[RE]LEARN 2020 - The Learning Innovation Festival

Differentiated instruction is a teacher´s response to learner´s needs. But what about teacher´s needs: shouldn’t we take them into account? For sure: and that is what this session is all about! We are going to a fast-deep dive to answer “Why and how we should start practicing a differentiated teacher´s mediation?”, and also get three specific and effective tips to start prototyping it at learning programs.

It is already well known that students in the same classroom are different in many aspects and we must provide differentiated instruction to guarantee quality and significative equal learning opportunities. But what about teacher´s differences and different needs: shouldn’t we think about these differences when designing, planning, and teaching meaningful learning programs? The answer to this question is a big YES.

Teachers were, are and will always be the crucial mediator between content, the reality of the learner and the meaning of learning. The quality of this mediation is what makes a difference for quality learning, either in physical presence or in online synchronous settings. Students have different learning needs due to human essence, backgrounds and life experiences, and teachers have the same sources of differences. The mediation of the teacher is highly influenced by own personality characteristics and strengths.

This session is based on a successful action research project from a teacher development program that had a very positive evaluation: 100% of teachers recommended the program to their colleagues and 88% of teachers were able to implement and observe positive influence on students engagement during the program.

Participants will be in contact with concepts and practical suggested pathways to enhance teaching and learning from K12 to lifelong learning programs, including college and postgraduate institutions.

Learning objective: participants of the session will get in contact with content and experiences that will allow them to answer: 1) Why should I consider teacher differences in my learning program? 2) Which are good criteria to choose a differentiation method? 3) How can I start prototyping some initiatives?

Session will be an interactive dialogue that will end with participants getting three effective tips to start prototyping Differentiated Mediation for Teachers in their reality.