Introduction
The modern classroom is a much more diverse place than what it used to be. That statement contains a lot of truth when viewed through the lens of cultural and ethnic diversity, but when considering learning ability and learning style the diversity in the classroom has not changed since students first gathered in a classroom. When looking at learning ability and style, the classroom has always been a diverse group of students that learn in different ways and at differing paces. With that kind of diversity in mind the teacher must accept the uniqueness of every student and foster a learning environment that brings out success in students. To do this teachers can “differentiate instruction to meet all children’s needs while also adhering to standards and state performance testing” (Anderson, 2007, p. 49). Many technology tools exist for differentiating instruction, but tools like Audacity, Kidblog, and Kahoot! encourage creativity, individuality, and content depth determined by the student.
Technology to Differentiate Instruction
Audacity for Podcasting: Audacity is a free, open-source audio editor that can be used to create podcasts. Podcasts, like many technology tools, allow the student to drive the content, meaning they learn at a pace and method of their choosing. Having students create a podcast from what they have researched puts them in charge of the content. If the student has mastered the topic than they can include more in-depth content on the podcast. If, on the other hand, the student does not have as firm a grasp on the subject matter, they can include what they are comfortable with in their podcast content. Podcasts, like those that can be created at Audacity, satisfy several ISTE Standards for Students (2014), specifically those for creativity and innovation, and research and information fluency.
Kidblog for Blogging: Much like Audacity’s podcasts, blogs, like those that can be created at Kidblog, allow students to research teacher-approved websites and write a researched blog that they tailor to meet their needs and content level. Kidblog is a classroom oriented blog site that allows students to post blogs and comment on each other’s posts. Recent research supports constructivist arguments that students learn best when they build their own knowledge by arguing, challenging, problem solving, and having their ideas examined by others (George, 2005). In other words, learning the students accomplish researching their blogs, no matter their level of master, can be improved by other classmates reading it and commenting on it. Blogs, like podcasts, meet the ISTE Standards for Students (2014) of creativity and innovation, along with research and information fluency. They also meet the standards for digital citizenship when posted and commented on.
Kahoot! for Assessment: Assessment tools like Kahoot! allow teachers to assess the level of comprehension of individual students in a fun and anonymous manner. Assessment is an invaluable tool for teachers to differentiate instruction, specifically in the pre-assessment stage, which Kahoot! can obviously be used for as well. Pre-assessment allows students to be grouped using data, based on their knowledge level, so they can receive differentiated instruction to keep them challenged (Pendergrass, 2013). While an assessment tool like Kahoot! only meets the ISTE Standards for Students (2014) of technology operations and concepts, the importance of the tool is not diminished in any way.
Pros and Cons
Like many things there are pros and cons to differentiated instruction. Perhaps the biggest con against differentiated instruction is the extra time and effort required by the teacher. Each lesson takes additional planning on the teacher’s part, but by starting small this can become manageable (Pendergrass, 2013). Another con is that if the teacher is not careful, or displays poor planning, the students with a weaker grasp of the subject might feel singled out. Designing fun, engaging lessons for students at all levels, never drawing attention to any one student group, can mitigate this. There are many pros to be found in differentiated instruction, too. First, in differentiated instruction all students assume responsibility for their learning through their decisions, their self-assessment abilities, and the manner in which their teachers respond to their unique and individual learner characteristics (Anderson, 2007). Another pro of differentiated instruction is that all students are challenged. Gifted students are provided advanced content beyond their grade level (Siegle, 2013). Students that struggle are not frustrated because the content is too difficult. This makes differentiated instruction student-driven and more focused on individual student success.
Conclusion
Creating lessons that encourage creativity, individuality, and student determined content depth using tools like Audacity, Kidblog, and Kahoot! are ideal for differentiating instruction. Meeting content standards is difficult enough without handicapping the student right away by not recognizing their individual learning needs. Not all students learn the same way, or at the same pace, so it is impossible to design a “one size fits all” lesson that reaches every student. Teachers are the student’s gateway to knowledge, so the teacher is responsible for keeping that gateway open, encouraging rather than discouraging students to become lifelong learners.
References:
Anderson, K. M. (2007). Differentiating instruction to include all students. Preventing School Failure, 51(3), 49-54.
George, P. S. (2005). A rationale for differentiating instruction in the regular classroom. Theory Into Practice, 44(3), 185-193.
ITSE Standards for Students. (2014). ISTE Standard: Students. Retrieved on November 3, 2014 from http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-S_PDF.pdf
Pendergrass, E. (2013). Differentiation: It starts with pre-assessment. Retrieved on December 6, 2014 from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/dec13/vol71/num04/Differentiation@_It_Starts_with_Pre-Assessment.aspx
The modern classroom is a much more diverse place than what it used to be. That statement contains a lot of truth when viewed through the lens of cultural and ethnic diversity, but when considering learning ability and learning style the diversity in the classroom has not changed since students first gathered in a classroom. When looking at learning ability and style, the classroom has always been a diverse group of students that learn in different ways and at differing paces. With that kind of diversity in mind the teacher must accept the uniqueness of every student and foster a learning environment that brings out success in students. To do this teachers can “differentiate instruction to meet all children’s needs while also adhering to standards and state performance testing” (Anderson, 2007, p. 49). Many technology tools exist for differentiating instruction, but tools like Audacity, Kidblog, and Kahoot! encourage creativity, individuality, and content depth determined by the student.
Technology to Differentiate Instruction
Audacity for Podcasting: Audacity is a free, open-source audio editor that can be used to create podcasts. Podcasts, like many technology tools, allow the student to drive the content, meaning they learn at a pace and method of their choosing. Having students create a podcast from what they have researched puts them in charge of the content. If the student has mastered the topic than they can include more in-depth content on the podcast. If, on the other hand, the student does not have as firm a grasp on the subject matter, they can include what they are comfortable with in their podcast content. Podcasts, like those that can be created at Audacity, satisfy several ISTE Standards for Students (2014), specifically those for creativity and innovation, and research and information fluency.
Kidblog for Blogging: Much like Audacity’s podcasts, blogs, like those that can be created at Kidblog, allow students to research teacher-approved websites and write a researched blog that they tailor to meet their needs and content level. Kidblog is a classroom oriented blog site that allows students to post blogs and comment on each other’s posts. Recent research supports constructivist arguments that students learn best when they build their own knowledge by arguing, challenging, problem solving, and having their ideas examined by others (George, 2005). In other words, learning the students accomplish researching their blogs, no matter their level of master, can be improved by other classmates reading it and commenting on it. Blogs, like podcasts, meet the ISTE Standards for Students (2014) of creativity and innovation, along with research and information fluency. They also meet the standards for digital citizenship when posted and commented on.
Kahoot! for Assessment: Assessment tools like Kahoot! allow teachers to assess the level of comprehension of individual students in a fun and anonymous manner. Assessment is an invaluable tool for teachers to differentiate instruction, specifically in the pre-assessment stage, which Kahoot! can obviously be used for as well. Pre-assessment allows students to be grouped using data, based on their knowledge level, so they can receive differentiated instruction to keep them challenged (Pendergrass, 2013). While an assessment tool like Kahoot! only meets the ISTE Standards for Students (2014) of technology operations and concepts, the importance of the tool is not diminished in any way.
Pros and Cons
Like many things there are pros and cons to differentiated instruction. Perhaps the biggest con against differentiated instruction is the extra time and effort required by the teacher. Each lesson takes additional planning on the teacher’s part, but by starting small this can become manageable (Pendergrass, 2013). Another con is that if the teacher is not careful, or displays poor planning, the students with a weaker grasp of the subject might feel singled out. Designing fun, engaging lessons for students at all levels, never drawing attention to any one student group, can mitigate this. There are many pros to be found in differentiated instruction, too. First, in differentiated instruction all students assume responsibility for their learning through their decisions, their self-assessment abilities, and the manner in which their teachers respond to their unique and individual learner characteristics (Anderson, 2007). Another pro of differentiated instruction is that all students are challenged. Gifted students are provided advanced content beyond their grade level (Siegle, 2013). Students that struggle are not frustrated because the content is too difficult. This makes differentiated instruction student-driven and more focused on individual student success.
Conclusion
Creating lessons that encourage creativity, individuality, and student determined content depth using tools like Audacity, Kidblog, and Kahoot! are ideal for differentiating instruction. Meeting content standards is difficult enough without handicapping the student right away by not recognizing their individual learning needs. Not all students learn the same way, or at the same pace, so it is impossible to design a “one size fits all” lesson that reaches every student. Teachers are the student’s gateway to knowledge, so the teacher is responsible for keeping that gateway open, encouraging rather than discouraging students to become lifelong learners.
References:
Anderson, K. M. (2007). Differentiating instruction to include all students. Preventing School Failure, 51(3), 49-54.
George, P. S. (2005). A rationale for differentiating instruction in the regular classroom. Theory Into Practice, 44(3), 185-193.
ITSE Standards for Students. (2014). ISTE Standard: Students. Retrieved on November 3, 2014 from http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-S_PDF.pdf
Pendergrass, E. (2013). Differentiation: It starts with pre-assessment. Retrieved on December 6, 2014 from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/dec13/vol71/num04/Differentiation@_It_Starts_with_Pre-Assessment.aspx