Educating All Learners Alliance

Discussing Bias in Education Research with Saro Mohammed

Today’s podcast episode features Sarojani Mohammed, the founder of Ed Research Works. Saro fights the injustice of knowledge-hoarding by making deep, meaningful connections between research and practice to expand equal access to educational opportunities, and improve outcomes, for all learners. We had the opportunity to highlight some of the background information on education research by discussing questions like - What should we ask for from research about students with disabilities and what is an example of how bias can transform education research?

Mentioned People/Resources:

Sarojani Mohammed at Ed Research Works: https://www.edresearchworks.com

Follow Ed Research Works on Twitter: https://twitter.com/edresearchworks

Sarojani Mohammed’s personal website: www.sarojani.com

 

Website: www.educatingalllearners.org

Twitter: @educateall_org

YouTube: Educating All Learners

5 Minutes with Relay Graduate School of Education

On today's episode, we're joined by Emily Art. Emily is the Dean of Special Education at Relay Graduate School of Education. Throughout the 5 minutes, we took a deep dive into Relay’s Teaching Exceptional Learners (TEL) programs and discussed the various populations who participate in the program. The programs include: a master’s program for current special educators seeking their initial certification and an advanced certificate program for experienced general educators who are interested in building their skills around working with students with disabilities. These programs have been operating for 6 years and more than 1800 students have attended these two programs across 10 cities.

 

Mentioned People/Resources:

• Relay’s website: https://www.relay.edu/programs/master-arts-teaching#program-options'
• Kyler Lofton, Nadine Mitchell, Maxine Townsend, faculty in the TEL program in NYC, planned and executed Professional Learning Communities during the first 15 minutes of class each week. Giving graduate students the opportunity to connect and engage in shared problem solving as they navigate distance learning together.
• Jill Ordynans and colleagues coordinated two Remote Learning Symposia where alumni and current graduate students presented to one another about best practices they were generating in the shift to distance learning.
• Lauren LeBental, a TEL Dean in NYC, led the Assessment Working group to examine the limitations of Relay’s existing assessment system and to ensure that they are incorporating elements of Universal Design for Learning into our assessment design. Here are the agenda notes from the working group.

Website: www.educatingalllearners.org

Twitter: @educateall_org

YouTube: Educating All Learners

Pathways to Literacy and Community with AIM Institute

Dawn Brookhart, Associate Director of AIM Institute for Learning and Research, joined us on our latest podcast episode to discuss AIM Institute’s work towards supporting students who are struggling to learn to read. We asked her about AIM Pathways and the many courses available for educators, and school leadership, to learn about professional development in the space. There are many FREE resources available on their site (linked below), in addition to some upcoming events that educators and researchers can learn practical skills and tips from, to improve their classrooms and students learning retention.

 

Mentioned Resources:

• AIM Pathways: https://institute.aimpa.org/aim-pathways
• AIM Pathways to Practice Series: https://institute.aimpa.org/resources/pathways-to-practice
• AIM’s Virtual Teaching Techniques Focused on the Language Comprehension Upper Strands of Dr. Hollis Scarborough's Reading Rope: https://institute.aimpa.org/resources/virtual-teaching-techniques-webinar-series
• AIM’s Research to Practice Symposium: https://institute.aimpa.org/programs-research/research-to-practice-symposium
• AIM Access to the Experts Speaker Series: https://institute.aimpa.org/professional-training/access-to-experts-series

 

Website: www.educatingalllearners.org

Twitter: @educateall_org

YouTube: Educating All Learners

5 Minutes with Data Quality Campaign on Assessments

On today's episode, we are joined by Jennifer Bell-Ellwanger, the President and CEO of the Data Quality Campaign (DQC). Jennifer answered a few questions we had on summative assessments, including if and how schools should administer them and how these assessments can affect learning outcomes. She emphasized the importance of providing students, teachers, and families with information on students' performance quickly. As we’ve learned from the past year, students may experience learning loss and if it’s not assessed, we may not have an accurate image of just how much, and wouldn’t be able to act. The goal is positive learning outcomes for all students.

Mentioned Resources:

DQC Blog post: https://dataqualitycampaign.org/kitchen-tables-week-of-december-21/

 

Education Post blog:

https://educationpost.org/without-data-we-cant-fight-for-our-students-futures/?utm_source=brightbeam+Master+List&utm_campaign=6a668191b3-hatc_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6bb7d2d2db-6a668191b3-266735857

 

Op-ed in The 74:

https://www.the74million.org/article/analysis-spring-exams-are-the-best-shot-state-leaders-have-at-knowing-whats-happening-with-their-students/

 

Coalition letter to Secretary Nominee Cardona on assessments: https://edtrust.org/press-release/joint-letter-to-dr-miguel-cardona-urging-rejection-of-waivers-to-annual-state-wide-assessment-requirements-for-the-2020-21-school-year/

 

Recent addition of monthly assessment news coverage:

https://dataqualitycampaign.org/assessment-update-iv-using-data-to-support-students-during-covid-19-recovery/

Find the transcript of this episode in the Educating All Learners Alliance resource library: linked here

 

Website: www.educatingalllearners.org

Twitter: @educateall_org

YouTube: Educating All Learners

To FERPA...and Beyond! Digital Safety in the Classrooms of Today

On today's episode, we're joined by Elizabeth Laird from the Center for Democracy and Technology(CDT) and Amanda Morin from Understood.org. We discussed recent research that CDT conducted, in addition to the major findings. Amanda shared Understood’s perspective on student and teacher privacy, for all educators. Our co-hosts shared some of the the potential risks that come from not prioritizing FERPA and other student privacy measures and how privacy impacts the relationships and trust with teachers/school admin.

 

Mentioned Resources:

1. CDT’s research: here + parent’s guide to privacy
2. Understood + Colorin Colorado: Privacy concerns about distance learning
3. Distance learning on Understood

 

Website: www.educatingalllearners.org

Twitter: @educateall_org

YouTube: Educating All Learners

5 Minutes with NCSECS on FAPE in the Virtual Environment

Today we have a new 5 minutes with episode on the FAPE tool, created by NCSECS and Diverse Learners Cooperative. Megan Ohlssen from NCSECS joined us to discuss the tool their created, which aims to show educators and parents that, despite the ongoing challenges of COVID-19, the right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for students with disabilities remains in place. Here is their guide, which offers a decision-making model that aims to balance individual student needs within a virtual learning context, as well as a range of exemplars showing how this model can be applied.

 

Mentioned Resources:

FAPE Tool: https://www.ncsecs.org/resource/ensuring-fape-for-students-with-disabilities-during-covid-1/

 

Website: www.educatingalllearners.org

Twitter: @educateall_org

YouTube: Educating All Learners

5 Minutes with LearnPlatform

On today's episode, we're joined by a former teacher and administrator in the US and overseas, who is now the Co-Founder and CEO of LearnPlatform, Karl Rectanus. Karl shared about LearnPlatform’s commitment to expanding equitable engagement for all students to the teaching and tools that work best for them. He also highlighted a new research-backed infographic they recently released, which outlines digital equity gaps that have affected students across the United States in the past year.

 

Mentioned Resources:

Infographic: https://learnplatform.com/insights/infographic/2020-digital-equity-in-review?utm_source=social&utm_medium=infographic&utm_campaign=2021&utm_content=ktr

 

Website: www.educatingalllearners.org

Twitter: @educateall_org

YouTube: Educating All Learners

Discussing the National Survey of Public Education’s Response to COVID-19 with the American Institutes for Research

On today's episode, we're joined by Sarah Rand, the Communications Lead for the National Survey of Public Education’s Response to COVID-19 project at the American Institutes for Research(AIR). She shared about AIR’s national survey that was administered in the summer of 2020, in which over 800 school district and CMO leaders completed. The survey was about school closures, including the timing of school closures due to COVID-19; distance learning approaches and challenges; supporting students with disabilities and English learners; district policies and requirements, such as grading and graduation; staffing and human resources; and health, well-being, and safety. Sarah also outlines some of the most crucial findings and how schools can create action items to promote better learning opportunities for all students.

 

To check out the National Survey Project click here: https://www.air.org/project/national-survey-public-education-s-response-covid-19

 

Website: www.educatingalllearners.org

Twitter: @educateall_org

YouTube: Educating All Learners

Achieving ADA Compliance on a National Level

On today's episode, we're joined by Virginia Jacko, the President and Chief Executive Officer at Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Virginia shares her experiences, as someone who is blind, of attempting to view the websites of the candidates running in the 2020 United States presidential election and finding that none of the sites were ADA compliant. She also shares the ADA compliance meter that Miami Lighthouse created and how companies can develop their online presence to be more accessible for all.

 

To find out more information go to miamilighthouse.org!

 

Website: www.educatingalllearners.org

Twitter: @educateall_org

YouTube: Educating All Learners

5 Minutes with ReadWorks

Today’s 5 Minutes With episode is with ReadWorks, a nonprofit with the mission to support the growth of successful, joyful readers. They provide K-12 educators with the largest, highest-quality library of curated nonfiction and literary passages in the country, along with reading comprehension and vocabulary supports, text-dependent question sets, teacher guidance, and more. Check out ReadWorks website for more information, and to watch their webinars!

 

Website: educatingalllearners.org

Twitter: @educateall_org

YouTube: Educating All Learners