The co-development of a new inclusive pedagogical planner
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Date
2018
Authors
Wells-Dyck, Alison
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Abstract
Typically, across Canada, curriculum and special education are separate and distinct branches within provincial departments of education. The development of two branches within one provincial department has created a challenge for classroom teachers expected to integrate provincial curricular and special education mandates. Some teachers have reported they grapple with “curriculum overload” (National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, 2010) while others feel “ill-equipped” to sustain an inclusive pedagogical practice (Black-Hawkins, 2010; Florian, 2008).
The purpose of this qualitative collaborative action research study was to co-develop, with teachers, a new Inclusive Pedagogical Planner (IPP). A new IPP intended to support and guide teachers as they integrate provincial mandates regarding curriculum and special education. The central research questions for the study were (1) Can a new IPP, that is useful, practical, and supports and guides an inclusive planning process, be co-developed with classroom teachers, and (2) Can curriculum and inclusion be integrated into a new IPP that facilitates the development or advancement of an inclusive pedagogical practice?
Recruited for the study as active collaborators were four middle-years teachers. The active collaborators engaged in every aspect of the study as they contributed to the design, implementation, and critical analysis of the new IPP. The findings initially revealed that this group of teachers grappled with curriculum overload and some felt ill-equipped as they developed or tried to sustain an inclusive pedagogical practice. However, as a result of being a collaborative member of this study and participating in the co-development of the new IPP they identified a positive change in their inclusive pedagogical practice. They also indicated that they benefited from having an opportunity to dialogue with their colleagues and reflect on their own theories and ideas about inclusion and their pedagogical practices regarding the curriculum.
Opportunities for further development of the IPP and future research include (a) using new IPP as a teaching tool with undergraduate students, (b) implementation of the IPP with a larger number of participants spanning a broader range of grade-levels and years of teaching experience, and (c) the supporting binder could be enhanced with the addition of new resources.
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Keywords
Inclusive pedagogy, Differentiation, Universal design for learning