Differentiated Instruction and Some Technology to Support it

1. Differentiated Instruction and Some Technology to Support it Technology’s Influence on Differentiated Instruction

2. Steve Spengler, Director Instructional Technology Secondary EducationPhone: 570-839-7121 ext 60325Email: stevespengler@pmsd.org

3. No fear! Technology just becomes a tool for them.

4. And we’re still trying to figure it out.

5. I was hoping…

6. How true is this?

7. Think about this… • The Web (the Internet) recently welcomed its 1 billionth user • That user is most likely an 8 year-old kid from… • United States? • England? • Japan? • None of the above…most likely from countries that we refer to as evolving or “3rd World” • He or she is now connected to the sum of human knowledge we are building online • Soon…he or she will be an author creating content and sharing content online

8. More to think about… • 1 out of every 8 couples married in the U.S. last year met online. • There are over 100 million registered users of MySpace. • The average MySpace page is visited 30 times a day. • The number of text messages sent and received every day exceeds the population of the planet. • It’s estimated that 1.5 exabytes (that’s 1.5 x 1018) of unique new information will be generated worldwide this year.

9. Education Illustrated www.educationillustrated.com

10. Let’s take a look at Differentiated Instruction

11. As you know, students come to our classrooms with a variety of:

12. Differentiated Instruction IS . . . • proactive • more qualitative than quantitative • multiple approaches to content, process, and product • student centered • a blend of whole-class, group and individual instruction • purposeful

13. Differentiated Instruction is NOT… • the “individualized instruction” of the 1970s • chaotic • just another way to provide homogeneous grouping • just “tailoring” the same suit of clothes”

14. Summary Statements About Learning • People learn what is personally meaningful to them. • People learn when they accept challenging but achievable goals. • Learning is developmental. • Individuals learn differently. • People construct new knowledge by building on their current knowledge. • Much learning occurs through social interaction. • People need feedback to learn. • Successful learning involves use of strategies--which themselves are learned. • A positive emotional climate strengthens learning. • Learning is influenced by the total environment. Powerful Learning by Ron Brandt

15. Why is technology such a great thing for kids? • Existence of wide gaps in student experience and ability? • Motivating factor of using technology? • Flexibility of the medium? • Preparing students for the real world? KEEP THIS IN MIND!

16. Teachers Can Differentiate Content Process Product

17. Content • What is Taught and Learned: • Relevant • Helps students understand themselves and their lives • Authentic or “real” • Can be used immediately

18. http://www.pps.k12.or.us/curriculum/literacy/leveled_books/

19. http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/littlekids/archive/litinst_creatingtext.htmhttp://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/littlekids/archive/litinst_creatingtext.htm

22. Technology-based learning centers • PowerPoint offers many opportunities for differentiation. • Can even be in an eSchool Builder type format! • Reinforce and/or review • Less complex…more concrete • Apply learning to investigation, cases, and problems • Advances learning to include more depth and complexity • Special needs students…adjust the learning mode • Socialize learning…interaction with teams or groups

23. Technology-based learning centers Learning About Canada Geography Government History

24. PowerPoint for Learning Centers • Creating Games in PowerPoint • http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/tutorials/powerpoint/games.html#jeopardy • Game Templates for PowerPoint • http://www.jc-schools.net/tutorials/PPT-games/ • Jeopardy Games (PPT) • http://www.hardin.k12.ky.us/res_techn/countyjeopardygames.htm • PowerPoint Games • http://208.183.128.3/write/games/index.html • Writing Storybooks with PowerPoint • http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/techtorial/techtorial027.shtml • PowerPoint Pizazz • http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/educators/workshop/pizazz/ • Learning Center Example: All About Canada • http://lakelandschools.org/EDTECH/Differentiation/LearningAboutCanada.ppt • Learning Center Assessment Example: Geography • http://lakelandschools.org/EDTECH/Differentiation/WHemispherePreAssessment.ppt

25. Whole-Class Instruction Use PowerPoint…it modifies lectures! • Give students copies or make them available with notes • Give the special education teacher copies so that he/she can work with students • Give to advanced students…have them add to it • Adjust to meet different levels of students • Visuals…graphics…meet the needs of today’s diverse learner

26. Whole-Class projects Whole Class Project Examples • Virtual Museums (create one or visit one) • Virtual Zoos (create one or visit one) • Virtual Fieldtrips (create one or visit one) • Virtual Expeditions (create one or visit one) Technology can make whole-class instruction meaningful for students at various levels

27. WebQuests for D.I. WebQuest - The Scottsboro Boys' TrialsRace, Gender, and Lies Your Job, Should YouChooseto Accept It(which you'll do if you want to pass) PICK ONE! CHOICE #1:Prove Price Lied- Highest Possible Grade: A CHOICE #2:Why Did (S)he Do It? - Highest Possible Grade: C http://www.sanmarcos.net/ana/Class/Eng2/Scottsboro10th.html

28. WebQuests for D.I. In addition to your written letter to Aunt Sally, your group must choose one of the following activities to present to the class: Brochure - Create a travel brochure urging people to move westward. Use the positive information you have compiled through your Web Quest. You must include at least 5 reasons why people should join the westward movement and examples of how people have benefited from moving out west in the past. Debate - Divide your group in half. Have one half present the positive side of your person moving west. Have the other half present the negative side of the person moving west. Include the information from your web quest to support both sides your arguments. Commercial - Create a story board and act out a commercial with your group telling and "selling" reasons why people should or should not move west. Include the information from your web quest to support your position. http://lakelandschools.org/edtech/Integration/quest/home.htm

29. WebQuests for Differentiation • The Official WebQuest Site • http://www.webquest.org • Kathy Schrock’s WebQuest Resources • http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/webquest/webquest.html • Best WebQuests • http://bestwebquests.com/ • Information about WebQuests (sort of a training) • http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/webquests/index.html