I am always interested in the topics that people select when writing a research paper. There are many great ideas this summer. Below are some topics from previous summers and this summer. Share with the class your topic and describe why you selected to write you paper with that focus.
- Parental attitudes differentiation
- Student attitudes towards differentiation
- Appropriate differentiation strategies for elementary classrooms
- Appropriate differentiation strategies for the science classroom
- Differentiation and Universal Design: Is there a difference
- Using differentiation strategies to meet the needs of students with disabilities
- Teacher attitudes towards differentiation
- Professional development sessions' impact on teacher ability to implement differentiated instruction
- The role of tiered activities on student learning
- The pros and cons to using differentiated instruction to meet the needs of diverse populations in the general classroom
I have chosen to write my research paper about some of the pros and cons of using differentiated instruction to meet the needs of diverse populations in the general classroom which also includes teacher attitudes towards differentiation.
ReplyDeleteI selected this topic because I was interested in finding out more about differentiation, what it is and how to apply it within the classroom. I have been continuing to hear this term used very frequently throughout the education system, from college courses to county meetings to PTA meetings. I wanted a better understanding of the practice. I feel like I learn more and more about it weekly but I also want to explore some of the cons that come with the practice. After my first year of teaching I was left with mostly positive feelings about differentiation and would not say that my fellow educators are completely opposed to the idea either, however I know many still have questions and opinions about differentiation. I would like to see how my experience relates to others and hope to find if other educators share some of the same concerns.
I have tried to reply to your comment a few times, and it keeps deleting!! Frustrating! :P I love that you are doing this. I totally agree with you, and I think there is a misconception that differentiation is not needed for gifted learners.
ReplyDeleteI have struggled with the topic I would like to choose, but I think I have finally decided! Originally, I wanted to write on a topic similar to Dollene's. However, I've been asked to do a short work session in August for the 5th and 6th grade teachers that I serve. In thinking about the work session and this research paper, I have decided to focus on teacher attitudes toward differentiation (perhaps focusing on attitudes toward gifted learner differentiation specifically) and professional development that actually translates to real classroom change. My hope is that I will gain insight to be of help to the regular classroom teachers as they are trying to differentiate for the students on the higher end of the spectrum.
ReplyDeleteI chose the topic you are also researching. I know some teachers have questions and are not comfortable in differentiation for students. I want to learn more on the topic so I can collaborate and help teachers differentiate in their classrooms with confidence.
DeleteDo you work with additional grades other than 5th and 6th grades?
Currently, I only work with 5th and 6th grade gifted students. However, I help complete work samples and screen students in grades 2-4. I have also taught 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th in the regular classroom! :)
DeleteI chose to write on the topic of attitudes of teachers toward differentiated instruction. There is much talk among teachers that some students need something else; they did not get the lesson of the day. The word "differentiation" brings "red flags" to educators because we wonder how to differentiate, how to prepare and manage additional lessons, and how to choose the best practice for a particular standard of learning. Teachers have to be committed to the differentiation process if it is to work in their classroom. While researching, I want to gain greater understanding and value to discover how to use the practice of differentiation in my classroom to further student learning.
ReplyDeleteDr. Besnoy,
DeleteCan we include the articles from this course as references on our papers? I know that we cannot use the book.
I am writing about differentiating content for gifted students in primary grades. I chose this topic because I will be teaching 1st grade at a school with a high gifted population. Most of my gifted students will not have been identified yet, but I will still have many students reading on advanced levels, completing high level mathematics easily, or coming with various levels of prior knowledge. This will require much differentiation in content.
ReplyDeleteSince I have not been in a classroom, I am writing my paper on how to create an effective differentiated classroom. I have learned so much from this class and I want to work to improve student learning. I have never liked the thought of a classroom that has slow learners all the way up to gifted learners. I always felt that the slow learners would get further behind if in a regular classroom and I felt that the gifted students would be held back in a regular classroom. This class has shown me how each student can learn at the pace that is best for them and how interaction with learners who are at different levels actually helps.
ReplyDeleteI am writing my research paper on differentiating instruction through technology. A nearly endless supply of these technology resources are available to teachers and students; how do teachers chose the right ones? I am specifically interested in how the traditional means of differentiation (research, collaboration, mentoring, multiple product presentation options) can be achieved through technological means. I chose this because technology is the means by which knowledge is developed, increased, transferred, and transcends. We cannot ignore the place technology has in the lives of our students; rather we should embrace the potential it has to impact their lives for good.
ReplyDeleteI would like to write my research paper on differentiating instruction for gifted students in the regular classroom. The reason is that gifted students often spend the majority of their time in the regular classroom and I will likely be in a position, in my career, in which I will need to consult with regular teachers about this topic. I need to be able to effectively explain ways in which they can support their gifted students so that those students receive adequate, appropriate instruction full-time- not just during the times when they are pulled out for special education.
ReplyDelete