ORGANISATION OF LEVEL-BASED DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION FOR HETEROGENEOUS GROUPS IN MOODLE

Abstract

Nowadays adaptation of the learning process to students’ needs is one of most frequently addressed topics in pedagogical research. Different aspects of this topic are studied both by Ukrainian and foreign scientists. The paper deals with one of the questions in the field - knowledge level diversity within an academic group in higher education institutions. The difference in knowledge level influences not only the ability to achieve learning outcomes but also the motivation to study. Thus, providing students with possibilities to study at their own level and learning paths might increase their interest in the discipline and improve their results.  Differentiated instruction is considered as a way to meet the needs of multi-level groups. Moodle is addressed as a means of level based differentiated instruction as many higher education institutions use learning management systems to support the learning process. The results of the teachers survey at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University are used as a background for differentiated e-learning course design planning. The main requirements to a differentiated e-learning course design are defined: opportunities to define students’ levels and knowledge gaps, easy navigation for students in the diversity of tasks and materials, ability for teachers to combine various levels tasks in the same activities, suitability for flexible groupings, moderate time consumption for design and maintenance of the e-learning course. The model of e-learning course design for level based differentiated instruction is offered which includes testing, adapting learning materials to the students’ needs, groups and grouping settings, formative assessment, summative assessment and feedback. Utilisation of Moodle activities and resources for implementation of all the model components is described. The role of groups and groupings in the implementation of differentiated instruction is underlined and their usage in Moodle is described.