This article is the last of a 3-part article series about differentiated instruction.
In the past two articles, we discussed the elements of differentiated instruction and the strategies that you can use to implement it in your training program. The first two parts of this article series is leading up to this final part – how you can implement this method of learning in your course. The actual implementation actually involves a couple of tasks that you are probably familiar with already. You just have to change your target a bit in order to get the information that you will need to create a differentiated online learning course.
There are 5 things that you can do in order to create an effective training program through differentiated instruction.
- Know your learners. This is usually something that elearning professionals include in their to-do list. The new way of learning is learner-centric. We no longer provide content that is spoon-fed. We provide content that will allow learners to take control of the learning process. Before you can do that, you need to know who your learners are – more so if you will use differentiated instruction in your training program. You need to know how you will categorize the employees that will use your course so you can provide them with the options to pursue their preferred learning.
- Research the media tools you will use. The next thing that you need to do is to research the tools that you can use to provide the different paths of learning in your course. The more variety you have, the more options there will be for your learners. You can use slideshows, audio pieces, videos, interactive games, etc. These can address the different requirements and preferences of your learners. As they choose their own path, they can explore your course at their own comfortable pace – thus making it a bit easier for them to absorb the content in your training program.
- Provide various options in completing the course. Branching scenarios is a great way for differentiated instruction to be applied in your elearning course. You can place your learners in a situation at the beginning of the course and allow them to choose their own path as they go along. Give them permission to jump from one part to the other, to skip or to go back to previous content. That will give them the freedom to dwell on the content that they are having a hard time understanding or breeze through those that they already know about.
- Create assignments with different difficulty levels. Another thing that you can do is to create different versions of an assignment and give them varying levels of difficulty. The best way to implement this is by using games with different levels. As the learner goes along, the levels become more difficult. This will allow the participants in your training program to apply what they have learned in a way that matches their capabilities. If you create these games with a rewarding system, this will make learning fun and at the same time, fulfill their need for achievement while keeping them from feeling too much pressure.
- Allow flexible groupings. It is always a great idea to create groups within every training program. That way, your learners will have the chance to learn from each other. However, that does not mean they should stick to one group during the whole learning process. Create activities during the course that will allow them to become a part of different groups. That should encourage them to take on different roles as they adjust to the different personalities in every group. For instance, they can be the leader in one group while a follower in the next.
Of course, you need not limit yourself to these tips when using differentiated instruction in your training program. Feel free to come up with new ways that you can implement this way of learning in your future elearning courses.
This article is inspired by the study done by Kathleen Scalise (Assistant Professor, University of Oregon EDUCAUSE Information Resources Library, January 2000). The original text can be found on this link: http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/csd4903.pdf
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