Overview

An investigation of the dimensions of learner diversity: material (class, locale), corporeal (age, race, sex and sexuality, and physical and mental characteristics) and symbolic (culture, language, gender, family, affinity and persona). Examines social-cultural theories of difference, as well as considering alternative responses to these differences in educational settings - ranging from broad, institutional responses to specific pedagogical responses within classes of students. The course also focuses on the application of learning technologies and new media to meet the needs of diverse populations of learners. Its main practical question is, how do we use educational technologies to create learning environments in which learning experiences can be customized and calibrated to meet the precise needs of particular learners? Topics include: universal design for learning, differentiated instruction systems, and adaptive and personalized learning environments. -------------------------------- Related Resources -------------------------------- Online resources are available here: https://newlearningonline.com -------------------------------- Join our Online Communities! -------------------------------- CGScholar (Create an account and join the New Learning community) https://cgscholar.com/community/community_profiles/new-learning/community_updates Facebook https://www.facebook.com/newlearningonline Twitter https://twitter.com/neolearning -------------------------------- Take this Course for Credit at the University of Illinois -------------------------------- This course has the same content and anticipates the same level of contribution by students in the Assessment for Learning course offered to graduate certificate, masters, and doctoral level students in the Learning Design and Leadership Program in the College of Education at the University of Illinois. Of course, in the nature of MOOCs many people will just want to view the videos and casually join some of the discussions. Some people say that these limited kinds of participation offer evidence that MOOCs suffer from low retention rates. Far from it – we say that any level of engagement is good engagement. On the other hand, if you would like to take this course for credit at the University of Illinois, you will find more information about our program here: https://ldlprogram.web.illinois.edu/overview/ And you can apply here: https://education.illinois.edu/epol/programs-degrees/ldl -------------------------------- The Learning Design and Leadership Series of MOOCs -------------------------------- This course is one of a series of eight MOOCs created by Bill Cope and Mary Kalantzis for the Learning Design and Leadership program at the University of Illinois. If you find this MOOC helpful, please join us in others! e-Learning Ecologies: Innovative Approaches to Teaching and Learning for the Digital Age https://www.coursera.org/learn/elearning New Learning: Principles and Patterns of Pedagogy https://www.coursera.org/learn/newlearning Assessment for Learning https://www.coursera.org/learn/assessmentforlearning Learning, Knowledge, and Human Development https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-knowledge-human-development Ubiquitous Learning and Instructional Technologies https://www.coursera.org/learn/ubiquitouslearning Negotiating Learner Differences: Towards Productive Diversity in Learning https://www.coursera.org/learn/learnerdifferences Literacy Teaching and Learning: Aims, Approaches and Pedagogies https://www.coursera.org/learn/literacy-teaching-learning Multimodal Literacies: Communication and Learning in the Era of Digital Media https://www.coursera.org/learn/multimodal-literacies

Syllabus

COURSE ORIENTATION + Learner Differences

This opening module gets participants started in the course, and introduces some key ideas about the social context of learner differences.

Diversity in US Education and Differences in Theory

In this module, we examine some specifics of learner diversity in the US context, then some general concepts in a theory of learner differences.

Should Education be a Right?

In this module, we focus on the US case, first with an historical analysis of the emergence of public education, then with a case study of Asian Americans.

Postcolonial Theory and Education + The Inclusive School

This final module in the course takes an international perspective on issues of social diversity and learning, then addresses the agenda of developing an inclusive education.