Broadcast on April 17, 2021
Avoiding Fluff in Differentiated Activities
Catherine Little
University of Connecticut
(Closed Captioning available in English and Español)
Description
Differentiation of curriculum and instruction to ensure rigor and challenge is an essential component of providing support for advanced learners. Yet there is an enormous range of quality in the resources advertised as examples of differentiation. Sometimes the effort to apply a differentiation strategy in an engaging way may lead us to lose sight of the central goals and content of a learning experience, such that the “fluff” takes precedence over the essential learning. Sometimes the surface appearance of an activity may seem engaging, yet it may not provide an authentic challenge or promote high levels of learning and growth. In these circumstances, well-intentioned efforts to make learning activities appealing to students with different interests and abilities become more about appearance and less about substance. In this session, we talk about what makes a differentiated activity an example of fluff or substance. The discussion includes a focus on constructing and applying key criteria to evaluate resources for aspects of quality differentiation.
About the presenter
Catherine Little is a Professor in Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent Development in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Connecticut. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Policy, Planning, and Administration with emphasis on Gifted Education Administration from William and Mary. Her research interests include professional learning, differentiation of curriculum and instruction, classroom questioning practices, and supporting early access to advanced learning opportunities. Recently, she has been the Project Director for Project SPARK and Project LIFT, both of which are federally-funded research initiatives focused on working with schools and teachers to recognize and respond to advanced academic potential in the early grades, particularly in students from underserved populations.