An example of differentiated learning that I have experienced was in an introductory college math class meant to get all learners moving forward in their mathematics paths. Students in “Math 1”, a non-transferable class, would purchase a year-long subscription to ALEKS, an adaptive learning mathematics software, and sit together in the same classroom at the same time, twice per week, with a professor to guide us along. I was at an intermediate algebra level and was desperately trying to work my way through precalculus so I could take placement test and avoid three additional math classes. Other students in the class were at various other levels, such as remedial algebra, geometry, basic arithmetic, beginning algebra, etc. I was surprised by this format but thrived in it. The professor would sometimes give broad lectures that everyone could listen to, such as how to think about your math journey in the college system, how to engage your counselor for help, different tools for making calculations, and tips for showing your work at a level that most professors will appreciate. Most of the time, however, we were left to complete as much work as we could (with breaks) in the two-hour class period, and encouraged to ignore what our classmates around us were doing. This made for a surprisingly quiet environment, where we were allowed to wear one earbud to listen to music (while keeping the other open for instructor prompts), and I found this to be extremely conducive to reaching a flow state of focus on a subject that most would agree can be challenging to really focus on. This approach is an example of differentiated learning for several reasons. First, each student took a placement test to determine where to begin their journey, and utilized a software built with adaptive lessons which help a learner build confidence and know what it is that they don’t yet know. At the end of the semester, every individual was adequately closer to their next math learning goal (such as the next class in line for them, or perhaps the next science class they’ve finally qualified for), and it felt like the entire class felt good about the time they spent over the long semester. For a subject that can be so daunting for many students, using this differentiated learning design is incredibly inclusive and helpful for the average student to sit down and think about how to bridge the gap between their high school and college mathematics needs.

References:

Cope, B. (2019, January 31). Differentiated Learning, Part 7B: Personalized Learning. E-Learning Ecologies MOOC. Video retrieved from https://www.coursera.org/learn/elearning/home/welcome