Differentiated learning
Position paper on promoting differentiated learning in face-to-face learning through use of ICTs
Lori Powell, Memorial University of Newfoundland
This position paper argues in favour of the need to differentiate learning in the face-to-face classroom through the use of information and communication technologies.
Problem
Historically, teaching was a one size fits all approach and special education teachers were solely responsible for modifying curriculum and instructional materials for students with special needs (Edyburn, 2004). This approach has not been completely effective and “teachers’ inability to deal with students with different levels of readiness in a different way leads to school failure and all the negative outcomes that come with it” (Konstantinou-Katzi, Tsolaki, Meletiou-Mavrotheris, & Koutselini, 2012, p.332). The traditional method of teaching is also not conducive to authentic activities that personalize learning for differentiated instruction (Hwang, Chu, Lin, & Tsai, 2011).
Today’s educators have to respond to diverse populations of students within the general education classrooms (Dimitriadou, Nari, & Palaiologou, 2012). Many classrooms consist of students from different knowledge backgrounds, multiple cultures, both genders, and students with a range of disabilities or exceptionalities (Alavinia & Fardy, 2012). Differentiated instruction is defined as “a philosophy of teaching that is based on the premise that students learn best when their teachers accommodate the differences in their readiness levels, interest, and learning profiles” (Konstantinou-Katzi et al., 2012, p. 333). To meet those needs, teachers need to change materials, instructional procedures, and also means of assessment (Southall, 2013). Redesigning curriculum, collaborating, scheduling, and preparing resources for students’ needs and other personal characteristics is very labor intensive (Alavinia & Fardy, 2012). Collecting, gathering, and storing assessment data to inform instruction is limited when teachers have larger groups of students (Mooij, 2007). Implementation of differentiated instruction approaches and the methods that address the modern pedagogy to nurture all students’ learnings is a challenging, and critical task (Alavinia & Fardy, 2012).