The Differentiated Classroom – EDUC 547

Course Description

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

As teachers seek to educate all students within the classroom, understanding the history, purpose, and application of differentiation is necessary. Teachers need to know and understand the theories of differentiation in order to apply these theories to the classroom. Differentiation can appear in various forms; however, at the core of differentiation is ensuring each student is successful by addressing individual student needs for growth. Teachers must intentionally learn and adjust teaching strategies based on best practices and proactively engage students through multiple approaches in content, process, and assessments in differentiation.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the candidate will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the candidate will participate in four Discussions. Each discussion will be completed in two parts. First, the candidate will create a thread of at least 300 words in response to the prompt. The thread must include at least one in-text citation from the textbook, scholarly journals, and/or the Bible. The candidate will then submit 100-word replies to at least two peers. Each reply should include at least one in-text citation from the textbook, scholarly journals, and/or the Bible. While differing opinions are expected, professional respect and courtesy are also expected. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F)

The candidate will complete three Journal Critiques. For each critique, the candidate will summarize, critique, and personally apply a research article from a professional journal. It is appropriate for the candidate to utilize research journals in their particular field where possible. All articles must be current (published no more than 5 years ago). The student must show support from the textbook or the Bible. (CLO: A, B, D, E)

The candidate will complete three modules from the IRIS Center, which is a free online resource supported by the U.S. Department of Education.  The purpose of the IRIS Center is to offer a variety of resources, modules, case studies, and professional development to educators. The modules chosen for this course are directly related to differentiated instruction, and will enhance the candidates’ ability to apply specific strategies to a variety of learners.

A template for each module is provided. The student will cite a minimum of four sources per assignment, including the IRIS module and the course text. The assignment must follow APA standards. (CLO: A, B, D, F)

A primary goal of this course is to develop the knowledge and ability of candidates to understand the students’ needs, choose an appropriate modification or intervention to support the student, and correctly document or monitor the progress of the student. The purpose of this assignment is to provide the candidates with real-world scenarios in which the candidate must choose what type of intervention is required, how they would implement the intervention, as well as including progress monitoring methods. This assignment provides candidates with the scenarios and online sources to complete the assignment.

The student will analyze five scenarios. Each analysis will be at least one page, use the provided template, and include a minimum of one scholarly article. Title and reference pages are required, and APA formatting should be used throughout the assignment. (CLO: A, B, D, F)

It is vital for candidates to have practical strategies and approaches available to increase their application of the knowledge gained in this course. In order to apply this goal, the candidate will develop a “menu” or list of interventions that can be implemented in their classroom. (CLO: B, D)

The candidate will take 7 quizzes throughout the term in order to check for reading comprehension and to ensure they are actively engaging in the textbook. Each quiz will be comprised of 5-15 multiple-choice and true-false questions that will cover the module’s textbook readings. Each quiz allows one attempt, and has a time limit of 1-2 hours. (CLO: A, B)