Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/250756
drive smart Gradual Learning Curve How new resources are helping drivers understand the rules of the road by Lawrence Herzog H ow we learn affects how we drive. And we don't all learn the same way, or at the same pace. Taking that into account, several new teaching initiatives aim to help beginner and mature drivers better meet the challenges of safely operating a vehicle. The Learner's Licence Prep Kit, online practice quizzes from Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI), and CAA National's Drive Right and seniors websites are among the recently launched ways to learn and improve. These self-directed tools help new and mature drivers gain knowledge and understanding at their own pace. By using the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the Learner's Licence Prep Kit helps new drivers master the information in the Saskatchewan Driver Handbook. UDL strives to knock down barriers to learning across the spectrum of abilities and styles through multiple ways of engagement and expression. Psychologists Michele Pentyliuk and Dexa Stoutjesdyk, co-owners of The Passing Zone, developed the Learner's Licence Prep Kit to be as adaptable and easy to use as possible. "Any one material presented in one way is not going to meet all the criteria for being universally designed," Pentyliuk says. "The more flexible a material is, the more it is going to meet the needs of a greater number of learners." The kits, available at CAA Saskatchewan locations and online, consist of a series of study cards that break intimidating volumes of information into smaller, more manageable sizes. It's an easy and efficient method that has proven to be highly effective for most students, including those who are still mastering the English language or have reading challenges. Thanks to SGI, the kits are available in English, French, Punjabi, Urdu, Tagalog and simplified Chinese. "When people have trouble learning the traditional way, they get very anxious and tend to avoid things," Stoutjesdyk says. "When you make things more accessible, learners experience more success, and that builds confidence and abilities." istock p34-35_DriveSmart.indd 35 The brain learns one thing at a time, Pentyliuk explains, so smaller bites of information are easier for us to digest and retain. "Simplified language, broken down into point form, visual representations and definitions all help to simplify the learning." By placing the cards into piles of "know it" and "don't know it," learners can easily identify the information they need to focus on. Complementing the kit, SGI's newly expanded online practice quiz helps students prepare for the written learner licence exam by allowing them access to the questions at home at no cost. "When you can get more than 80 per cent correct, that says you are ready to take the test," says Brian Kline, SGI's manager of driver development and safety services. Practice questions can now be translated online into more than 80 languages using Google Translate. When drivers are ready to write the in-office exam, they have the option of completing it in a language other than English. "Making that possible is a focus for us," Kline explains. "There are a lot of new citizens that want to acquire a driver's licence, and for many of those individuals, the written knowledge test and road test present language barriers." For mature drivers, the practice quiz serves as a great refresher course to keep up to speed on changes to laws, signage and vehicle technology. "We can all benefit from a little refresher," Kline says. "Sometimes we don't know, but we just assume we know. But laws change all the time." Combining the prep kit with an online quiz gives students the opportunity to both learn the information and test their knowledge before they take the test. Further assistance for senior drivers can be found on CAA's seniors driving.caa.ca website. Another online resource, rolled out nationally, is CAA's Drive Right (drive right.caa.ca). Specifically targeting teen drivers and parents, it includes sections on getting ready, supervision, licensing and laws, insurance and understanding the risks. "In this new era of driving, teens are faced with so many more challenges on the road," says Jeff Walker at CAA National. "From texting to other electronic usage, teens need to know that they have to be 100 per cent committed to the rules of the road and fully engaged while driving. We are happy to support them and their parents as they embark on this learning experience." W LINKS TO LEARNING • SGI's online practice quiz: sgi.sk.ca/about/articles/2013/practicequiz.html • Learner's Licence Prep Kits: caask.ca/product/learner-licence-prep-kits • CAA National's Drive Right: driveright.caa.ca • CAA National's Seniors Driving: seniorsdriving.caa.ca • The Passing Zone: PassingZonePrepKits.ca s p r i n g 2 0 14 | W E S T W O R L D 35 14-01-23 11:03 AM