Differentiated Instruction supported by FeedbackFruits
Support diverse student needs through differentiating product, process, content, or affect.
Author: Sam Passeport from No Borders Learning
Founder of No Borders Learning, helping secondary international schools and higher education institutions strengthen teacher-student connections through relational feedback and chair of the AEA-Europe Assessment Cultures’ Special Interest Group.
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What is differentiated instruction?
Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach whereby teachers consider students’ needs, interests, and learning profiles and differentiate instruction through product (i.e. the medium through which students show their learning), process (i.e. the way in which students engage with the material), content (i.e. activities based on Bloom’s taxonomy levels) or affect or the learning environment (i.e. physical and psychological needs).
Why differentiated instruction?
The goal of differentiated instruction is to create an inclusive learning environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed by providing flexibility for students. Aligned with Vygotky’s theory of the Zone of Proximal Development, differentiated instruction focused on meeting students at their current level, and provide them with the right challenge through differentiating product, process, content, or the environment, to achieve their potential.
Impact of differentiation
Letting students show their learning in different ways, especially through product differentiation, make a positive difference in their learning.
Tong et al. 2024
The Impact of Differentiation Methods of Differentiated Instruction on the Achievement and Perception of Students in Higher Education
Diverse learning benefits
Studies show that differentiated instruction improves students' engagement, independent thinking, academic achievement, and attitudes toward learning.
Liou et al. 2019
Effectiveness of differentiated instruction
on learning outcomes and satisfaction
in the evidence‐based nursing course.
on learning outcomes and satisfaction
in the evidence‐based nursing course.
Community collaboration
When instruction is differentiated, it benefits all students who are more engaged and successful in their learning.
Bureau et al, 2021
Metacognitive Strategies and Development of Critical Thinking in Higher Education
How does FeedbackFruits support differentiated instruction?
FeedbackFruits supports differentiated instruction by grouping students in different ways (by interests, needs, learning modality etc.) and fostering scaffolded learning experiences.
Students can also engage in peer-learning activities (supported by FeedbackFruits Peer Review) that allow them to develop self and co-regulated learning strategies which help them uncover misconceptions in interactive ways, centering progress and collaboration. The teacher can design these activities, supporting students with timely feedback when and if they need it, observing them from a distance, and intervening when necessary.
Students can also engage in peer-learning activities (supported by FeedbackFruits Peer Review) that allow them to develop self and co-regulated learning strategies which help them uncover misconceptions in interactive ways, centering progress and collaboration. The teacher can design these activities, supporting students with timely feedback when and if they need it, observing them from a distance, and intervening when necessary.
Get started with differentiated instruction using our pre-made learning design templates
These templates—designed by experienced educators—offer proven structures for implementing differentiated instruction. Simply select a template, customize it, and launch engaging activities in minutes.
Browse all templates
Differentiated instruction, directly within your LMS
FeedbackFruits integrates seamlessly with your Learning Management System, making it simple to incorporate differentiated instruction activities into your existing courses. Whether you teach online, hybrid, or face-to-face, FeedbackFruits ensures that activating student participation is just a few clicks away—no additional overhead, no steep learning curve.
Explore our free resources about differentiated instruction
The inclusive education checklist
The checklist covers 6 key areas (structure and processes, curriculum design and delivery, assessment and feedback, community and belonging, pathways to success, technology adoption).
Read more
Differentiated and personalized learning
What is the difference between differentiated and personalized learning? And how can institutions optimize them in hybrid and online classrooms? These questions will be discussed in this article.
Read more
Leverage AI for inclusive learning
This webinar discusses the challenges, opportunities, and best practices for integrating AI tools to foster inclusive learning environments.
Read moreSee what FeedbackFruits learning activities can be used to support differentiated instruction
Differentiated instruction is hard. FeedbackFruits makes
it easier.
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