Investigating the Impact of Differentiated Instruction in

Mixed Ability Classrooms:

It’s impact on the Quality and Equity Dimensions
of Education Effectiveness

Valiande A. Stavroula
Cyprus Pedagogical Institute

Kyriakides Leonidas
University of Cyprus

Koutselini Mary
University of Cyprus

International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement

January, 2011
Educational Effectiveness Today
• Education has failed to fulfill its mediating role and educational systems have
not found the way to be effective for all.

• Educational systems fail to promote quality and equity, leading to achievement

gap between different groups of students between (Brooks-Gunn & Duncan, 1997; De
Civita, Pagani, Vitaro, & Tremblay, 2004; Strant, 1999)

• Achievement gap increases during schooling (Fryer & Levitt, 2004, 2006).

• Traditional and undifferentiated instructive approaches are seen as one of the

basic factors causing this problem (Valiande, 2010).

• Differentiation and its effectiveness might be the way for effective teaching for
all students in mixed ability classrooms (Tomlinson, 1999, 2001; Koutselini, 2006).
The Present study Is an effort to implement differentiation,
by fulfilling the key presuppositions for effective Differentiated
instruction and evaluating its implementation and its
effectiveness, aiming at finding a way to act in the best
of all students in mixed ability classrooms.

This article main target is to present

a) the effects of differentiated instruction on students
achievement in mixed ability classrooms

b) the dimensions of quality and equity effectiveness of

differentiated instruction
Theoretical Background of Differentiation

• Differentiation is based on the theory of social

constructivism (Vygotsky, 1978) and emphasizes the
active participation of students in the
learning process and interactions with their
environment.

• Differentiation is a change of the teaching

corresponding to the large span of students’
differences in mixed ability classrooms, such
as student’s readiness, interests and
learning style (Tomlinson 1999, 2001).
 Critical Differentiation
• Differentiation focuses on students’ needs and the factors affecting
students’ learning in the school environment and outside school,
(Koutselini 2008)

• Differentiation is not a teaching process but rather a “learning

process”, with emphasis on the interaction of student, knowledge
and teacher in an open and flexible learning process (Valiande & Koutselini,
2009).

• The teacher as the key to a successful differentiated instruction is

challenged to facilitate learning for students of different (Tomlinson, 2003;
Valiande, 2010),
– readiness level
– interests
– learning profile
– socio-economic and cultural capital
– psycho-emotional characteristics
Effectiveness of Differentiated Instruction

Research on Differentiation
• Small scale research support the enhancement of teaching
and learning through differentiation (Tomlinson, 1999; Good & Brophy,
2003) and evidence for positive effects on students’ achievement
(Pfannenstiel, 1997; Chall, 2000; Kim, 2005).

• Recent research provide evidence for positive effects of DI on

students’ achievement
– specific groups of students, gifted students and students with
disabilities (Tieso, 2005; Baumgartner, Lipowski, & Rush, 2003; McQuarrie, McRae, & Stack-Cutler, 2008 ;
Rock, Gregg, Ellis, & Gable, 2008; Geisler, Hessler, Gardner & Lovelace, 2009)

– focused on the implementation of differentiation and teachers’

attitudes towards differentiated instruction (Tomlinson, 2001; Tomlinson, Moon &
Callahan, 1998; Blozowich, 2001; Brimijoin, 2002; Johnsen, 2003).

• Small number of studies investigate the effectiveness of

differentiation on the whole and under specific circumastances
Equity dimension in differentiated instruction

Equity in education is
• a common concern (Moreno Herrera & Francia, 2004)
• more prompt in today‘s intensively diverse mixed ability classrooms.

What is equity ?
• Equity cannot be exhausted through the provision of equal
opportunities (Lynch, 2000) nor can it only apply as equal
treatment for all students.
• Equity must be seen in a more holistic way promoting
simultaneously equity of results and equity of access, treatment
and opportunity.

Differentiated instruction can promote Equity in education

by teaching students corresponding to their level of readiness, their
Interests and their learning style, maximizing their opportunities for
personal learning and growth (McLaughlin & Talbert, 1993).
 Equity and Quality dimension
in differentiated instruction
• Quality dimension of educational effectiveness
• Quality of instruction that effectively supports every students’ personal
learning and leads them to higher achievement levels

• Equity dimension of effectiveness is accomplished if quality instruction

allows all students to pursuit personal higher attainment according to their
own knowledge, dexterities and competences.

• Quality and equity must be interlinked

“…the goal of education is to seek both excellence and equity because
they are complementary. One without the other is incomplete” (Willie, 2006).

• The dynamic character of Differentiated

Instruction can promote quality and equity
dimension of effectiveness.
 Basic aims of the study

• to determine the effectiveness of differentiation in

mixed ability classrooms.

• to determine the characteristics of effective

differentiated instruction and at the same time
investigate the effects of those characteristics on
the quality of teaching and students’ achievement.

• to evaluate the equity and quality dimension of

differentiated instruction based on the results of
effectiveness of differentiation for different group of
students.
 Identity of the study

• Sample: Convenience sampling - 24 Year 4 primary

classes, sum of 479 students and
14 volunteer teachers that differentiated their instruction

• Experimental group : 14 classes that received

differentiated instruction.

• Control group: 10 classes that did not received

differentiated Instruction

• School year of 2008 -2009 in Cyprus primary schools.

• Schools participated in the study were situated in Nicosia

Educational District.
 Research tools for data collection

– a literacy test (pre and post test)

– a comprehension test (pre and post test )
– a questionnaire for students’ family
socioeconomic status
– observation key for differentiated instruction
(developed based on Koutselinis’ work on the
characteristics of differentiated Instruction)
(Koutselini, 2006b, 2008) and consisted of 18 statements-

questions about the basic characteristics of

effective differentiation instruction in likert scale.
 Method and Research Procedures
• Teachers training on differentiated Instruction
• Constant support by the researcher,
colleagues and differentiated Instruction team
of teachers
• Teachers teaching language classes for a
whole school year
• Pre tests at the begging of the school year
(October 2008)
• Post tests at the end of school year (May 2009)
• Lessons Observations by the researcher –
Observation Key
 Research Results

• Effectiveness of Differentiated Instruction

• Equity dimension of Differentiated
Instruction
• Differentiated Instruction Characteristics
• Effect on quality of differentiated
Instruction on students’ achievement
Effectiveness of Differentiated Instruction
• Two Multiple regression analysis were contacted to
investigate the effectiveness of differentiated instruction
(literacy test – comprehention test)

• Dependent Variable: post students’ achievement

• Independent Variables :
– pre students’ achievement,
– education and occupation of father and mother,
– gender,
– student’s group (experimental or control group)

• Stepwise method was used for both analysis

Effectiveness of Differentiated Instruction

prior achievement
differentiated
instruction
are the main predicting
variables for students’
achievement
Equity dimension of Differentiated Instruction

Two multiple regression analyses on the values of non-weighted residuals

that show the difference in students’ achievement between pre and post
tests, to determine the degree of impact of SES on students’
progress in the two groups

Similar results - 1.1% difference

• experimental group showing a regression coefficient (R ² = 0.064).
• control group regression coefficient (R ² = 0.075)
Need for further investigation
Further Investigation of the effect of SES on students’ progress

• One- way factor analysis of variance (One-Way ANOVA) on literacy test data.
Experimental group
– Variance was found to be significant (F = 3,130, p < 0.015 df = (4,255)
Multiple comparisons between categories of SES for criterion Post-hoc
Scheffe revealed that no statistically significant difference exists
between different SES categories, leading to the conclusion that
differentiated Instruction did not favor students from certain social groups.
Control group
– Statistically significant difference in the variation of the change in students’
achievement in the categories of SES (F = 7,369, p <0.001, df = (3,182)
– Multiple comparisons beteween SES categories with post-hoc Scheffe
criterion revealed a statistically significant difference in average
change of students’ achievement between
• Lower and Upper Middle socioeconomic families.
• Middle and Upper Middle socioeconomic families.
 Social Character of Differentiation
Promoting Equity
• Differentiated Instruction contrary to traditional teaching accomplished
in a short period of time to maintain the size of the achievement
gap between students from different socioeconomic background.

• Although did not lead to narrowing of the achievement gap, shows

the potentials that differentiated instruction has in narrowing of the
gap if implemented with consistency over a longer period.

• Implementation of differentiation in this study has made a big step in

facing the negative effects of socio-economic factors on
students’ achievement , by managing diversity effectively, providing
learning opportunities for all students from all socioeconomic groups
something that did not occur in the control group.
Validation of differentiated Instruction
observation key
Initial values for each criterion were equated
through rasch, in order to equated the degree of difficulty
In implementation of each criterion between the first and
second observation and thus determine the degree of its
difficulty.
13 out of 18 criteria was able to be equated.

The estimates in logits for the thirteen criteria

- high frequency and easy(0 - (-3)
- less frequently and difficult (0 - 3).
Validation of differentiated Instruction
observation key

• Further analysis using the Rasch model for the initial

and final values of the observations based on 2
variables, the key criteria for differentiated
instruction and the data gathered from lesson
observations of teachers.
Increase in the mean value on
the observation key 0.30 logits
indicates that teachers were
able to change their
teaching based on the
criteria of DI observation key
The reliability values of the
model, for criteria and
teacher’ observations, (initial
and final) are as high ranged
from 0.81 to 0.88.
Model Mean infit mean
square and Mean outfit
mean square very close to 1
Values for infit and outfit the
range -0.08 - 0.08, values
are close to 0
 These results gives Validity and Reliability
to the observation key.
• The differentiation observation key comprises a valid
and reliable research tool that can be used for the
observation of differentiated instruction.

• Describe the way and the degree of differentiated

instruction is implemented by the teachers in order to
meet the diverse needs of their students.
Effect on quality of differentiated
Instruction on students’ achievement
• Structural equations multilevel analysis
was perform in order to determine the
effects of quality of teaching on students’
achievement
Results 2: The effect of differentiation on the quality of instruction and the
impact that the quality of instruction has on students’ achievement
 Effect on quality of differentiated
Instruction on students’ achievement
The results of the analysis of structural equations, confirms the hypothesis
of the effect of change in teaching, which was based on differentiated
instruction, on students’ final achievement.

Modifying and improvement of teacher’s instruction based on the theory of

differentiation bring similar improvement in students’ achievement. The
smaller the change in teachers’ instruction, the smaller the effect in students’
achievement and progress.

Even though the effect size of differentiated instruction on students’

achievement is minor, this does not consist of problem in supporting
differentiation as an effective teaching practice, considering the limited time
of the intervention and the conditions under which the intervention
took place (teachers were still in a learning process on how to differentiate
their instruction).
Discussion

• Effectiveness of Differentiation - Statistically

significant difference between students’
achievement taught by differentiated instruction
and students that that did not received
differentiated instruction.

• Quality of differentiated instruction (SEM model)

is associated with students’ achievement

• Social-oriented character of differentiated

instruction.
Quality and Equity dimensions of
differentiation effectiveness
• Providing all students with the opportunity to
improve their achievement regardless their SES.

• Quality of differentiated instruction corresponds to

the degree of effectiveness over students’
achievement.

• Quality of teaching accomplished by differentiated

instruction is omitted to all students providing them
the help they need to improve based on their
personal strengths and needs, leading to equity in
results by improvement in achievements for all
Presuppositions of effective differentiation
for all in mixed ability classrooms
• Teachers systematic training and support
• Instruction planning
• Instruction hierarchical order of learning activities
• Maximization of students active participation in the learning
process
• Reduction of teachers talking time during teaching
• Variety of activities
• Students work according to their personal pace
• Personalize support to students
• Activities according to students’ interests and their
learning profile
• Continuous evaluation of students’ achievement with a
parallel evaluation of the effectiveness of learning
process.
Final Conclusion
• Findings of the study provide a comprehensive proposal to
address educational inefficiency through differentiation
• An implementation of differentiated instruction based on the main
characteristic of effective differentiated teaching as shown by the
study can enhance the learning process and improve students’
achievement.
• Differentiation is not the easy way out of ineffectiveness but is a
proposal for achieving effectiveness for all students.
• Differentiation is feasible, effective and necessary in order to
promote quality and equity dimensions of effectiveness based on
the evidence of the research presented.
• There is still a long way for research to determine through
longitudinal studies the effectiveness of differentiation over time, for
all students, in different educational levels (primary, secondary) and
across subjects.
“Differentiated Instruction can promote
the Quality and Equity Dimensions
of Education Effectiveness”

Dr Stavroula Valiande
Cyprus Pedagogical Institute – Cyprus Educational research Center
stavroula@valiandes.com