SELF EFICATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN IMPROVING DIGITAL LITERATIONS (Study in Jayapura City, Papua Province)

Abstrak. Penelitian ini bertujuan mendapatkan gambaran mengenai efikasi diri peserta Jambore ICT Tahun 2016 dan 2017 penyandang disabilitas dalam pemanfaatan teknologi informasi dan komunikasi. Beberapa aspek yang dihadapi penyandang disabilitas saat ini antara lain: kesulitan melihat, kesulitan mendengar, kesulitan berjalan/naik tangga, kesulitan menggunakan/menggerakkan tangan/jari, kesulitan dalam hal mengingat atau berkonsentrasi, gangguan perilaku dan/atau emosional, kesulitan/gangguan berbicara dan/atau memahami/berkomunikasi dengan orang lain, dan kesulitan mengurus diri. Penyandang disabilitas sebagai sumber daya manusia seharusnya dikembangkan potensi dan kelebihan dirinya. Dengan pemanfaatan ICT sebagai enabler diharapkan dapat meningkatkan efikasi diri para peserta Jambore penyandang disabilitas untuk hidup mandiri di dunia kerja. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif untuk mendapatkan mengenai self efficacy pada penyandang disabilitas yang mengikuti Jambore ICT. Pengumpulan data lapangan berlangsung dari tanggal 30 Juli 2018 s/d 3 Agustus 2018, Kota Jayapura, Provinsi Papua. Subyek penelitian individu, dengan key informan dan informan ditarik melalui snowball sampling. Keikutsertaan pelatihan ICT disabilitas (tunarungu, tunadaksa, dan tunanetra) dalam Jambore ICT Tahun 2016 dan 2017 dapat meningkatkan keyakinan atas kemampuan dirinya memasuki dunia kerja, mensosialisasikan kepada saudara, teman dan masyaraakat serta dapat menumbuhkan keyakinan dalam tentukan kesulitan, seperti pengoperasian software dan hardware ICT. Pemisahan jenis dan klasifikasi disabilitas dengan jumlah siswa pelatihan dalam satu kelas yang standar akan mempermudah penerimaan materi pelatihan Jambore ICT.  Abstract. This study aims to get a picture of the self-efficacy of ICT participants in 2016 and 2017 with disabilities in the use of information and communication technology. Some aspects faced by persons with disabilities today include: difficulty seeing, difficulty in hearing, difficulty walking / climbing stairs, difficulty using / moving hands / fingers, difficulty in remembering or concentrating, behavioral and / or emotional disturbances, difficulty in speaking and / or understand / communicate with others, and have difficulty taking care of yourself. Persons with disabilities as human resources should develop their potential and strengths. The use of ICT as an enabler is expected to increase the self-efficacy of Jamboree participants with disabilities to live independently in the world of work. This study uses a qualitative descriptive method to obtain self efficacy in persons with disabilities who take the ICT Jamboree. Field data collection took place from 30 July 2018 to 3 August 2018, Jayapura City, Papua Province. Individual research subjects, with key informants and informants drawn through snowball sampling. The participation of ICT disability training (deaf, deaf, and blind) in the 2016 and 2017 ICT Jamboree can increase confidence in her ability to enter the workforce, socialize with relatives, friends and communities and can foster confidence in determining difficulties, such as the operation of  ICT software and hardware. Separation of types and classifications of disability with the number of training students in a standard class will facilitate the reception of ICT Jambore training materials

The experiences of learners diagnosed with learning disabilities in a learners with special education needs (LSEN) school.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Throughout the process of learning acquisition there are always learners who experience delays with grasping new concepts and adjusting to the learning environment. This is a global phenomenon found in all education systems. These learners are usually diagnosed as having learning disabilities (LDs) and are often placed in schools for learners with special education needs (LSEN). However, the global trend is towards inclusive education, as it is thought that segregation partly contributes to the challenges faced by learners with disabilities. This study gives these learners a platform to voice how they think and feel about their diagnosis and subsequent school placement. The qualitative study was carried out at a school for LSENs in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and the focal point was the perceptions and experiences of learners diagnosed with LDs. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of labeling learners and placing them in an institution labeled as a special education school as an educational intervention. The study attempts to investigate the effects of such interventions on the social well-being and academic performance of the learners concerned. Self-determination theory (SDT) is a new focus area of psychology that centres on the development and nurturance of positive traits (Compton & Belmont, 2005), and that has been influential in educational psychology. Positive psychology has been attentive to optimistic human involvements and healthy consequences, which is a significant move in the direction of a complete understanding of human behaviour in society. SDT “specifies an organismic-dialectical meta-theory and suggests that the concept of basic psychological needs provides a useful basis for predicting whether the social environment will support optimal functioning or will, alternatively, promote maladaptation and ill-being” (Deci & Vansteenkiste, 2004). SDT underpinned this study, and informed the approach that allowed learners to voice their thoughts and feelings about their experiences at school. In so doing, the learners created their own intrinsic motivation and interest in their learning process, and were made aware of their learning environment. An interpretivist research paradigm was used, and data was analysed using thematic analysis. Data collection instruments included a focus group interview, individual interviews and semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations. The findings indicate that learners diagnosed with LDs in an LSEN school experience various feelings, the most common being initial feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. The study concludes that the separation and educational instruction of LSENs in a special education school environment does not essentially benefit them. This supports existing research that suggests that separating LSENs from their mainstream counterparts delays their development and integration into society as independent, self-supporting adults. Inclusive education systems are strongly recommended to encourage all learners to be allowed to interact and receive the same instruction, using differentiation in lesson planning to ensure that all learners are able learn at their own pace irrespective of diversity or learning ability. It is hoped that the findings of this study might be of significance to educators, policy makers and educational psychologists in raising awareness of the importance of considering learners’ views regarding their placement in LSEN schools. Key words: Learning disability, learners with special education needs (LSEN), inclusive learning environment, self-determination theory, inclusive education

Creativity in the primary curriculum

Abstract not available

INCLUSIVE MUSIC TEACHER PREPARATION IN THE PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AT AKROPONG-AKUAPEM, GHANA

For the past three decades, Inclusive Education (IE) has emerged as a crucial educational agenda all over the world. In this study, IE is the practice of including students with disabilities in the general (music) education classroom, where they are educated together with their typically developing peers. Although IE efforts began in Ghana in 1957, some pitfalls have characterized the implementation process over the years, especially regarding music teacher preparation to implement the policies. Studies have reported a state of frustration among stakeholders, notably the elementary school teachers, who feel inadequately prepared to teach within IE settings. In this case study, underpinned by the post-colonial, the care, the social identity, and the zone of proximal development theories, I investigated the scope of the inclusive music education program, instructional strategies, extent of professional collaboration, resources available, level of preparedness of pre-service teachers to teach music in inclusive elementary schools, and other inclusive teaching strategies that could be employed to improve teacher preparation in the Presbyterian College of Education. I collected data from purposively selected participants (N=21) through focus group discussions, and non-participant observation, observation memos, and interviews, I then transcribe the data and proceed with thematic analysis by means of MS Word and color coding. Findings indicated that PCE practiced inclusive music education while using the traditional teacher preparation curriculum of Ghana. I recommended better funding, and introduction of inclusive music instruction in all colleges of education across Ghana. Further research will investigate the problem of funding for inclusive music education in Ghana. Also, more research is needed to clarify the attitudinal and perceptual disparities between pre-service music teachers and practicing music teachers with regards to inclusion in Ghana. Keywords: inclusive, teacher preparation, music education, policies, implementatio

Diversity in the Digital Age: Integrating Pedagogy and Technology for Equity and Inclusion

This qualitative dissertation explores the perceptions of how and why teachers might integrate technology to support their goals of equity and inclusion with a group of teachers who identify as culturally responsive in their pedagogy and describe themselves as fluent in the use of technology in school. Teachers working with students of diverse backgrounds were chosen purposively using an "extreme case sampling" method in order to interview experienced and pedagogically aligned participants. Drawing on in-depth interviews, a review of class artifacts and documents, and a focus group, this study provides critical insights into how self-identified culturally relevant teachers use technology. Discussion of the findings focused on two areas. The first examined how the unique affordances of technology lend themselves as a critical resource for teachers engaged in culturally responsive pedagogy. The second looked at how the self-directed approach of participant teachers led them to seek learning opportunities through informal means, in particular with peers they saw as aligned with their own thoughtful practice in service of their beliefs and values for equity and inclusion. Participants provided evidence that technology can be an active dimension of their work toward equity and inclusion. Thus, this research expands upon existing literature on pedagogical practice in both technology in education and diverse classrooms

eCPD Programme - Enhanced Learning.

This collection of papers (edited by Kevin Donovan) has been produced by the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) for LSIS. They are based on the summaries used by presenters during workshops at the 2009 launch of the eCPD Programme

Engaging young female students in digital technology programs: Part one

This report is part of a larger project commissioned by CSIRO and designed to highlight the enablers and barriers to young female students engaging with digital technology. By addressing this function, the report will thereby aid CSIRO to increase the participation of young female students in the digital technology programs offered by CSIRO’s Education and Outreach (CEdO) unit. CSIRO’s Digital Careers team have developed activities and resources to enhance and extend students’ computational thinking skills and to develop other integral skills such as teamwork, critical and creative thinking, and problem solving. In collaboration with industry partners, CEdO are responsible for running programs for primary and/or secondary students, including CyberTaipan, Microsoft FarmBeats and Bebras. The overall goal of Digital Careers is to support both teachers and students by developing resources aligned with the Australian Curriculum, and design challenges and learning experiences to enrich students’ understanding of digital technologies and prepare them for the ever-changing requirements of the workforce

E-Learning for Teachers and Trainers : Innovative Practices, Skills and Competences

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.Final Published versio

Movement, Technological Mediation and Embodied Interactions, in the Education of children with autism.

The thesis offers insight into an embodied practice informed by childhood development studies, cognitive science, and pedagogy as an iterative approach to develop creative alternatives to the application of solo engagement with technologies in the education of autistic children. Through the diverse experiences enabled by the project’s dual practice and theoretical approach, this work evidences alternative ways to reflect on the education of autistic children, and reports methods that can offer the education sector ways to support children exposed to computer technologies in education through more holistic methods. The thesis advocates for an approach, developed through the practice-research method, that works with computer technologies socially, to engage children, rather than resorting to the commonly seen isolated interactions. The concept of a hybrid offers an alternative to binary, either/or, approaches to consider the role of ICT in special needs education, and instead suggests a more productive triad of approaches premising adaptation over compromise. This triad, suggests three areas of interest; autism, education and technological advances. By applying techniques such as improvisation, somatic movement techniques and participant observation, the thesis proposes a reconsideration of existing interventions in order to promote holistic development, rather than short-term temporary solutions. The practical research of one-to-one movement interactions, with autistic children, is a method basing its approach at the intersection between traditional interventions and therapies, reliant on human interaction, and more recent technological advances developing as a result of ICT use in schools. The focus on the diagnosis of autism leads the thesis to focus on themes relating to human interaction. Empathy, mimicry and touch are developed as central concerns due to their placement in literature surrounding both childhood development and movement practices. The thesis suggests how Dance and Movement practices may offer insights into adapting such engagements with technologies within the education sector. The research advocates for a hybrid model throughout the education of autistic children. It reports a body of practice-research using movement with autistic children, as the participants, that situates and explores themes of embodiment