Technology

Supporting differentiated instruction with technology

Key Questions to Consider
How are teachers using technologies to provide universal access to information for all students, especially those with disabilities? What technologies are used by your students to “make sense” of what they are learning? How are students expressing their learning using technologies? What technologies do you already have available that effectively support and promote formative assessment?

Key Questions to Consider

How are teachers using technologies to provide universal access to information for all students, especially those with disabilities?

What technologies are used by your students to “make sense” of what they are learning?

How are students expressing their learning using technologies?

What technologies do you already have available that effectively support and promote formative assessment?

In differentiated classrooms, students exhibit and articulate their learning. Technology provides learners with multiple options for accessing information and perspectives, simulations, graphic organizers for making sense of complex concepts, and tools for demonstrating learning. It can facilitate developmentally-appropriate learning experiences by providing information in a variety of ways (visual, auditory) and at a variety of levels (NEIRTEC, 2002). It expands the learning opportunities for each student, and fosters their engagement in learning.

The process of formative assessment and corresponding differentiated instructional methods is streamlined and enriched with technology. There are a variety of ways to integrate technology into classroom instruction that supports differentiation. Simple classroom solutions, such as using document projectors to display and critique student “quick writes” in real-time, aligned with complex data warehousing systems facilitating the monitoring of student performance, serve to make learning progress available to students, teachers, administrators, and parents.

Resources

Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)
http://www.cast.org/index.html (outside link)
CAST provides educators with technology-based educational resources and strategies based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Founded in 1984, CAST provides practical applications, educational research, and policy recommendations.

Northeast and the Islands Regional Technology Education Consortium (NEIRTEC), Technology and Teaching Children to Read
http://www.neirtec.org/reading_report/ (outside link)
NEIRTEC provides background information to help reading specialists, education technology specialists, classroom teachers, and special education teachers work together to understand, evaluate, and implement effective uses of technology within K-6 reading programs.

WestEd Using Technology to Support Diverse Learners
http://www.wested.org/cs/tdl/print/docs/tdl/home.htm (outside link)
WestEd addresses how existing resources, such as technology, can be used in the classroom to support differentiated instruction. Developed and maintained by WestEd, it details professional development materials, research, and upcoming events, and provides “Tech Tips” with specific suggestions for targeted populations.

WestEd Knowledge Brief Using Flexible Technology to Meet the Needs of Diverse Learners
http://www.wested.org/cs/we/view/rs/763 (outside link)
This report details what technologies teachers can use today to differentiate instruction in their classrooms. The brief provides specific suggestions and web links to tools, simulations, and methods that support individualizing instruction and formative assessment.

References

Northeast and Island Regional Technology Consortium. (2002). Technology briefs for No Child Left Behind planners. Retrieved January 17, 2007 from http://www.neirtec.org/products/techbriefs/index_html.asp (outside link) .

Comments (0)