Using Persona to Model Students with Disabilities
Overview
In this assignment, students will create a fictional person with a disability, describe how their needs could be met in a classroom setting, and work with a partner to discuss possible challenges and opportunities. There is an option to turn the material created in this assignment into an assignment as a practice of regenerative Open Educational Resources and Open Pedagogy.
Directions
Topic: Pick one of the disabilities covered in this class.
Create persona base: Give the person a name, age, parent/guardian, and a classroom setting.
Empathy: Choose at least one hobby or interest that you personally identify with - favorite type of music, be a fan of a sports team or fictional universe, enjoy a certain food or have some other cultural trait that you personally identify with. Avoid traits that you yourself would feel hurt when discussing in a manner that brings up potential prejudices or bias. The reason that you are being asked to assign a cultural identifier that you hold yourself is to help you empathize with this persona.
Bio: Create a short bio about someone with that disability (see example). Take care to keep the bio respectful and to recognize this person as a complex individual.
Advocacy: Now imagine that you have to ask the instructor present in that classroom setting about meeting your persona’s educational needs. What preconceptions or biases might they need to address? Are there any assistive tools or techniques that would help both the instructor and student? What steps could be taken by the instructor or institution to help the persona-student achieve?
Group: Pair up with another student in this class. Trade personas and pretend that you are the instructor who has your partner’s persona in their class. Talk about the cultural trait you share with your persona. Ask each other about possible preconceptions or biases, assistive tools and techniques, and steps that could be taken by the instructor to help the persona achieve. Refer to the strategies that you learned throughout the course. Talk about concerns a parent/guardian might have.
Example Assignment
Persona:
Paul Abrhams is a fifth grade student who has been diagnosed with ADHD. He has trouble sitting still in class and often does not complete work. He is easily distracted and seems like he interrupts class activities with non-sequiturs, even when earnestly trying to participate and contribute. He has a special interest in the fantasy genre, however, and will be able to sit still and concentrate on books and movies featuring mythical creatures or medieval settings. Paul’s mother, Maurine, is worried that he is falling behind his classmates. Despite her constant reminders, Paul frequently misses homework assignments and has even lost take home assignment materials. Despite these challenges, Paul tries hard at school and every once in a while will excel at a particular activity when he finds it novel or interesting.
Classroom setting:
Paul is in Mr. Stevenson’s 5th grade science class. Mr. Stevenson is looking forward to the upcoming egg drop assignment. It is a class favorite every year. He is concerned about Paul’s ability to participate, however. It is a group project that puts into place concepts that students have been working on for the past few weeks. Successful egg drop experiments require application of concepts learned in the physics option of the class, teamwork, and attention to detail. Mr. Stevenson is looking for assistive tools and techniques to help Paul get the most out of this assignment.
Discussion on persona:
Paul and I share a lot in common. I was diagnosed with ADHD in the first grade. My teacher complained to my parents that I was disruptive in class and I was put on medication at a very young age. This was in 1990 in Cincinnati, Ohio; a time and place that saw a large increase in ADD/HD diagnosis and medication in young people.
I also share a keen interest in fantasy genre with Paul. This interest is as pronounced now in my late 30’s as it was when I was in grade school. The largest differences are the amount of disposable income, more now, and time, much less, that I have to devote to that hobby.
Tools, actions, & techniques:
Paul could benefit from several tools and techniques in Mr. Stevenson’s class and in the egg drop assignment. While alternative assignments as discussed in chapter 13 of the IRIS Center text may not be appropriate, some modifications and accommodations may be.
Paul could be given a couple more eggs than other classmates, in anticipation that some more might get broken. This is not to say that other participants should be denied an extra egg if one gets broken before the drop. Just that Paul should know that it’s ok to use extra in the design and construction portions of the assignment.
Paul may also benefit from a few hands-on trial runs before the graded assignment, or even a hands-on demo.
Watching a video that can be paused and restarted at home instead of a reading assignment would be a reasonable tool. Similar to a video that can be paused and restarted, Paul could be granted leniency and understanding if he mentally checks out sometimes during class. If coursework needs to be revisited, it should be presented as an opportunity for further exploration and not as a punishment for not paying attention.
Class concepts can be explained during a demonstration rather than lecturing, reading, and reciting information.
The opportunity for Paul to demonstrate mastery of course concepts through a project, presentation, or other creative assignment may be helpful leading up to the egg drop might be a helpful accommodation.
These modifications would not negatively impact the curricula or put Paul at a disadvantage compared to his peers. In fact, these modifications might be helpful for others in the class as well!
Discussion on possible bias and the need for empathy from the instructor:
No doubt Mr. Stevenson wants what is best for the students in his 5th grade science class. It can be challenging, however, to guide a classroom of children on the cusp of adolescence through course concepts. Adding a few children with learning disabilities to that mix will increase the workload.
In meeting these challenges, Mr. Stevenson will need to keep himself from falling into biased or overly negative thoughts about his students, especially those working with extra challenges. When working with students diagnosed with ADHD, Mr. Stevens or any instructor should remind themselves that these students are not choosing to be disruptive. They have just as much a right to a good education as any neuro-typical student, and they are just as capable of mastering course concepts. Mr. Stevens might find it helpful to examine the ways in which assistive tools, techniques and even modifications do not diminish the material learned in class but are really just methods that can help students with and without disabilities.
Addressing the concerns of parent/guardians:
When addressing the concerns of a parent/guardian, like Maurine, instructors like Mr. Stevens will need to recognise that parents probably know less about education and childhood development than they do. This will likely be true even though the parent/guardian is more intimately in tune with what is going on with the child/student. Mr. Stevens and other instructors will need to have the knowledge and skills necessary to communicate with parent/guardian about the challenges faced by children with disabilities in an empathetic manner. Parent/guardians will also need to be informed about adaptations and assistive tools used to support their children. If possible, parent/guardians may be enlisted in incorporating assistive techniques into homework and outside study.
Rubric
Full persona:
Exemplary work! | Ok work. | Needs improvement. |
Tools, actions, & techniques:
Exemplary work! | Ok work. | Needs improvement. |
Sensitivity & empathy:
Exemplary work! | Ok work. Persona is treated with respect but more sensitivity could have been used by the author. Persona shares something in common with the author, but it seems unimportant. Some discussion of possible biases with assignment partner. | Needs improvement. |
Regenerative OER/Open Education
If you would like to use this assignment to create a tool for other educators, consider uploading your persona as a case study. Attach a Creative Commons License and upload your work as an to OER Commons. Contact an Instruction or OER Librarian for assistance.
To create an assignment, simply ask other educators to read you persona and answer the following questions:
What preconceptions and biases that an instructor would need to check themselves for when working with your persona in a classroom setting?
What assistive tools and techniques would be useful for both instructor and persona?
What concerns might a parent/guardian have that an instructor should work to address?