes, journaling their reflection, or thinking about their own experiences with mental health stigma in school.
3. What activity could you suggest that they do, after they have watched the video (designed)? What type of knowledge or skill would that activity help develop? What medium or technology would students use to do the activity?
This video talks about a student led campaign in Oregon that pushed a bill allowing students to take mental health days just like sick days to be implemented in schools. Following this video, I would suggest a groupwork activity where students would work in small groups to identify areas in the education system that could be improved to further reduce mental health stigma/challenges for students. I would ask them to work together and come up with a pitch for school administrators that would address one of these areas and the issues for students’ mental health. This activity would help to develop students’ collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creative skills. It goes beyond a traditional activity such as a quiz, and promotes a deeper sense of meaningful participation as they are learning through constructing their own idea of how mental health needs can be addressed in school. This activity could be developed virtually, through using zoom, email, or other communication platforms where students can discuss their ideas and form their pitch for change. They could decide to create a video, slideshow, or written document to present their ideas.
7. How will you address any potential barriers for your learners in the use of this video to ensure an inclusive design?
This video is available on a free, online platform (youtube) and has the option for closed captioning, which already minimizes some barriers, like financial burden or hearing impaired learners. The video is fairly short, meaning that learners do not need to devote too much attention or time in watching the video itself, which is particularly important for learners who have issues sustaining attention or who have strict time restrictions when learning. The groupwork activity connected with the video can be done entirely online, minimizing barriers in time or space contexts. While it is designed to be most effective as an interactive group activity, groupwork often requires time commitments and collaboration between individuals, which may be difficult for those who have many time limits or are living in a time zone that doesn’t line up to meet with others. As well, groupwork can be challenging for many diverse learners, it can be anxiety inducing or more problematic than productive, which is why I would include the option for learners to work by themselves and complete a pitch for change alone. This would minimize barriers in completing a groupwork activity and ensure that all learners would be able to complete the video and associated activity.
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How will your interactive learning resource specifically ensure that the needs of all learners can be met?
For me, creating accessible learning designs are of great importance, partly because I believe that learning should consider the needs of diverse learners and partly because I have personal experience in requiring accessible learning. In my grade 12 year, I sustained a brain injury that presented many challenges to my academic success. I could not sustain attention or sit in a classroom, I struggled to read and write, my memory became impaired, and it seemed impossible to overcome these barriers. For me, some teachers were willing to help me adapt, giving extra time on exams or allowing me to leave the room. Others, however, did not provide accessible learning options and I was faced with the options of dropping out or failing. These difficulties are not unique to me, and many learners struggle academically simply due to inaccessible learning designs that do not account for differences in hearing, vision, attention, language and more.
Through reading the required posts on accessibility and inclusive learning design, a number of important factors came into light. Firstly, it’s imperative to remember to design for all learners and ensure that we don’t overlook the potential barriers for participants to actively engage with the material. As well, we should think about learning as universal and consider the ways in which the material can be designed for multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression. Finally we should consider equity over equality and design an inclusive, accessible learning resource that benefits all learners.
In our learning resource, which focuses on maintaining mental health, we have designed it to be accessible for all learners. The material will be presented online, through free captioned videos and articles that minimize barriers in the financial cost of textbooks as well as being able to learn at any time or place rather than in a specific classroom. Our videos will be captioned and are approximately 5 minutes long, to reduce attentional demand and allow learners to move quickly through the course. The articles may be adapted to include text-to-speech, accommodating those who may have visual difficulties. Our formative assessment will ask learners to annotate the blog with their own ideas, connections, and insights. To make this accessible, we will not have a time limit on completion so that learners can work at their own pace and we will include a text-to-speech function to include those who may have difficulties writing. The summative assessment will be a self-care journal that asks students to reflect on their experiences and draw connections with the material. We can provide options for completing this task through allowing learners the freedom to create a video, audio clip, drawing, poem, written reflection, skit, dance or anything else that they can create to express their learning. The learning materials will be accessible on any online format and are not restricted to a desktop computer, allowing those without computers to learn. Our course will have no time limits in finishing each section of the material and the due dates for assessments will be flexible, to ensure that all can complete it at their own pace. Our goal is to make our design as flexible and inclusive as possible, to give learners opportunities to engage creatively, and to increase active participation through meaningful assessments. While we want our design plan to accommodate all learners needs, self-advocacy is an important part in creating greater accessibility. We may still overlook some barriers and we want learners to communicate with us if they are facing challenges as we will be able to adapt the material to ensure that all learner are included.
References:
Meyer, Anne, et al. Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice. CAST Professional Publishing, an Imprint of CAST, Inc., 2014, UDL Theory Practice, retrieved from: udltheorypractice.cast.org/
Right to Education – Inclusive Education, retrieved from: https://www.inclusiveeducation.ca/learn/right-to-education/
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Introduction:
I chose to research the open pedagogies learning approach because of my experiences in high school, where the majority of my classes utilized this approach, showing me just how effective and empowering it can be. One prime example of this approach lies in an experience I had in my English 12 First Peoples class, where we, as students, formed and lead our community in a Moosehide campaign walk that brought awareness to violence against Indigenous women and girls. This is a project that was entirely student created and student lead, as we took it upon ourselves to demonstrate learning in the form of social justice activism wherein we gathered students, teachers and Indigenous community members together as we walked, sang, and drummed to fight for change. We were empowered by the opportunity for collaboration, to become active in our learning, and to engage others in our learning process and in the end it was beautiful and unexpectedly successful. Our teachers provided us with the tools we needed, and then allowed us to create this project, giving us the responsibility to create real world solutions, work together, and grow as a community.
A general overview:
The open pedagogies learning approach is a form of experiential learning wherein students are seen as creators of information, rather than just consumers of it and learning is demonstrated through creative and meaningful engagement with the content. This approach blurs the traditional lines between student and teacher, instead seeing the learner as an active participant who is an agent of their own understanding. Open pedagogies are characterized by a commitment to using open educational resources, which are free publicly accessible learning tools, such as open textbooks or videos. The open pedagogies learning approach can be best understood through the 8 open qualities that define how learning is conducted through an emphasis on student agency, collaboration, and community. The first quality, agency, means that students are seen as individual, independent agents within the learning process. Second, choice, means that learners choose their own pace, directions, and connections with the material. Third, expansion, means that the learning network is an open-ended and constantly expanding network that represents a possibility for learning. Fourth, creativity, means that the open approach provides opportunities to inspire new perspectives, creativity, and ideas. Fifth, student constructed, means that learners take responsibility for their own learning and are active participants in its planning and growth. Sixth, open-ended problems, means that the learning design is focused on empowering students to create real solutions to real problems and less focused on specific outcomes. Seventh, unmeasurable outcomes, means that traditional outcome measurement, such as letter grades, are insufficient as can only capture learning as static and closed, rather than an ever-evolving process. Finally, the eighth quality, risk, means that the ability for students to choose their own learning pathways can lead to unexpected and unpredictable results. Open pedagogies is an access-oriented, learner driven approach to education that invites students to be an integral part of the teaching process as they participate in the co-creation of knowledge.
How it does it align with our Interactive Learning Resource topic?
I think the open pedagogies learning approach aligns with our topic, maintaining mental health, in some valuable ways. First, I think that a topic like mental health is extremely individualistic, it is unique to each person and what they experience as well as their needs. In our interactive learning resource, our formative assessment tasks are going to include a self-care journal, requiring students to reflect on the ways in which their mental health may be functioning, and specific goals to work on that will help maintain strong mental health. A task like this highlights many of the qualities of open pedagogy such as learning being student-constructed, open-ended, and having unmeasurable outcomes. With a task like a journal, students are not meeting specific requirements to receive a grade, but are asked to show a self-directed process of reflection, incorporation of new knowledge, and specific ways in which the concepts can be integrated into their lives. Learning and showing learning are almost entirely dependent on the student’s engagement and self-directed activity in which they can gain a greater understanding of the material through a journal, rather than through a right or wrong answer test. In this way, our approach follows the open pedagogy qualities as we are asking students to engage meaningfully and solve real life problems through entirely self-directed reflection with the material. As well, all of our resources are open educational resources, as they consist of free, open articles, Youtube videos, and the use of free websites. However, our topic of maintaining mental health is individualistic and requires much self reflection, leaving out opportunities for collaboration and imagination to take place. We do not have it set up for learners to effectively collaborate with each other, share insights or really share their journals with each other. I think mental health is a challenging topic to discuss with peers or people in general, leading it to be a topic that is very dependent on self rather than others.
Other approaches discussed within my group:
- Cooperative learning: This is a learning approach characterized by a group process, wherein students learn from one another and work together to complete tasks and gain understanding of the material. Although this is a valuable way to provide students with the opportunities for collaboration and promote group learning, our Interactive Learning Design does not yet have a group component to it, as mental health is somewhat of a individualistic topic that may be difficult to share with others. https://kropchan.opened.ca/2021/10/16/cooperative-learning-post-2/
- Experiential Learning: This approach is characterized by constructing learning through practical life experiences, such as field trips, co-ops, and hands on work. The experiential approach fits well within our topic and learning resource , as mental health challenges are often experienced by university students and the maintenance of good health, such as increasing sleep, changing diet or mindset is so individualized, and can only be taught through experience. https://nates.opened.ca/experiential-learning/
References
https://www.nextthought.com/thoughts/2015/02/ten-qualities-of-open-pedagogy
My best learning experience…
For me, my best learning experience takes place not in a classroom or through formal instruction, but through the invaluable experience of travelling the world. When I was 13 years old, my family and I packed our bags and left Canada to spend the next year of our lives in 31 different countries across the globe. Looking back now, I see that year-long adventure as a time in which I learned more about myself and the world around me than what 15 years of formal education could ever teach me. Through direct and uninstructed experiences, I learned languages, world geography, environmental sciences and above all, differing ways of life within many cultures around the world. I gained insight into how I fit into the world around me and began to understand the ways in which I am privileged. I remember experiencing the life of people living in poverty, from the favelas in Brazil to the streets of Indonesia, seeing people who were struggling to access clean water, affordable food and safe shelter. I remember walking past war amputees struggle to make a meager living without their limbs, selling souvenirs to tourists. I remember complaining that we didn’t have warm water for showers or that my feet hurt from walking all day, or that we couldn’t find peanut butter in any store. This experience humbled me, served my privilege on a silver platter and showed me that my experience of life in Canada is not universal, that the world can be unkind and unforgiving to those born into a different kind of life. However, I also learned joy, celebration, and the importance of meaningful human connection. I danced in the streets with locals, bathed with elephants in the river, celebrated new holidays, and heard life stories from people around the world. I learned how to appreciate everything that life has to offer, to make beauty out of very little, to love unconditionally and enjoy the simple moments of happiness in each day. I thoroughly enjoyed this incredible learning experience because I felt like I wasn’t learning at all, I was just following my parents around the globe and having fun. I enjoyed this learning experience because I wasn’t being taught and there were no expectations or exams, just the simple act of living life as it was that day. I was an active participant in my environment, taking in the world around me, but not realizing the how impactful those experiences would be, translating to a greater understanding of what life truly means.
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