A conceptual framework for Assessment-Informed Differentiation (AID) in the classroom

Abstract

Background: To enable all students to reach their full potential, teachers have to adapt their instruction to students' varying needs. In order to do this, teachers need to engage in activities associated with formative assessment, as well as those associated with differentiation. However, both of these types of activities are, in themselves, difficult for teachers to carry out. Furthermore, as both fields tend to use their own terminology, frameworks, and cycles of teacher activities, it can be even more difficult for teachers to navigate both. Although the notion of the strong relationship between formative assessment and differentiation is not new, we argue that a better understanding of the close relationship between the two is needed in the context of teacher education. Purpose: Our aim was to develop a conceptual framework which offers teachers and teacher educators a coherent set of teacher activities in which both formative assessment and differentiation are represented. Sources of evidence: International literature in the fields of formative assessment and differentiation was reviewed. Through this process, we sought to identify, describe and compare teacher activities regarded as crucial for formative assessment and for differentiation. The review was based on extant review studies and frameworks used in both fields and handbooks on both topics. Main argument: Our analysis demonstrated that both approaches have much in common, but differ substantially in terms of the emphasis placed on different activities and the depth of elaboration. As such, we argue that the approaches complement each other well and that it is feasible to present teachers with one coherent set of teacher activities in which both approaches are unified. We propose a conceptual framework for Assessment-Informed Differentiation (AID), which involves a continual cycle of in-depth activities related to preparing and providing differentiated instruction based on assessment data. Conclusion: Formative assessment and differentiation approaches need to be treated as an integrated set of activities in order to realise the full potential of all students. Further research should focus on the usability and effectiveness of the proposed cycle. The conceptual framework we propose could ultimately be used in many different teacher education settings internationally, forming a starting point for much-needed teacher professional development in this area.

Teachers’ Perceptions of Differentiated Instruction for Academically High-Achieving Secondary School Students in Tanzania

“…Promisingly, this testimony echoes the existing literature on DI that, “effective differentiation of curriculum and instruction is proactive, rather than reactive” (Tomlinson et al, 2003, p. 131), entailing teachers’ preparation in the first place. Consistently, effective lesson preparation is one of the key activities involved in DI; it entails making decisions on what students have to learn ( content ), how they are going to learn it ( process ), and how they will be assessed ( product ) (Eysink & Schildkamp, 2021, p. 267). The teachers’ perception of DI as involving significant teacher preparation might be of help for teachers toward enacting meaningful differentiation for AHASs in Tanzania SPSS.…”

“…This perception, however, does not tell the whole story; it is unknown about whether the teachers’ prior lesson preparations consider leaner variance existing in their classrooms or are just determined to address the learners’ needs as they arise in the course of their teaching. In principle, as Eysink and Schildkamp (2021) state, teacher preparation in respect of DI needs to base on identified needs of learners to teach them in accordance with their ZPD (Graham et al, 2021; Vygotsky, 1978). Thus, solid knowledge on DI among teachers to enable them to address students’ academic needs more responsively may be needed among Tanzanian teachers.…”

“…To differentiate instruction effectively, teachers need to base their practices on three sets of activities, namely, identifying learning needs of the students, preparing DI, and providing DI (Eysink & Schildkamp, 2021). Instructional differentiation is realizable through different dimensions, including what content is presented, the process through which content is presented and learned, and the ways through which students respond to the content (Tomlinson, 2014).…”

Co-creating tools to monitor first graders’ progress in reading: a balancing act between perceived usefulness, flexibility, and workload

“…Formative assessment are classroom practices where teachers and/or learners collect and interpret information about what and how pupils learn (Klute et al, 2017). According to Eysink and Schildkamp (2021), formative assessment consists of five main components: developing and sharing learning goals, collecting data about pupils' learning, identifying pupils' learning needs, acting appropriately on these in the classroom, and involving pupils in this process. Databased Decision Making (also labeled Data-driven Decision Making) on the other hand is described as the continuous process of collecting and analyzing data about pupils' skill level in order to guide decisions on instruction Schelling and Rubenstein, 2021).…”

Experiences, Perceptions, and Challenges of Indonesian EFL University Students with Online Assessment in the Digital Age

“…Formative assessment is primarily focused on monitoring students' progress and learning process. Similarly, Eysink and Schildkamp [10] have defined formative assessment as a cyclical process that involves determining what, how much, and how well students are learning with respect to learning goals and expected outcomes. This process aims to provide personalized feedback and support to promote further learning.…”