Edutopia. The Difference Between Differentiation And Personalized Learning. The Difference Between Differentiation And Personalized Learning by TeachThought Staff The difference between differentiation, personalized learning, and the individualization of learning sometimes seems like a matter of semantics, but that could be that terms are used interchangeably when they’re actually not the same.
The biggest difference really is the starting point. Personalized learning starts with the learner first, where differentiation and individualization take something designed for masses and attempt to adapt it for individuals–a monumental task to consistently do well. This chart from Barbara Bray and Kathleen McClaskey clarifies some of the other differences. Related Posts A Beginner's Guide To Personalized LearningA Beginner's Guide To Personalized Learning by TeachThought Staff There is a difference between personalized learning and differentiation. Edutopia. Each day, teachers face the task of helping students stay engaged, show growth, and master the curriculum.
How can they do this? Should they open the textbook and start teaching on page one? Should they use ongoing formative assessments to determine the individual needs of the student, also called differentiated instruction (DI)? According to research presented at the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement in January 2011 (PDF, 168KB), "No other factor contributed to the change in student's achievement further than the intervention of DI. " What DI Is and Isn't Many teachers feel overwhelmed if you mention the words "differentiated instruction.
" Creating an individual plan for each of my students Keeping students in stagnant groups based on data from the beginning of the year Teaching only the lower-level students and letting the higher-level students teach themselves. Instead, as stated in an ASCD infographic, differentiated instruction is when: 1. 2. 3. Edutopia. In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy and crew are so intimidated by the Wizard's enigmatic personality that they struggle to talk with him on equal footing.
Fear and frustration overwhelm them as they blindly accept a suicide mission to slay the Witch of the West. In return, they each receive a treasured prize: a heart, a brain, courage, and a way home. Ironically, they already have these gifts -- which they only discover after unveiling the man behind the curtain posing as the grumpy wizard. Differentiated instruction (DI) casts a spell on educators as to how it meets all students' needs. The skillset required to differentiate seems mystical to some and incomprehensible to others in this environment of state standards and high-stakes tests.
The DI elements were first introduced to me in How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms by Carol Tomlinson, and my understanding later deepened thanks to my friend and mentor, Dr. Image Credit: John McCarthy Differentiating Content. Myth-Busting Differentiated Instruction: 3 Myths and 3 Truths. In third grade, my daughter struggled with problems like 36 x 12, and she knew her multiplication facts.
Fortunately, her math tutor recognized what was needed, and introduced the Lattice Method. For some educators, the Lattice Method is controversial. Just read some of the FB comments. After multiple failed attempts, this strategy made a difference for my daughter. She rediscovered her confidence in math. As educators, we know that learning is not one size fits all, and what's best for some students may not be for others. Myth #1: DI is a collection of strategies. There are many books, workshops, and organizations offering "differentiated strategies" that, when used, will instantly have teachers differentiating for their students.
Truth #1: DI is a lens for implementing any strategy in all pedagogies. Consider that effective teachers have a wealth of tools that they use to meet student needs. Myth #2: DI is incompatible with standardized state testing. Look Through the Lens. A Periodic Table of Visualization Methods. What Differentiation Is (And Is Not)