Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Supervised experience in analysis and evaluation of treatment strategies to be used with classroom students having learning disabilities.

COURSE DETAILS:

Our collective response to combating the COVID-19 virus has mandated changes in the ways we live, work and learn. While these changes certainly represent challenges related to the nature and structure of EDUC 424, online course facilitation at both the university and K-12 levels is not new. This summer’s EDUC 424 will differ significantly from versions taught in the past, however this also allows us to explore ideas of ‘remote facilitation and support’ when teaching children with significant learning challenges virtually.

This summer, we have been asked to convert our in-person courses to a completely online version. Accordingly, this course will be provided completely online. In order to do this, the following aspects of the course are described below.

LECTURES: Lectures will be converted to a combination of online synchronous (we are all online together in a virtual lecture hall) and online asynchronous modules (content you can review on your own at a time appropriate to your own schedule). For each weekly lectures, you will be required to complete all pre-lecture activities (Pre-lecture modules) prior to the scheduled lecture period (Wednesdays in the morning or evening depending on the section you signed up for). Then during lecture period, you will meet online with your assigned small group for approximately one hour followed by meeting as an entire class for approximately one hour.

TUTORIALS: The plan is to recruit children from the community and pair you each with one child that you will tutor in the area of remedial reading over the July 3 week period. This is identical to the typical 424 in-person course except that this summer, you will assess and facilitate reading activities completely online. To do this, the child’s parent will act as your arms and legs. You will still direct the parent in assessment processes and email all required documents/copies of assessments/game materials to the parent prior to the sessions.

COVID-19 IMPLICATIONS on TUTORING & ALTERNATE CONTINGENCY: I want to be very clear that we don’t know if we will get enough children to make these tutoring sessions work. Typically, our tutoring program attracts hundreds of children and we choose 60 to work with SFU students however the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions and our online delivery of tutoring sessions may impact how many children we are able to recruit. We will know more in May. IF we have enough students, we will conduct the tutoring with children in this online facilitated format. If we do not, we will adjust and the three weeks tutoring sessions will transform into a course capstone project that you can complete during the three weeks in July. In any case (tutoring or project), you will create and maintain your own schedule. Tutoring times will still take place one hour per day, 5 days per week during the scheduled days in July however you and the parent will decide on a schedule that works for both of you. If we end up swapping out and doing the project, you will complete the project over the three weeks on your own schedule.

NO ACTIVITY WILL REQUIRE YOU TO LEAVE HOME

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Within this summer laboratory course, SFU students will be responsible for:

1. conducting an informal and formal assessment of a child’s reading difficulties and
2. facilitate intervention for one hour/day – 5 days/week during the tutorial sessions in the second half of the course (July 6 – 24, 2020). This facilitation will take place online and will be supported by the child’s parent during the sessions. Alternately, if the recruitment of children is unsuccessful, a course capstone project will be substituted for the tutoring assignments.

Grading

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

In order to successfully complete this course, you will need:

1. A reliable computer and sufficient internet bandwidth to access videochat services. This is typically a minimum bandwidth of 75mbps (without other internet services being used at the time of video chats). Your computer must have a camera and either a built in microphone or the ability to use an external microphone (earbuds or similar). Earbuds or similar is preferred.
2. A printer: You will need a printer in order to print out test sheets related to the assessment. In the past, students used on-campus printers. Because of our restrictions due to COVID-19, you will need a way to print out those assessment worksheets yourself. Interactive ‘games’ will also require a printer.
3. The online course lectures will be facilitated through CANVAS and video chat software will be supplied through that platform. You do not need any stand-alone video chat software for lectures. CANVAS includes ‘BB Collaborate’ and we will use that software for all synchronous lecture sessions. You will need SKYPE to facilitate tutoring sessions with your assigned child if we are able to make that work this summer.
4. You will need scanning software on your smartphone or on your computer. You will need to scan some documents and upload them (assessment worksheets etc) to CANVAS.
5. You will need video software on your smartphone: Some activities will require you to video yourself as you practice assessment administration. You will need typical smartphone-based video capabilities to do this.
6. You will need access to your SFU VAULT (cloud drive). Video files are too large to share in most CANVAS uploads. For this reason, you will need to upload any video files to SFU Vault (or similar cloud drive of your choice) and provide the link when uploading the assignment to CANVAS. SFU VAULT is free and you have access to your secure connection as an SFU student.

REQUIRED READING: