Let's learn another edtech industry (or education) buzzword that's been around for quite some time. If we've discussed Personal Learning last week (If you haven't read the post yet, you can read it here), this week's special is Differentiated Learning.
Differentiated learning (or instruction) usually gets confused with personalized learning in a way that both of them cater to the different levels of student skill/knowledge and readiness level and adjust approaches based on those.
The differentiated instruction approach can be implemented in four different ways.
The first way is through differentiation of content with the instructor adjusting the classroom learning activities based on the different preference and skill of each student. For example, in preparation for a book report, the educator can assign different reading assignments for each student (or groups of students) based on their current mastery.
Second on the list is the differentiation of process; with the educator changing his approach to cater for each student learning style, skill, interests, and preferences. Let's take the book report again as an example. In preparation for the report, the teacher can assign a group of students to read a book, another group to listen to the audio book, and another to watch a video/movie.
The third on the list is through the differentiation of product - meaning that assessments can also be used in implementing this approach. In the creation of the book report, the educator can assign different evaluative methods to each (or each group) of students - some can make a song, others can make a video, a group can write/post a blog post, or some can write a traditional book report. Product is the biggest driver of the differentiated model because it determines the "what" and "how" of the approach.
Lastly, the learning environment also plays a big role in the differentiated approach. The ideal learning environment fosters acceptance of differences by having dedicated spaces for individual work and collaborative work. Most importantly, the classroom equipment, furniture, and even their arrangement, all foster a space that creates a positive, supportive, and structured learning environment.
In summary, differentiated learning still adheres to set and standardized learning objectives for all learners. What makes the approach special is that the educator is given the freedom employ different approaches based his/her assessment of the students' skills, interests, readiness, and preferences to make the lesson more relevant and effective.
So, that's it! If you need more information on Differentiated Learning/Instruction, here's a video from Casey Koschmeder. Cheers!