Blog Post #6 - Technology-Supported Differentiation

Standard ISTE-A 2.3: Model for colleagues the identification, exploration, evaluation, curation and adoption of new digital resources and tools for learning.

Differentiated similarities and using the information to modify classroom instruction. This instruction allows students to demonstrate their understanding of content in a variety of ways. Differentiation is a process that can be supported with technology integration. Whether it be language, ability, instruction, pacing, etc. There are online resources that can make adaptive teaching possible.

One example of technology-supported differentiation is Khan Academy. This resource allows for blended learning, which is a mixture of online and traditional in-person teaching methods. Khan Academy provides real-time feedback, instructional videos, and homework assistance outside of the classroom for all subjects. My using Khan Academy, not only do students have access to what they need to complete their learning activities, but also, teachers are able to obtain data that enables better understanding of how the students learn and what needs to be done to instruction in order to target educational gaps.

Another online resource that aids in classroom differentiation that I consider worth sharing is Newsela. Newsela is a site that allows differentiation based on lexile level. Teachers are able to choose articles based on topic, academic standard, or lexile level and assign it to their students; however, they are able to tailor the same reading content to meet the needs of each specific student. This is available for grades 3-12. One other benefit of using Newsela in classroom instruction is that some articles include brief quizzes to provide feedback on the related standards.

In a “Cult of Pedagogy” blog/podcast I listened to recently, the idea of creating personalized “playlists” for students caught my ear. The podcast discussed using technology to differentiate by breaking down a unit of any academic subject and creating a list of activities and instructional videos for the students to follow as they progress through the unit. This is what was considered the students’ academic playlist. Not every element in the playlist was different among students; many of the artifacts remained constant, while a few varied among students based on individual needs. This is a flexible concept that can be tweaked over time. I attached the recording, and I encourage giving the podcast a listen to find out more!

Resources:

1. Differentiation for Languages

2. Differentiation for Ability

3. “Cult of Pedagogy: Episode 50”

4. "Enhancing Learning Through Differentiated Technology"

5. "Technology and Differentiation in Middle School Math"