Web Tools For Differentiated Instruction

Practical Application: This web page will remain online. With your permission, ideas and contributions you make will be posted here for your future reference.

What is Differentiated Instruction ?

Differentiated Instruction or "DI" is "a form of instruction that seeks to "maximize each student's growth by meeting each student where she is and helping the student to progress. In practice, it involves offering several different learning experiences in response to students' varied needs. Learning activities and materials may be varied by difficulty to challenge students at different readiness levels, by topic in response to students' interests, and by students' preferred ways of learning or expressing themselves." (L. Kiernan )

"For many educators, Differentiated Instruction offers a framework for addressing learner variance as a critical component of instructional planning." - Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe

Connecting Differentiated Instruction, Understanding by Design and What Works in Schools: An Exploration of Research-Based Strategies (DVD) View the video clip

Differentiated Instruction Resources from ASCD

For more information on Differentiated Instruction, please visit here.

Best Practices for Differentiated Instruction Using the Web

The following are teacher generated ideas for "Best Practices for Differentiated Instruction Using the Web".

Keep your administrators and parents of your students "in the loop"
Student access to the Internet at home considerations
Consider student privacy

Web Lingo You May Wish To Know

triple w dot websitename dot com
Username
Password
Domain Name
Web Hosting
IP address
e-mail alias
e-mail forwarding
visitor and statistics tracker

Using a Wiki in Education

"The difference between a wiki and a blog is that wikis are designed for collaboration among groups of users. Anyone with the shared wiki password can edit the content on a wiki at any time. Wikis also provide discussion boards for every page, enabling users to engage in ongoing conversations about their developing project. " - Bill Ferriter Free Wiki Services

Wikispaces is one of the first wiki services that educators embraced. As a result, there are literally thousands of Wikispaces that you can look to for samples of what's possible. https://www.wikispaces.com/site/for/teachers

How can I use wikis in education? http://educationalwikis.wikispaces.com/ A comprehensive list of existing educational wikis that we can learn from http://educationalwikis.wikispaces.com/Examples+of+educational+wikis

Wet Paint (www.wetpaint.com): With an emphasis on tools for collaboration and professional templates, Wet Paint wikis will make you look good. Example anatowiki The goal of this wiki is to help us all learn anatomy http://anatowiki.wetpaint.com/

Using a Blog in Education

Wordpress.org offers free software one can download if you are hosting your own blog on a web domain.

Educators can host their own blogs on the following sites.

Using YouTube in Education

Web 2.0 tools for differentiated instruction A video presenting some examples of how teachers can use web tools to differentiate their instruction

Using Moodle in Education

Moodle is a Course Management System (CMS), also known as a Learning Management System (LMS) or a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It is a Free web application that educators can use to create effective online learning sites.

http://moodle.org/

The Networked Classroom

"The Networked Classroom" by Jeremy Roschelle, William R. Penuel and Louis Abrahamson

"In the typical mathematics or science class, a few students routinely answer most of the questions and share their work on a problem. Teachers rarely hear from the shy and less confident students. The networked classroom—handheld devices connecting to the teacher's laptop computer and integrated with a shared screen—can change all that. The authors describe recent research on how classroom networks can enhance communication in the classroom and improve student achievement. They also describe one such system in action." Buy this article from ASCD

Tools for Differentiated Instruction Using Technology list compiled by staff at Ox Bow Elementary School in Elkhart, Indiania, USA

Supporting Student Success in Literacy

Grades 7-12 – Effective Practices of Ontario School Boards http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/brochure/literacy/index.html

Ontario Prospects: Ontario's Guide to Career Planning http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/prospects/index.html

Preparing Students for the OSSLT Best Practices from Ontario School Boards http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/brochure/osslt/

Teaching Tools http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teachers/section2.html

E-Learning Ontario is an essential online resource for the Ontario-funded school system, providing elementary and secondary teachers and learners with the flexibility they need to reach their goals. Through e-Learning Ontario, the Ministry of Education offers participating school boards new ways to teach Ontario's curriculum and help their students succeed.

Ontario's Education Priorities The e-learning strategy supports many of Ontario's other learning initiatives and priorities, including the following:

Student Success Strategy — This $1.3 billion strategy aims to increase the graduation rates in Ontario high schools to 85% by 2010–11 through various means, including high-quality online learning.

• Learning to 18 — This initiative provides more flexibility for students to complete their studies and will increase the number of students who graduate from secondary school. • Literacy and Numeracy Strategy — Recognizing that strong literacy and numeracy skills are the foundation for success in school and in life, this strategy focuses on improving student achievement through a range of initiatives, including e-learning resources and remedial opportunities.

Rural Student Success Program — This program provides students in small, rural, and isolated schools with equitable access to diverse courses and resources, including those accessible through e-learning.

As a facilitator of online education, E-Learning Ontario provides elementary and secondary teachers with more resources to engage their students in learning, as well as an opportunity to share teaching resources with colleagues across Ontario. It gives learners the flexibility they need to succeed. http://www.elearningontario.ca/eng/Default.aspx

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Thank you!

David M.R.D. Spencer, Project Leader
for David Spencer's Education Paragon

Web Tools For Differentiated Instruction

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