Instructional Design Framework for Construction Materials Training

The construction industry is suffering, in part, from a lack of training programs offered to the construction workforce. Unfortunately, most construction training and education research focuses on university student education. Integrating education science theory into construction workforce training has the potential to improve industry training but there is a dearth of studies that present details of this integration process. To address this gap, a training framework was developed to educate material stakeholders on material properties, selection, and installation. This framework is based on andragogical and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. An assessment method evaluates training agendas to improve upon instructional design before training implementation. This method assesses the proposed training framework by enumerating the occurrences of Bloom’s Taxonomy verbs to determine how closely the proposed training’s goals and objectives followed Bloom’s guidelines. This study culminates by establishing linkages from educational theory to proposed training modules. The module template is presented in a goals and objectives format so that organizations can best implement and test this training framework.

Using Implementation Science Active Implementation Frameworks to Implement an Instructional Framework to Increase Teacher Capacity for Instructional Access for Students With Disabilities

This article discusses the use of the Active Implementation Frameworks (AIF; Fixsen et al., 2005; Fixsen & Blasé, 2011) in a grant-funded project to implement the use of Universal Design for Learning as an instructional intervention to improve the access to quality instruction for students with disabilities. The discussion is based upon data specific to the AIF Implementation Drivers that facilitate and ensure the success of initiatives. The data illustrate the extent that characteristics of the respective schools and districts participating in the project impacted the fidelity of implementation processes and their associated outcomes.

Examining Fatigue for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Through Universal Design for Learning

In current educational contexts, Deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) students are being educated in inclusive classrooms. However, academic and social outcomes for these bilingual or multilingual students remain highly variable indicating that meeting the needs for students who are D/HH continues to be challenging for many educators. Many D/HH students are reporting high levels of fatigue throughout their school day. To ensure the diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds of students are being met, a more flexible approach needs to be considered to address barriers described by D/HH students. As such, the authors use the Universal Design for Learning framework to discuss fatigue for students who are D/HH in inclusive contexts, particularly those who are bilingual/multilingual.

Challenging Education's Inflexible Model

Structural conditions in schools limit diverse exceptional learners' academic and social-emotional development and inhibit the professional growth of their teachers. Teachers and students are restricted by the current instructional model, which suggests that effective teachers lead all students through a uniform set of instructional experiences in service of objective mastery. This model assumes that diverse exceptional learners' success depends on access to the teacher-designed, one-right-way approach to the learning objective. This inflexible model prevents both the teacher and the student from co-constructing learning experiences that leverage their mutual strengths and support their mutual development. In this chapter, the authors argue that the Universal Design for Learning framework challenges the one-right-way approach, empowering teachers and students to leverage their strengths in the learning process. The authors recommend training teachers to use the Universal Design for Learning framework to design flexible instruction for diverse exceptional learners.

Diversity, Disability, and Addressing the Varied Needs of Learners

This chapter presents a thorough examination of international and U.S. legal and educational foundations which justify instructional variation and diversification for all students, particularly for those with disabilities. With the exploration of various instructional frameworks, objective setting, methods and strategies, materials, and outcomes assessment, the reader develops an understanding of instructional diversification and why it is important for students with and without disabilities. The diverse educational approaches of differentiated instruction, multi-sensory instruction, Bloom's taxonomy of learning, understanding by design, and universal design for learning are presented and explained.

Student Engagement and Supporting Students With Accommodations

Student engagement and embracing students with accommodations have long been at the forefront of developing future teachers. Assessing the effects of COVID-19 and the long-term implications shifted the overall perception of how the world is redefining teacher education programs and preparing teachers to move forward. One could presume the impact of COVID-19 will be discussed in history classes forever as the pandemic reconfigured learning styles, structures, and supports. Student engagement and supporting students with accommodations explore multiple modalities for best practices in the classroom and encourage students with disabilities and learning differences to be successful. The authors examine best practices for in-person, hybrid, and remote learning environments: Bloom's taxonomy, universal design for learning, and formative assessment. The chapter provides examples of each resource and delves into classroom engagement and accommodations.

Equity Pedagogies for Inclusive Online Classrooms in Higher Education

Online learning continues to grow and is increasing including more diverse students. Diverse students with various backgrounds and experiences challenge educators to implement pedagogies to achieve equitable learning experiences and outcomes. This chapter aims to discuss four equity pedagogies commonly referred to in the literature that can contribute to democratic and inclusive learning experiences for all students. The chapter's four strategies include pedagogic voice, universal design for learning, equitable assessment, and collaborative learning. Although these strategies were discussed separately, the universal design for learning framework can incorporate both the pedagogic voice, equitable assessments, and collaborative learning while considering their unique perspectives. If well-designed and implemented, these strategies can help all students to receive fair education and prepare them to succeed in a changing world and become agents for social change. The chapter includes recommendations for practice and future research.

Don't Assess a Fish by Its Ability to Climb a Tree

The heterogeneity of students in today's classrooms present many obstacles when it comes to formatively assessing learning. The formative assessment cycle affords teachers numerous opportunities to measure student progress towards objectives, provide timely feedback, and make necessary adjustments to instruction. Formative assessments also provide considerable value to students, in the form of learning engagement, and tracking their own progress and planning of future steps. Due to the value of formative assessments in making decisions and supporting students, it is necessary that educators plan and utilize equitable assessment practices to eliminate unnecessary barriers students may face. The chapter will therefore discuss the obstacles that variable learners may experience that impede their inclusion in classrooms, the importance of the universal design for learning in ensuring engagement and multiple means of action and expression, and finally, bring awareness to students with disabilities and the importance of accommodations and modifications in their success.

Defying Deficit Thinking

Bolstered by the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), inclusion became part of the education vernacular. This chapter provides a review of key highlights in the history of inclusive education. The impact of deficit thinking and role of social justice are emphasized as undercurrents driving legislative changes. The authors propose systems thinking as a method to identify actionable items for advancing inclusive education. An overview of promising inclusive frameworks, specifically Universal Design for Learning and social-emotional learning, are described and recommended for embedding inclusive practices into daily practice within the education system.

Digital Literacy in Special Education

Digital literacy is essential for individuals entering college and the workplace. Students with disabilities experience a greater challenge in acquiring the skills necessary to succeed. This chapter explores the disability digital divide, success factors for acquiring digital skills, and the implications of a digital literacy curriculum developed for special education classrooms in Idaho. It demonstrates how leveraging human performance improvement (HPI) models, incorporating universal design for learning (UDL) principles, and supporting classroom teachers resulted in a curriculum to help young people with disabilities to acquire the digital skills they need to be prepared for college and the workplace.