What professional learning is needed to enhance accessibility practices?

I’m Angela Norman, Apple Distinguished Educator (2017) and Head of Digital Innovation and Integration at St Peter’s College, Adelaide. I’ve been teaching for 16 years, starting out as a Junior Primary teacher and working my way through a range of positions and schools before stepping into this role.

Enhancing accessibility practices through relational Professional Learning

Accessibility is fundamentally about creating equitable learning environments where every individual can thrive. More than adding assistive technologies, it’s about understanding and valuing the unique needs and experiences of each learner. Accessibility is not just about removing barriers; it’s about designing learning experiences without barriers that need to be removed. This proactive approach requires educators to rethink traditional practices and embrace innovative strategies that anticipate and accommodate the diverse needs of all learners.

This kind of shift in thinking doesn’t often come easily; much of our identity as education practitioners is tied up in our experiences and practice- so it can be confronting to have to change what we do and acknowledge that it doesn’t work for all learners. The Professional Learning opportunities that we provide to teachers needs to be carefully designed to deliver genuine and impactful change to practice.

Elements of and approaches to relational professional learning experiences for teachers.

I believe that much of the most impactful Professional Learning hinges on the power of human connection. So many of the elements of effective PL identified in research are rooted in the bringing together of educators to share experiences, insights and strategies. Through these types of experiences, educators learn not only from formal instruction but also from the diverse perspectives of their colleagues. Collaborative experiences often provide a catalyst for mutual growth, fostering supportive environments that sustain educators through change. Relational PL experiences build trust and a shared commitment to student success.

Developing sustainable Professional Learning

Developing sustainable relational PL is not one-size-fits-all. It’s essential to work within the unique environment of the school’s context and culture to ensure that PL is relevant and actionable within the constraints of wider priorities and programs. It’s also critical to identify what works for your educators. Effective PL resonates with educators, incorporates their input and fosters a sense of ownership and agency- honouring the value of the experience they bring alongside the potential for growth in their practice.

This book brings together a summary of the research into elements impacting on the effectiveness of Professional Learning, along with practical tips on how to embed these elements into experiences that you design.

Coaching, mentoring and Professional Learning Networks

There are a number of strategies that help to anchor learning about accessibility practices and technologies in relational approaches- coaching, mentoring and formal and informal professional learning networks all provide opportunities for teachers to explore and learn alongside others.

In 2022, our Diverse Learning Needs Team engaged in our in-house graduate level professional learning course, grounded in relational practices of modelled effective practice, collaboration and feedback and reflection.

Previous experience working with our Diverse Learning Needs Team highlighted the value of working collaboratively to share experiences and effective practice whilst working together on goals around increasing the use of Accessibility features on iPad- a goal that could possibly have been achieved through individual learning, but that was made more powerful by collaboration and discussion. The Apple Learning Coach program has also been hugely beneficial for me and a number of colleagues in unpacking how a highly relational approach can be combined with practical resources to foster sustainable change and growth in professional practice. Our new Apple Learning Coach team are working alongside a number of other teachers across our Junior School to support them in developing their practice, fostering new connections and pathways for ideas sharing through coaching, team teaching and modelling.

As advancements in technology continue to expand the possibilities for making a wider range of learning experiences accessible to all students, I would argue that it’s becoming increasingly impossible to keep up with developments and innovate in isolation- especially when it comes to staying abreast of new possibilities for the full diversity of student needs and experiences. Professional Learning that bring us together helps us to amplify the impact we might have, enhancing outcomes for learners and allowing teachers to find strength in the power of community.

What professional learning do you feel is needed to enhance accessibility practices?