Presented at the Oregon Technology in Education Network OTEN 2016 Conference. This session reviews three apps — Nearpod, Ed Puzzle, and Schoology — for supporting Differentiated Instruction (DI), and shares outcomes from their initial exploration in different classrooms in a Future Ready Middle School.

1. Exploring Apps for Differentiated
Instruction
Courtney Fisher, MAT
Zachary Binkerd, MAT
Julia Barrett, MAT
Eric Weinbender, MAT
Anita Zijdemans Boudreau, PhD
School of Learning & Teaching
OTEN 2016

2. Abstract
This session reviews three apps —
Nearpod, Ed Puzzle, and Schoology
— for supporting Differentiated
Instruction (DI), and shares
outcomes from their initial
exploration in different classrooms
in a Future Ready Middle School.

3. Agenda
Introduction: context & purpose
DI Process
Outcomes
Lessons Learned
What Now?/Next?

5. EMPATHIZE
→ Talk, share, synthesize needs &
insights w. others
DEFINE
→ What is the problem of practice?
IDEATE
→ Sketch solutions
→ Share & get feedback
ITERATE & PROTOTYPE
→ Build & make
TEST
→ Implement & valuate

6. stakeholders:
→ 8 teacher candidates
→ 3 teachers
→ school principal
→ faculty instructor listening:
What are some existing problems
of practice that might be
addressed using technology?
topics identified:
I. Differentiating Instruction
II. Developing Digital Citizenship
III. Promoting Computer Science

7. APPS 4 DI PROCESS
What apps might help to differentiate
instruction?
→ Literature Review
→ DI Indicators
● High-Quality Curriculum
● Continual Assessment
● Building Community
● Flexible Grouping
● Teaching Up
● Respectful Tasks
→ Evaluation Tool
→ App Reviews
→ Pilot Implementations

8. THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Collaborative environment
Students are treated with dignity & respect
Balance between individual & whole group instruction
THE CURRICULUM
Big Ideas are aligned with assessments and learning activities
Authentic Performance Task
Multiple forms of assessment
THE TEACHER
Creates relevant curriculum to “hook” students
Help students connect the unit to aspirations, backgrounds, and interests
Continuously assess students & utilize a variety of strategies in order to effectively
differentiate
THE LEARNER
Students can describe the goals and purpose
Engaged and contribute to the learning environment
All students share interests and perspectives
Tomlinson, C.A., & McTighe, J., 2006). Tomlinson, C.A., & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction & understanding by design. 4 Indicators for DI
Literature Summary

9. → 4 apps in 4 classrooms...
DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP
STORYBIRD
Exploring Apps for Differentiating Instruction
3 outcome summaries...

10. Description: a set of tools to crop an existing online video into segments,
customize with voice-overs, audio comments, and embedded
assessment questions. Dashboard collects data,
shows how much of the video each
student watched, answers to
questions in the video, and
% of correct answers.
In what ways can EDpuzzle implemented through edmodo be
used to support DI in a gifted MS science class on density?
96 students → racially diverse, several IEPs, experienced with technology
student feedback: majority agreed
that it was useful as a summary tool
& a few stated they understood the
information for the first time.

11. How effective are the assessment & feedback features of Nearpod
in supporting DI for an eighth grade science class on Matter?
Description: allows teachers to create unit presentations with polls, short
answer questions, & quizzes -pre-, formative &
summative assessments- to assess a
student’s progress and engagement
throughout the unit.
student feedback:
86.6% enjoyed Nearpod & found
it useful. 13% felt indifferent.

12. In what ways can Schoology be used as an LMS to
differentiate instruction?
Description: Allows teachers to connect with students in a learning
platform similar to Edmodo and Facebook. Using Schoology, teachers can
post homework, feedback, submit attendance and
grades.
Some additional features include access to courses,
storage for personal and public resources, groups
ranging from professional development to technology in education, to
content-specific communities.
More Information At: http://barr5160.blogspot.com
Questions? Email: barr5160@pacificu.edu
Teacher feedback: “My
previous school had been
using Schoology for the
past three years.”

13. THE LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT
Positive learning environment for students to answer
questions in a safe and secure manner.
Responses are anonymous when made public using the
teacher functions.
Safe classroom environment.
Students work individually & outside distractions limited.
Embedded questions: a) increase expectations for watching; b)
encourage higher level thinking.
THE
CURRICULUM
Supports variety of learning materials (diagrams, videos,
pictures, notes, etc.) & assessments (quizzes, open
ended questions, fill-in-the-blanks).
Provides evidence of “student readiness”, the level of
learning, & the progression toward learning objectives.
Students to take in ideas in multiple ways- audio, visual, written.
Assessed and analyzed upon completion of the video.
Review tool curriculum revisit in class & from home.
THE TEACHER
Real-time feedback → students’ responses can be
quickly evaluated and used to clarify and review material
that has been incorrectly answered
Information delivery not just the teacher talking at students.
Immediate in class response & one-on-one interaction.
Can check for understanding and address issues immediately.
THE LEARNER
Fully engaged, expected to present insight, and personal
responses → “I do not need to answer in front of the
entire class so if I get my answer wrong I do not need to
be embarrassed”.
Students see what they are learning, how it relates to the larger
goals, and how they are being assessed within the activity.
Engaging as they are wired into the application with headphones.
Peer assessment capability → can analyze the work of others.
Tomlinson, C.A., & McTighe, J., 2006). Tomlinson, C.A., & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction & understanding by design. 4 Indicators for DI

14. Thank You!