Learning is a journey. As we head into an unknown future for education, we cannot forget to include everyone along the way. Luckily, there are research-backed teaching methods we can turn to, for reminders on how to support our students as they continue on their learning pathways. One way is to differentiate your teaching practices, and consider using adaptive systems to further enhance learning adventures for students. Last week we hosted our first virtual lunch and learn. Despite the new environment, we kept to our format of having a faculty colleague give a lightning talk about their teaching experiences, followed by a small group discussion about the topic, which also included an activity to practice what we had shared.
Differentiated Instruction Is Not What You Think
We began the hour with Amy Pate, Assistant Director of Faculty Support for the School of Life Sciences, who set the stage for the topic of differentiated and adaptive learning. She explained that for differentiation, the learning goals and objectives are always the same, only the path the student takes to get there differs. She shared what differentiated learning is and is not, making sure to cover some common misconceptions about the teaching method. For example, differentiation is NOT "dumbing down"instruction, NOT connected to learning styles, NOT just for gifted students, and NOT just for remediation. 
Differentiation means actively planning instruction to meet student needs, considering their various backgrounds, interests, skill levels, and readiness.The instructor is the one who is “differentiating” the instruction and designing flexible grouping and content.This method of teaching is student-focused, and considered "necessary for success with standards for a broad range of learners." Both of these info-graphics and an explanation of the foundation of differentiated instruction come from ascd.org, with the teaching method developed by Carol Ann Tomlinson, author of The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners. Four Teaching Elements Instructors Can Differentiate
What is Adaptive Learning?
Adaptive learning is differentiated instruction on steroids. Typically a computer system, which uses data and analytics to CONTINUOUSLY adapt the learning path for the individual student. Focus is on the technology to make changes continuously to help students, and has the opportunity to scale, thus is good for large classes. This form of differentiation is ideal for mass personalization. Learners are literally on their own path, if they didn't understand something, the system provides options so they can go back and learn the parts they did not master. All learners reach the end, but the path to get there is different.Adaptive Learning System Leads to Student Success
Following Amy's explanation of Adaptive learning being akin to the mass personalization of a learner's journey, we were delighted to be joined by Susan Holechek, Ph.D, who is an Instructor within the School of Life Sciences. Susan shared the impact of adding Cogbooks, an adaptive learning system, to her BIO 100 courses over the last 3 years, and included data that showed increases in learner success. She talked about the initial challenges of getting used to a different way of teaching her course, but how now the format is seamless. View her presentation slides.Call to Action: Differentiate Your Course
We used the Zoom breakout rooms feature to form small groups and brainstorm ideas for each of the four teaching elements that instructors can differentiate for their students. Download the activity sheet we used to form ideas for making changes in our courses.Resources
- Presentation slides
- Video recording
- Dr. Holechek's presentation slides
- Activity worksheet
- Additional readings
- 7 Things You Should Know About… Adaptive Learning. EDUCAUSE ELI, 2017
- Mintz, S. (2016). Differentiated Instruction in the College Classroom: Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/higher-ed-gamma/differentiated-instruction-college-classroom
- Rock, M. L., Gregg, M., Ellis, E., & Gable, R.A. (2008). REACH: A framework for differentiating classroom instruction. Preventing School Failure, 52 (2), 31-47.
- Differentiated Instruction Resources: http://www.ascd.org/research-a-topic/differentiated-instruction-resources.aspx
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Sarah Prosory is an Instructional Designer within the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University. She has worked in higher education for 10 years, supporting faculty in law, engineering, and biological sciences. Her experience includes assisting faculty with in-person, blended, and hybrid courses, as well as making the leap to fully online courses. She provides training to faculty and teaching assistants on how to use educational technologies, and shares best practices in course design to improve the student experience.
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