Inclusive computing in special needs classrooms: designing for all

With a growing call for an increased emphasis on computing in school curricula, there is a need to make computing accessible to a diversity of learners. One potential approach is to extend the use of physical toolkits, which have been found to encourage collaboration, sustained engagement and effective learning in classrooms in general. However, little is known as to whether and how these benefits can be leveraged in special needs schools, where learners have a spectrum of distinct cognitive and social needs. Here, we investigate how introducing a physical toolkit can support learning about computing concepts for special education needs (SEN) students in their classroom. By tracing how the students’ interactions—both with the physical toolkit and with each other—unfolded over time, we demonstrate how the design of both the form factor and the learning tasks embedded in a physical toolkit contribute to collaboration, comprehension and engagement when learning in mixed SEN classrooms

Can peer learning support doctoral education? Evidence from an ethnography of a research team

This paper focuses on peer learning as a process to develop PhD students’ disciplinary and scholarly skills. PhD students’ experience is not usually framed in terms of peer learning, because peer learning is more often studied and applied at the undergraduate level. This contribution builds on an ethnography of a research team to show the potential of peer learning over the course of the doctorate. A socio-constructivist conceptualisation of learning, inspired by activity theory, guides the analysis. The contribution of this paper is threefold. First, it proposes an original definition of learning that highlights process and practice, and shows how to work with it. Second, it demonstrates how peer learning unfolds in the interplay between structured and emergent types of interactions. Third, it provides scholars with insights into the conditions facilitating peer learning and stimulates debate around the initiatives that institutions can put in place to support PhD students

Design Opportunities for AAC and Children with Severe Speech and Physical Impairments

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technologies can support children with severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI) to express themselves. Yet, these seemingly 'enabling' technologies are often abandoned by this target group, suggesting a need to understand how they are used in communication. Little research has considered the interaction between people, interaction design and the material dimension of AAC. To address this, we report on a qualitative video study that examines the situated communication of five children using AAC in a special school. Our findings offer a new perspective on reconceptualising AAC design and use revealing four areas for future design: (1) incorporating an embodied view of communication, (2) designing to emphasise children's competence and agency, (3) regulating the presence, prominence and value of AAC, and (4) supporting a wider range of communicative functions that help address children's needs

C&E. Cultura y educación

Resumen tomado del autor. Resumen en castellano e inglésSe recogen aquí extractos de la obra de Lev. S. Vygotski sobre la Psicología del Arte considerada como una psico-tecnia del sentimiento; sobre la técnica actoral para tornar sociales los sentimientos y sobre la función del arte en la vida y en la educación. Se resaltan después sus ideas sobre los procesos generales de la mediación y la representación .CantabriaES

Vygotsky biografía

Vygotsky, importante psicólogo ruso, hizo contribuciones esenciales para el desarrollo de la Psicología contemporánea, el estudio de la discapacidad y la semiología. Vygotsky hizo aportes importantes a la teoría contemporánea del desarrollo del individuo. Este año, científicos de un gran número de países se han reunido para celebrar el centenario de su nacimiento. Vygotsky nació el 5 o 17 de noviembre de 1896 en una familia de empleados de banca en la ciudad de Orsha (antes de la revolución de 1917 esta ciudad era parte de la región del oeste de Bielorrusia en el Imperio Ruso). Un año más tarde sus padres se trasladaron a la ciudad de Gomel igualmente en la parte Bielorrusa del Imperio Ruso, donde su padre llego a ser director de un pequeño banco comercial. En 1913, Vygotsky después de obtener una licencia en la Universidad de Gomel y un diploma del Colegio de Gomel, ingresó a la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Moscú y a la Facultad de Historia y Filosofía en la Universidad de Shaniavski, que existía en Moscú antes de la revolución