Throughout this MOOC-ed, we invite you to contribute to discussion forums by adding comments to existing discussions or starting new discussion topics. You can also use the Critical Issue, Great Tip, Agree, and Not Convinced buttons to quickly record your reactions to others’ ideas. Please watch this video about using the discussion forum. In order to have manageable discussion groups, we ask that you select the group that corresponds to your birth month.

This MOOC-Ed works to teach or reinforce a set of teaching competencies we find are of most value when addressing the wide range of learning differences among your students. You will encounter the following icons as you navigate the course, which serve as an invitation to to engage more deeply with materials, ideas, and/or activities presented.

In most units, we will begin with an introductory video, followed by an activity or a core set of digital resources. These activities and core resources were purposefully selected to provide some common background, frameworks and language to inform our discussions and peer feedback. You can self-select to review the recommended additional resources and learning pathways based on your personal learning needs and interests. In each unit’s discussion forum, you are invited to share your thoughts, reactions and new learning from the core resources and other activities you have selected to engage in.

In each week during this MOOC-Ed, you will find a set of core resources and personalized pathways. The core resources were purposefully selected to provide common background, frameworks and language to inform our weekly discussions, activities and peer interactions. Below the CORE Resources, look for a personalized pathways (along with additional recommended resources) button for this unit that you can choose to review according to your interests and background. We encourage you to select those resources that are most relevant to your goals and prefered approach to learning.

This MOOC-Ed will guide you through specific constructs of learning differences by explaining what the constructs are, how they might appear among your students, and how you can begin to make content and assessments more accessible to all students who have differences within a particular construct. The graphic outlines and provides you with a basic definition of the constructs you will explore in the units ahead.

The aim of this MOOC-Ed is to be job-embedded and something you can take to your classroom or school and try tomorrow. To facilitate more scalable applications of the content we have created a portion of the course called “my toolbox” that will be in every unit. There are three components to this: The Connected Educator Corner, Technology Tools and Tips, and the Professional Learning Community Guide.

The Connected Educator Corner is to expose you to a unique avenue for expanding your Personal Learning Network (PLN) and, by extension, provide you with opportunities to connect with and learn with ‘like-minded” folks centered around a topic, concept or philosophy. Using Twitter or other related activities shared in the MOOC-Ed are simply an invitation to learn more...not a course requirement...do what you feel ready to do.

The Technology Tools and Tips is to share technological tools, tips, and tricks that can help you in your classroom. Some of them are related to Universal Design for Learning more generally while others relate specifically to the constructs.

The Professional Learning Community (PLC) Guide is something you can use on your school and grade-level teams. Use these guided questions in your next PLC meeting to help your team collectively work toward making learning accessible to ALL students.

Much of what we know about learning differences come from a variety fields of research in neuroscience, psychology, social learning theory and dedicated professional organizations. You may encounter many resources that may appear to be for only “parents” or related to “learning disabilities” ...please know we included these resources because the to speak to important tenets and/or strategies for “learning differences.”

As you might have read in the facilitators’ bios, where each of them offered their belief statement or “mantra” for how they approach learning differences, by the end of this course, you will be empowered to craft your own belief statement or mantra about how you approach “learning differences” based on what you glean over 6 weeks of learning. If you participate in the forums, complete the end of course survey, post a mantra, and engage in peer feedback you will be eligible for a Certificate of Completion for 20 hours of professional development.

In addition, instructional coaches, administrators, and other teacher leaders are invited to participate in coaching sections of the course. Those who participate and complete a coaching action plan (in addition to the basic course requirements) will be eligible for a Certificate of Completion for 25 hours of professional development.

For more information, see the page on expectations of participants.