Photos at NECC 2008 in San Antonio, Texas. See more on my Flickr photostream (click entry link above). More will be added!!!
Enjoy!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
San Antonio Trip -- NECC 2008
Photos at NECC 2008 in San Antonio, Texas. See more on my Flickr photostream (click entry link above). More will be added!!!
Enjoy!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Why D.I. -- "Ah Ha" Moment
I can't speak for others, but I know I always learn so much by preparing for and leading workshops and presentations for colleagues. Right now I'm preparing for a session I'll be leading at NECC 2008 in San Antonio -- Technology and Differentiated Instruction (Monday, 6/30, at 3:30 pm), and as I was reflecting on the Tech4DI wiki and other material I'll be sharing I had one of those "Ah ha!" moments.
I was thinking about the purposes of Differentiated Instruction (DI) as I was editing an LMSD Podologue episode (embedded below) from a similar session I presented at PETE & C in Hershey, PA, in February. I knew from presenting this topic a number of times previously and talking with many educators about the DI framework that a number of misconceptions persist about DI and what it is. One teacher told me her principal was pushing DI as a means of addressing under-achieving students and raising their test scores. Other teachers are surprised to learn that DI is intended to meet the needs of all learners -- including those traditionally considered gifted (through enhancement, enrichment, and extension opportunities, for example). Some teachers think of DI as a way to individualize education for each student in a classroom -- it is not practical, not feasible, not possible; DI is not an individualized plan for each student.
But as I was considering these misconceptions, and the fact that DI is meant to be an efficient and effective collection of strategies to provide a range of learning opportunities appropriate for the range of skills, experiences, learning styles, and interests of a classroom full of students, it struck me. Even understanding this, one might still think the primary purpose of DI is to increase student achievement -- as reflected on standardized assessments or inclusive of classroom assessments and grades.
Now it's a fine goal to improve student achievement -- and we should not lose sight of that goal, but I believe that Differentiated Instruction can and should serve an even broader purpose -- to help students understand and hone their own learning styles and best strategies for learning and problem-solving (meta-cognition), to help develop in students a love of learning and a passionate curiosity they will carry with them for a life-time, and to appreciate the value of working together and sharing diverse understanding and skills to achieve a common goal. As we develop these qualities in our students, I also believe their achievement scores on standardized assessments will go up -- that goal alone, however, is just not sufficient!
I was thinking about the purposes of Differentiated Instruction (DI) as I was editing an LMSD Podologue episode (embedded below) from a similar session I presented at PETE & C in Hershey, PA, in February. I knew from presenting this topic a number of times previously and talking with many educators about the DI framework that a number of misconceptions persist about DI and what it is. One teacher told me her principal was pushing DI as a means of addressing under-achieving students and raising their test scores. Other teachers are surprised to learn that DI is intended to meet the needs of all learners -- including those traditionally considered gifted (through enhancement, enrichment, and extension opportunities, for example). Some teachers think of DI as a way to individualize education for each student in a classroom -- it is not practical, not feasible, not possible; DI is not an individualized plan for each student.
But as I was considering these misconceptions, and the fact that DI is meant to be an efficient and effective collection of strategies to provide a range of learning opportunities appropriate for the range of skills, experiences, learning styles, and interests of a classroom full of students, it struck me. Even understanding this, one might still think the primary purpose of DI is to increase student achievement -- as reflected on standardized assessments or inclusive of classroom assessments and grades.
Now it's a fine goal to improve student achievement -- and we should not lose sight of that goal, but I believe that Differentiated Instruction can and should serve an even broader purpose -- to help students understand and hone their own learning styles and best strategies for learning and problem-solving (meta-cognition), to help develop in students a love of learning and a passionate curiosity they will carry with them for a life-time, and to appreciate the value of working together and sharing diverse understanding and skills to achieve a common goal. As we develop these qualities in our students, I also believe their achievement scores on standardized assessments will go up -- that goal alone, however, is just not sufficient!
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