With a preponderance of evidence that learning variability matters and increasing numbers of educators acknowledging the importance of inspiring optimism in the face of learning challenges, we find ourselves faced with the profound opportunity – and responsibility – to design learning that empowers all students for success. What educators, parents, coaches, after school providers, and others who work with growing learners need now are tools and strategies to translate these understandings into realities for the classroom, home, and the many places young people engage in learning.

That’s why we’ve been pleased to contribute to The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation’s Learning Differences MOOC-Ed. This free massive open online course launched last fall, with over 1,000 participants from 40 countries.  Chock-full of resources and interactive activities, the LD MOOC-Ed was an unequivocal hit. So we’re equally pleased to announce the six-week LD MOOC-Ed will once again be open, beginning February 9, 2015.

Learning Differences MOOC-Ed Course Description:

All of us, children and adults alike, have different strengths and weaknesses in our learning.  Historically, however, schools have approached student learning with a one-size-fits-all mentality and have struggled to adapt to changing student needs. That ends now.

In order to help you change the way your students learn, this course will expand your knowledge related to learning differences, provide actionable strategies to impact the learning experience of your students, and cultivate positive habits of mind. At the end of this course, you will have:

• Deepened your own understanding of learning differences and the related constructs of motivation, executive function, and working memory.
• Explored relevant strategies for supporting students with learning differences.
• Applied strategies in your classroom and provided a more personalized learning experience for all of your students.

The Learning Differences MOOC-Ed is designed for educators including teachers, coaches, administrators, or allies who play a role in meeting the needs of all students.

Participant Quotes:

I believe the most valuable aspect of this MOOC-Ed was the chance to hear from others throughout each module, to hear from actual students who had learning differences, and to be able to obtain and add more strategies to my tool box to help the students I interact with.

I enjoyed the ability to print out info and articles to use as a reference and tool. I loved that I could work at my own speed and other people in my building were participating so we could have discussions!

I have been able to apply strategies to accommodate more time for some students, chunks of work and guided notes for those with working memory difficulty, and cues as well as rubrics to help students to self-monitor.

And our personal favorite:

I have started focusing on students’ strengths instead of weakness.

Learn more about and register for the LD MOOC-Ed here.