Webinar: Designing Neuroinclusive Learning Environments

Adding to my blogroll, this is a thoroughly good webinar from May, 2022, covering aspects of learning design and neurodiversity.

Produced by the Online Learning Consortium, ‘Designing Neuroinclusive Learning Environments’.

It is estimated that approximately 30% of learners in your classroom have some form of neurodivergence such as autism, ADHD, or dyslexia (Conditt, 2020). These individuals are gifted with a unique way of viewing the world and processing information. However, they face the challenge of learning in environments that were not designed to accommodate their natural differences. Neurodivergent learners have unique skills and abilities that set them apart from their neurotypical counterparts. If supported effectively, neurodivergent learners tend to excel, especially in the STEAM fields, and their skills can lead to significant contributions in these areas. 

Providing adequate accommodations is not straightforward because numerous individuals may not even have an official diagnosis. In fact, there are many cases in which people haven’t recognized their neurodivergence until adulthood (Polyzoi, Ahnemark, Medin, & Ginsberg, 2018; Happe & Frith, 2020). This makes it even more critical that, as educators, we take the necessary steps to ensure their time in academia truly does accommodate every learner. 

Megan Kohler and Tracy Balduzzi

Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash