EDCI 606 Introduction to Differentiated Instruction

Instructor: Professor Zobel
Start date: July 13, 2008
Midterm project due date: August 3, 2008
Final project due date: August 24, 2008
End date: August 24, 2008

Course Overview
The course will demonstrate the properties of "Quality" differentiation and "Quality" curriculum and invite teachers to revisit the purpose of differentiation and reflect what constitutes quality. Teachers will leave this course with a greater sense of where they stand in the continuum and what is their next step on the path to high quality differentiation and high quality instruction. Demonstrated strategies for differentiation include instructional strategies helpful in addressing student readiness, interest, and learning profile. The course will examine some assessment strategies that help teachers uncover their students' learning needs, as well as strategies such as learning contracts, Entry Points, and addressing elementary or secondary students' varying reading and writing needs.
The course will develop a teacher’s ability to relate to differentiated teaching and assessing through multiple intelligences in order to provide a rationale for using alternative assessment techniques currently popular in reform-based education. TUN students will be engaged in classroom activities to help elementary or secondary students construct their own learning.  Learning is bolstered through new research on the eight levels of intelligence and incorporates Howard Gardner’s findings into curriculum planning and assessment.  This course will help teachers design lessons that purposefully meet academic standards, while providing meaningful and personal learning techniques, including how to use backwards design along with strategies such as the learning cycle.  Both new and experienced teachers can benefit from this session, as they reflect on teaching, and identify their own unique blend of individual assets as educators.

Learner Outcomes
The student will be able to:

• Identify a number of common differentiation strategies in terms of their effectiveness.
• Analysis useful strategies for addressing variance with regard to student readiness, interest, and learning profile.
• Develop ready-to-go strategies, with varying levels of required teacher preparation, as well as Howard Gardner’s Entry Points—how a Tiered Lesson works and Robert Sternberg’s Triarchic Intelligences.
• Identify various issues surrounding differentiated instruction by exploring specific strategies designed to address academic diversity.
• Explore emerging brain research on the neurobiology of emotions and its links to learning, as well as applications of classroom strategies designed to foster emotional health and enhance elementary or secondary students’ ability to learn.
• Evaluate differentiation through assessments and how to translate differentiated lessons into a grading system that reflects student growth. Strategies covered in this lecture include- Poetry Contract, Novel Think-Tac-Toe, Learning Menu and RAFT Lesson.
• Develop an understanding of simple, practical, helpful tips on everything from how to begin the very first day of school to how to trouble-shoot with disruptive students, including tips on student-centered discipline and basic classroom routines and procedures.

Online Learning with TUN Faculty Facilitation

Knowledge Delivery Systems, in partnership with TUN, maintains an online platform that automatically grades student pre- and post-assessments, monitors their participation in the lecture, and awards them credit when they post in the discussion area. TUN faculty will monitor the progress and quality of work the students provide, including the threaded discussions, and will provide feedback and evaluate the midterm and final projects.

Weekly Online Lecture Assignments: 
Week 1-3

1. Differentiation and the Issue of Quality
2. More Strategies for Differentiation
3. Strategies for Differentiation
4. More Strategies for Addressing Academic Diversity in the Middles Grades
5. Strategies for Addressing Academic Diversity in the Middle Grades
6. The Brain, Learning and Multiple Intelligences Bruce Campbell

 
Midterm Project Due at End of Week 3

Week 4-6

1. Managing the Differentiated Classrooms  Debbie Silver                    
2. Differentiation Through Learning Styles and Memory  Marilee Sprenger     
3. Differentiated Assessment and Grading  Rick Wormeli
4. Teaching and Learning Through Multiple Intelligences Bruce Campbell   
5. Differentiated Teaching and Assessing Through Multiple Intelligences -  Debbie  Silver         
6. Building a Classroom Community that Supports a Differentiated Environment - Debbie Silver    

Final Project Due at End of Week 6

Discussion Board:

• Students must submit two unique comments each week and reply to a fellow student’s comments at least twice each week. The comments should relate to the material. The week ends Sunday at 9:00 p.m., Nevada time.
• If a student works ahead during the six week course they should still post every week for the automatic scoring software to count the postings.
• Students are reminded to check the announcement section of the discussion board frequently for items of interest from the Touro faculty.
• Students are also reminded to use the email, not the discussion board, to ask questions or make comments directed to their facilitator.

Grading criteria/system and evaluation activities:
A TUN faculty member will be reviewing students’ answers and providing feedback. Students will be evaluated on their creativity and ability to incorporate techniques from the lecture into the discussion board, research papers, examples, lesson plans and teacher work samples.

University Grading Criteria

Attendance/Participation
It is expected that students will attend all instructional sessions, required activities, and field assignments. 
Students who do not post in the discussion area during the first week of class AND do not notify the instructor in advance will be dropped from the course and may be charged a course drop fee.

University Computer Lab/Library Services
Please refer to Section VI in the Student Handbook.

Disability Services
Please refer to Section VII in the Student Handbook.

Due dates of major assignments and projects::  
Midterm Project Due Date: TBA
Final Project Due Date: TBA

Slides available to download from KDS

• The Brain, Learning and Multiple Intelligences by Bruce Campbell    72 pages
• Differentiation and the Issue of Quality by Carol Ann Tomlinson     113 pages
• Managing the Differentiated Classrooms by Debbie Silver  127 pages
• Differentiation Through Learning Styles and Memory  by Marilee Sprenger  66 pages
• Differentiated Assessment and Grading by  Rick Wormeli  49 pages
• Teaching and Learning Through Multiple Intelligences by Bruce Campbell   96 pages
• Differentiated Teaching and Assessing Through Multiple Intelligences by Debbie  Silver   66 pages
• Building a Classroom Community that Supports a Differentiated Environment by  Debbie Silver    70 pages
• More Strategies for Differentiation
• Strategies for Differentiation
• More Strategies for Addressing Academic Diversity in the Middles Grades
• Strategies for Addressing Academic Diversity in the Middle Grades

Required Web Readings, 1 page summary posted to KDS Web site
Due date: by final due date

• Teaching in a Mixed Ability Classroom: http://www.weac.org/kids/1998-99/march99/differ.htm
• Preparing Teachers for Differentiated Instruction:  http://www.nea.org/teachexperience/diffk030908.html
• Differentiated Instruction Overview:  http://www.epsbooks.com/flat/newsletter/vol05/vol05iss05/Differentiated_Instruction.pdf
• Readiness Differentiation - http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/voice/voice143.shtml
• A Multiplicity of Intelligences: In tribute to Professor Luigi Vignolo - http://www.howardgardner.com/Papers/documents/T-101%20A%20Multiplicity%20REVISED.pdf

Midterm Project
Date due: August 3

Activity:  Reflective Journal

Potential Total Points:                                   100 Points (20% of the final course grade)

The purpose of this activity is to reflect on issues and topics of interest that impact differentiated instruction for the English Language Learner. For this purpose you will need to (on a weekly basis for the first 3 weeks):

1. identify at least one topic or issue per week that is relevant towards the course objectives.
2. write a commentary describing: reasons for your selection, ways in which it impacts learners, teachers, and curricular policies. (1 to 2 pages in length).
3. include the reference source for each of the issues selected if material is outside of KDS video sources.

After the 3 weeks of reflections are completed, choose the two main issues and topics that in your consideration are of greatest importance and

4. write a summative reflection of the two.
5. the summative reflection should be 3-4 pages in length.

 

6. submit the 3 weekly reflections and the 1 summative reflection in one document, and include your last name in the file name (example: lastnamemidterm.doc).

Rubric for Activity

Appropriately selects the weekly issues and includes


Reflections for each issue	60 points
Includes an summative reflection	30 points
Use of APA guidelines	10 points
Potential Total Points:	100 points

 

Final Project
Due date: August 24

Instructional Decision-Making

TWS Standard 5
The teacher uses on-going analysis of student learning to make instructional decisions.

Task
Provide two examples of instructional decision-making based on students’ learning or responses.

Prompt

• Think of a time during your unit when a student’s learning or response caused you to modify your original design for instruction. (The resulting modification may affect other students as well.) Cite specific evidence to support your answers to the following:
• Describe the student’s learning or response that caused you to rethink your plans. The student’s learning or response may come from a planned formative assessment or another source (not the pre-assessment).
• Describe what you did next and explain why you thought this would improve student progress toward the learning goal.
• Now, think of one more time during your unit when another student’s learning or response caused you to modify a different portion of your original design for instruction. (The resulting modification may affect other students as well.)  Cite specific evidence to support your answers to the following:

 

• Describe the student’s learning or response that caused you to rethink your plans. The student’s learning or response may come from a planned formative assessment or another source (not the pre-assessment).
• Describe what you did next and explain why you thought this would improve student progress toward the learning goal.

Suggested Page Length: 3-4

Instructional Decision-Making
Rubric

TWS Standard:
The teacher uses on-going analysis of student learning to make instructional decisions.

Rating ® Indicator ¯	1 Indicator Not Met	2 Indicator Partially Met	3  Indicator Met	Score
Sound Professional Practice	Many instructional decisions are inappropriate and not pedagogically sound.	Instructional decisions are mostly appropriate, but some decisions are not pedagogically sound.	Most instructional decisions are pedagogically sound (i.e., they are likely to lead to student learning).
Modifications Based on Analysis of Student Learning	Teacher treats class as “one plan fits all” with no modifications.	Some modifications of the instructional plan are made to address individual student needs, but these are not based on the analysis of student learning, best practice, or contextual factors.	Appropriate modifications of the instructional plan are made to address individual student needs. These modifications are informed by the analysis of student learning/performance, best practice, or contextual factors. Include explanation of why the modifications would improve student progress.
Congruence Between Modifications and Learning Goals	Modifications in instruction lack congruence with learning goals.	Modifications in instruction are somewhat congruent with learning goals.	Modifications in instruction are congruent with learning goals.