Case Study: Victorian Department of Education and Training: Inclusive Classrooms Teacher Training
“Using mixed media and blended learning to engage large cohorts in their professional development”
The Challenge
The Victorian Department of Education needed a range of professional development learning products to train their teachers to better support students with diverse learning needs. The department already had an off-the-shelf product they were using, but they did not own it, could not edit its content, and were very restricted in how they could use it. The learning content was generic and not targeted to suit Victorian schools. The department approached us after they saw a related solution we had produced for a different client partner [hyperlink to SWPDS case study]. The department’s L&D team liked the product’s highly engaging and interactive nature and that their in-house team could edit it.
Our Approach
The best way to meet the department’s needs was for us to build a range of different blended professional development courses in Canvas. The setup allowed the large learning cohort (all Victorian teachers) to complete the studies in cohorts around a range of subjects, such as supporting students with autism, deaf and hard of hearing, and dyslexia. A department’s Inclusive Classrooms team member facilitated the lessons using a highly interactive, blended online classroom environment that included discussion groups and assignments.
We also placed animations throughout the course to portray student characters in case studies, followed by discussion questions to prompt dialogue between the participants in the cohort. The jewel in the crown of this project was the 50 videos we produced and shot in over a dozen different schools around Victoria. While some videos were straight interviews, others captured particular classroom strategies or activities.
Outcomes
The Inclusive Classrooms courses were well received and are a valuable professional development opportunity for Victorian teachers. The videos throughout the courses helped teachers from metropolitan and regional areas throughout Victoria to feel consulted and included in the program. The Inclusive Classrooms Team can now update and maintain the courses within the Canvas LMS framework. They can also ask our learning designers team for any technical and learning support they may occasionally have.
The department now has a consistent professional suite of learning products for any teacher interested in learning how they can support students with diverse learning needs.
