Question
How can differentiated learning objectives be created?
Answer
Creating differentiated learning objectives involves tailoring educational goals to meet the diverse needs of students, taking into account their readiness, interests, and learning profiles. This approach ensures that all students can achieve learning outcomes effectively.
Key Components of Differentiated Learning Objectives
Understanding Student Needs:
Differentiated learning begins with understanding students’ developmental achievements, readiness, interests, and learning profiles through diagnostic assessments (Sasomo, 2024; Zulaikha and Laeli, 2023; Blaz, 2023).
Teachers must know their students on a personal level, considering factors like prior knowledge, learning styles, and cognitive development (Howe, 2020; Blaz, 2023).
Designing Learning Objectives:
Learning objectives should be formulated based on the understanding of students’ needs and aligned with curriculum standards (Sasomo, 2024; Howe, 2020).
Objectives should be flexible to accommodate different learning paths and outcomes, ensuring they are readiness-appropriate (Howe, 2020).
Differentiation Strategies:
Content: Adjusting what students learn to match their readiness levels and interests (Sasomo, 2024; Zulaikha and Laeli, 2023; Howe, 2020).
Process: Varying the methods and activities through which students engage with the content (Sasomo, 2024; Howe, 2020).
Product: Allowing students to demonstrate their understanding in various ways, tailored to their strengths and preferences (Sasomo, 2024; Howe, 2020).
Learning Environment: Modifying the classroom setting to support diverse learning needs (Zulaikha and Laeli, 2023; Hayati et al., 2024).
Assessment and Feedback:
Use formative assessments to provide ongoing feedback and adjust learning objectives as needed (Sasomo, 2024).
Summative assessments can be varied to reflect different learning paths and outcomes (Sasomo, 2024).
Implementation Considerations
Teacher Preparation: Teachers need professional development to effectively implement differentiated instruction, focusing on self-efficacy and constructivist beliefs (Suprayogi, Valcke and Godwin, 2017).
School Support: Effective differentiation requires support from school leadership and a shared understanding of its goals (Nicholas, Skourdoumbis and Bradbury, 2024).
Conclusion
Differentiated learning objectives are crafted by understanding and addressing the diverse needs of students through tailored content, processes, and assessments. This approach not only enhances student engagement and motivation but also ensures that all students can achieve their learning goals effectively.
References
Sasomo, B., 2024. Differentiated and enjoyable learning to facilitate mathematics subject assessment. Jurnal THEOREMS (The Original Research of Mathematics). https://doi.org/10.31949/th.v9i1.8088
Suprayogi, M., Valcke, M., & Godwin, R., 2017. Teachers and their implementation of differentiated instruction in the classroom. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67, pp. 291-301. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.TATE.2017.06.020
Nicholas, M., Skourdoumbis, A., & Bradbury, O., 2024. Meeting the Needs and Potentials of High-Ability, High-Performing, and Gifted Students via Differentiation. Gifted Child Quarterly, 68, pp. 154 – 172. https://doi.org/10.1177/00169862231222225
Zulaikha, I., & Laeli, A., 2023. Differentiated Learning in Diverse Students to Meet Curriculum Targets. International Social Sciences and Humanities. https://doi.org/10.32528/issh.v2i2.259
Howe, C., 2020. Differentiated Instruction. **. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412972024.n745
Blaz, D., 2023. Differentiated Instruction. **. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315695648
Hayati, F., Wanahari, M., Siregar, N., Dewi, S., & Gunarto, B., 2024. Application of Differentiated Learning to Increase Student Learning Motivation. Holistic Science. https://doi.org/10.56495/hs.v4i2.584
Bloom, B.S., Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., and Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals – Handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Company.
Machin, L., Hindmarch, D., Murray, S. and Richardson, T. (2015). A Complete Guide to the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training. Northwich: Critical Publishing.
