UNews - Nancy Grigg

Understanding how the student brain works

trevor.kenney — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 20:39:52 +0000

“When we hear “brain-based research,” we tend to think primarily in terms of brain injuries or diseases such as stroke and alzheimer’s, but what is the connection between neuroscience and inclusive education?

As ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Education’s Dr. Nancy Grigg explains, “The solid body of research that exists to support the use of various educational strategies is now being enhanced by neuroscience research, contributing unique and important knowledge of how best to enhance student learning."

Dan Vanden Dungen, a longtime educator in the Horizon School Division, is learning how neurological theory can make a huge difference in today's classrooms.

Dan Vanden Dungen (BA ’90, BEd ’92) will be among the first cohort of the Inclusive Education and Neuroscience MEd program to graduate in 2014. Initially, he struggled with how neurological theory would translate to the classroom. In retrospect, he says that knowing how the brain works matters because it allows educators to better identify changes that can be made.

“A key understanding from neuroscience is the building of neural pathways to enhance learning for all students in an inclusive environment,” says program instructor Sue Bengry. “In essence, it’s about understanding how the student’s brain works and tailoring the instruction to relate to that functionality.”

“It’s a less subjective way of working,” explains Vanden Dungen, “I believe it’s made me more empathetic, tolerant and resourceful.”

Working in the Horizon School Division for almost twenty years now, Vanden Dungen has worked with a broad spectrum of children, many from local and migratory Mennonite religious communities. More recently, his work as a classroom support teacher has also included students whose primary language is Low German, at the Horizon Mennonite Alternative Program.

“Inclusion is challenging,” he says. “It’s not the way most of us were taught to teach.”

With its cohort model, the structure of the MEd program has provided him with some unexpected connections.

“My cohorts have been an amazing support,” he says. “Being with the same group for three years has been essential to my success in the program. It’s also meant that I have a network of ‘inclusion professionals’ outside of my school and division.”

As we enter a new era of advancement in brain research, neuroscience is helping to inform learning specialists.

It’s becoming easier for researchers to access and interpret information originating in the brain.

“The basis for variations in learning, behaviour regulation and thinking are now being understood and described as ‘variations in brain processes,’” says Dr. Rob Sutherland of the U of L Department of Neuroscience in the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience. Accordingly, he predicts that “future innovations in education will depend upon understanding and applying what neuroscience has discovered about the developing brain.”

A classroom support teacher can take this specialized knowledge and incorporate it into a customized plan of action that consciously shapes a student’s learning.

“It’s important to provide a solid rationale for your recommendations,” says Vanden Dungen. “To do this, we need to become critical consumers of scientific data and the neuroscience courses help lay that foundation.”

Inclusive education marks a key ideological shift

trevor.kenney — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:45:55 +0000

Inclusive education is generally understood to be the practice of placing learners with special educational needs with non-disabled students.

"It is not meant to be about diagnosis and placement," emphasizes the Honourable Dave Hancock, Minister of Education.

"Rather, it refers to an education system where every child has access to what they need to succeed. The fundamental questions are, "how do we provide adaptation to the curriculum so teachers don't have to do it on an individual basis and how do we ensure that school boards are appropriately funded for the students they have?""

Policy makers, educators and parents have long been wrestling with the issue of how to better deliver inclusive education. In 2007, Alberta Education conducted a review of its existing practices, leading to the creation of a proposed framework for replacing the special education system with an inclusive education system.

It was an important ideological shift because until recently, there had been little or no consensus on these matters.

"Although there has always been a strong philosophical push towards students with special educational needs spending most or all of their time with non-disabled students, implementation of this practice has varied," explains Dr. Nancy Grigg of the Faculty of Education.

Support for inclusive education is strong on all fronts.

"Every teacher needs to have some understanding of how children learn and I'm not surprised that the U of L, a leader in teacher education, is moving in this direction," says Hancock.

Taking brainwork to the classroom

trevor.kenney — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:48:53 +0000

With the launch of the Inclusive Education and Neuroscience MEd program in 2010, one of former Faculty of Education dean Jane O'Dea's long-awaited visions finally became a reality.

Dr. Bryan Kolb, a researcher in the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, says he remembers the genesis of the program well, recounting O'Dea's desire to expose teachers to the principles of brain development.

"Jane was eager to take the knowledge that we were generating and somehow apply it to classroom practice," says Kolb, who will be presenting as part of the Faculty of Education Lecture Series in early December.

Dr. Bryan Kolb is eager to share his research with today's educators.

Kolb's talk, Moving from Brainwork to the Classroom, is Monday, Dec. 5 at 4:30 p.m. in Andy's Place (AH100).

The three-year MEd program, the first of its kind in Western Canada, is intended for practicing teachers as well as administrative and leadership professionals. After learning about the latest in neuroscience research, practicing teachers will explore the direct application of this knowledge to the classroom.

"The whole premise of the program is to take the research done by the people in the CCBN and apply it to teaching practices in the classroom," says Sue Bengry, former director of Student Services, Lethbridge School District 51. "It's a school-based initiative."

"Teachers need to know about the principles of brain development in order to understand the impact these processes have on behaviours," says Kolb. "Whereas most of the body develops from a genetic blueprint, the brain develops in response to experiences. So you are your brain."

It's an added body of knowledge that teachers welcome.

"Teachers are eager to learn about the newest neuroscience findings and how they might influence our instructional practices and the design of classroom environments," says Dr. Nancy Grigg of the Faculty of Education. "In the past, we could only assume that kids with learning disabilities had neurological damage or dysfunction."

Having a foundation in brain-based learning allows educators to adapt their teaching methods to ensure the best results, essentially providing students with practical work-arounds to their learning challenges. Although this particular program is geared towards experienced teachers, Kolb says that in the future, it would be useful to have all education students taking neuropsychology courses.

Translating research into practice is, of course, a complex process.

"But when educators and neuroscientists begin to work together, the gap between neuroscience research and classroom practice starts to close," says Grigg.

New MEd Neuroscience program debuts

trevor.kenney — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:05:28 +0000

Brain-based neuroscience research will soon be applied in the classroom through a first-of-its-kind Master of Education program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Combining inclusive education and neuroscience principles, the new Inclusive Education and Neuroscience MEd program offers teachers the opportunity to become their school's expert on children with varying learning and behavioural challenges.

"This unique collaboration between two of the U of L's well-respected academic units brings the experience for the candidates in this program to a whole new level," says Dr. Jane O'Dea, the former dean of the Faculty of Education.

"The candidates receive the best of our Faculty's nationally-respected programming and the benefits of the cutting-edge research that has brought the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN) to a position of leadership in neuroscience research in North America."

"This is a school-based initiative," adds Dr. Nancy Grigg, associate professor and program co-ordinator.

"We're putting our research directly into the classroom. Our neuroscience partners bring data to show us, conclusively, that all kids learn differently – which means we have to develop a wide variety of teaching methods in order to meet their needs. Our goal is to have a direct impact on improving how teachers can help their students."

Grigg says there is a huge level of excitement within the Faculty of Education because of the new partnership.

"Neuroscientists know how the brain works in the critical areas that define how people learn. Educators know about instruction, how schools work, what teachers need. Bringing these fields together is critical."

A key component of this area of study is recognizing how the brain develops and how experiences and genetics work together, says Dr. Bryan Kolb, a world-leading neuroscience researcher at the U of L's CCBN.

Kolb and more than 100 researchers at the CCBN have worked for more than 30 years on revolutionary treatments in brain injury, drug addiction and conditions such as stroke and Alzheimer's Disease.

"Most of the body develops from a genetic blueprint, but the brain develops in response to experiences. So you are your brain," says Kolb.

"Teachers need to know about the principles of brain development in order to understand the impact these processes have on behaviours. Although this particular program is geared towards experienced teachers, down the road it would be useful to have all education students taking neuropsychology courses."

Alberta Minister of Education, Dave Hancock, says that the concept of changing the classroom environment to be more inclusive raises important questions that the U of L's new program will help to address.

"We anticipate that teachers will adapt their curriculum to differentiate instruction based on student needs, but what about students with additional needs," he asks. "How do we provide the tools to further adapt the curriculum so that teachers have a body of resources to draw on when personalizing learning?"

Sue Bengry, director of Student Services for Lethbridge School District 51 (and currently seconded by the U of L Faculty of Education) says the entire premise of the program is to take the research and apply it to teaching practices in the classroom.

"Classes are different today in that they now include an ever growing number of students with diverse skill and ability levels," says Bengry. "The challenge for teachers is to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to meet the needs of all students. I know from experience that teachers really want to do a great job to help students, but they've had to seek out professional development opportunities to meet their growing need."

Bengry's role is to consult with U of L program developers to insure the curriculum meets the needs of frontline educators.

"Administrators and teachers alike can now enhance their knowledge and understanding of diverse needs through this innovative program that explores current research in neuroscience and how it can improve teaching and learning in inclusive classrooms within our schools."

Honouring long service

trevor.kenney — Tue, 17 May 2011 21:24:26 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ held its annual Long Service Awards and Retirement Recognition Ceremony recently, honouring 116 employees who have completed 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years of service. A total of 23 retiring employees were also honoured.

Following is a list of honoured employees.

RETIREES

Art Aitken, Dayna Daniels, Richard Epp, Rex Forsyth, Eldon Gardner, Wolfgang Holzmann, Bill Hudgins, Joan Kendall, Leslie Lavers, Lucie Linhart, Gerald McConaghy, Linda McLeod, Ken Nicol, Seamus O'Shea, Doug Parker, Ramrattie Ramtej, Donna Seyed Mahmoud, Ches Skinner, Philippe Teillet, Linda Van Esch, Wendy Vogel, Nick Wade and Ian Wells

LONG SERVICE RECIPIENTS

40 Years | Maria Draper

35 Years | Chris Charles, Bryan Kolb, Peter McCormick and Gerda VanderFluit

30 Years | Jane Allan, Cheryl Calver, Dayna Daniels, Gayle Durand, Rex Forsyth, Laurel Hamilton, Jay Johnston, Linda Kucheran, Greg Martin, David Naylor, Shari Platt and Leanne Wehlage-Ellis

25 Years | Shamsul Alam, Lana Barton, Bryson Brown, Cathy Campbell, Patricia Chuchryk, Leslie Gatner, Allan Gergel, Nancy Grigg, Tyler Hayward, Mary Anne Hellinga, Wolfgang Holzmann, Bill Hudgins, Margaret Joblonkay, Kas Mazurek, Alice Miller, Richard Mrazek, Thomas Robinson, Doug Ross, Jadranka Smiljanec, Brian Sullivan, Richard Tedesco, David Townsend, Sandy Wiest and Joan Zimmer

20 Years | Patti-Jo Aiken, Linda Anderson, Roberto Aragon-Garcia, Jochen Bocksnick, Carl Budny, James Byrne, Peter Dibble, Deborah Grant, Bill Halma, Andrew Hurly, Janet Macdonald, Karen McCallum, Louise Miller, Al Mueller, Claudia Notzke, Sergio Pellis, Dwayne Pepin, Vern Peterson, Maria Quinteros, Kathy Schrage, Colleen Sullivan, Brian Titley, Donna Townley and Mark Walton

15 Years | Doug Berry, James Dobbie, Jackie Edwards, Lance Grigg,
Michelle Hogue, Marie Matkin, Ian McAdam, Gerald McConaghy, Chris Moroz, Jeff Oliver, Derek Peddle, Michael Perry, John Poulsen, William Ramp, Keith Roscoe, Elizabeth Schultz, Ivan Townshend and Kenneth Vos

10 Years | Louise Arsenault, Stella Baah, Brenda Bell, Donald Birchfield, Ryan Buckman, Jill Cassidy, Lorena deLange, Christopher Epplett, Margaret Forgie, Don Gill, Bill Glaister, Val Hill, Patricia Horrocks, Nancy Hosgood, Frank Huss, Deborah Jarvie, Helen Kelley, Carol Knibbs, Keith Knowles, Josh Korthuis, Christopher Kukucha, Greg Lacey, Corie Lazenby, Wayne Lippa, Karen Mahar, Jeremiah Merkl, Josephine Mills, Joy Morris, Chris Nicol, Chris Picken, Jeremy Pierson, Mike Pinder, Catharine Reader, Michael Robinson, Victor Rodych, Tammy Rogness, Mark Sabo, Robin Schafthuizen, Shelley Scott, Behnam Seyed Mahmoud, Gerry Ste. Marie, Robert Sutherland, William Tietz, Raquel Trillia, John von Heyking, Kevin Ward, Katherine Wasiak, Robert Williams, Barbara Williams, Jim Wishloff, Robert Wood and Jing Zhu

To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

An apple and a brain

trevor.kenney — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:19:40 +0000

At the central Alberta school where Melissa Pasolli (BEd '91) works as a special-education coordinator, there's a little girl with Down syndrome who studies with kids just a year younger. For the most part, she follows along when the group learns simple math or works on art projects. If a lesson goes beyond her capabilities, she does a special project with a teaching assistant.

Pasolli is a firm believer in including kids with learning disabilities, however mild or pronounced, in a regular classroom.

"As long as I see that there's an increase in knowledge or skills, I feel the classroom is the proper place," says the U of L alumna. "Kids with different learning abilities can both learn with each other and from each other, especially where social skills are concerned."

But Pasolli knows it can be tough for teachers, who don't often receive formal education about learning disabilities but are increasingly required to work with kids who have them. That's why she's glad to hear of a new U of L program designed to fill in the knowledge gaps for teachers encountering students with learning and behavioural issues.

Drs. Bryan Kolb and Nancy Grigg.

"Just accepting the idea that not every student learns the same is huge and can only make you a better teacher," says Pasolli.

The U of L's new Inclusive Education and Neuroscience Master of Education program is the first of its kind in Western Canada. When the program launches in 2011, it will bring educators and neuroscientists together, and put brain-based neuroscience research directly into the classroom.

Dr. Nancy Grigg, education professor and program co-ordinator, explains that it's only in the last five years that efforts have begun to bridge the gap between neuroscience and education. "There's a deeper understanding of how the development of parts of the brain relates to how kids learn, and how specific regions relate to certain deficits in areas such as comprehension, concentration and memory," she says.

With this awareness, teachers can use more effective methods of intervention to help children with learning disabilities develop strategies that compensate for their weaknesses by relying on other, and better-developed, cognitive processes.

But just as the development of the brain affects how kids learn, the way they learn can influence how the brain develops, explains Dr. Bryan Kolb, a world-renowned researcher at the U of L's Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience.

"Using the right interventions can make a tremendous difference," he says. "Children are like sponges. They soak things up as they go along and this changes their brains. Different experiences put kids on different trajectories."

Kolb stresses that the U of L's new master's degree will focus on neuroscience principles and how they relate to teaching, rather than hard science.

"There's no reason for teachers to know all of the details of molecular neurobiology. It's about knowing what it means and how to translate it to the classroom," says Kolb.

For Alberta teachers, the creation of the new program couldn't come at a better time as the challenges teachers face continue to grow. "We're serving more children, and children from more diverse backgrounds with different needs," says Grigg.

The program will also come into being around the time Alberta Education's new Setting the Direction Framework comes into place, which requires schools to take all children, regardless of any special needs, and place them in regular classrooms.

"All teachers will be dealing with learning and behavioural needs," Grigg says. "Our goal is to have a direct impact on improving how teachers can help their students."

For a look at the full issue of SAM in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Groundbreaking masters program to impact classrooms

trevor.kenney — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 17:19:19 +0000

Brain-based neuroscience research will soon be applied in the classroom through a first-of-its-kind Master of Education program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

"This is a school-based initiative," adds Dr. Nancy Grigg, associate professor and program co-ordinator.

Grigg says there is a huge level of excitement within the Faculty of Education because of the new partnership.

Kolb and more than 100 researchers at the CCBN have worked for more than 30 years on revolutionary treatments in brain injury, drug addiction and conditions such as stroke and Alzheimer's Disease.

"Most of the body develops from a genetic blueprint, but the brain develops in response to experiences. So you are your brain," says Kolb.

Bengry's role is to consult with U of L program developers to insure the curriculum meets the needs of frontline educators.

UNews - Nancy Grigg

Understanding how the student brain works

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