Title: Effects of layered curriculum in a high school ...
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1. Fall Grades before Layered Curriculum®………….………………………..37
2. Spring Grade before Layered Curriculum®………………….……..……….38
3. Fall Grades with Layered Curriculum®……………….………….......……..39
4. Spring Grades with Layered Curriculum®…………….…….......…………..39
5. All Grades Before Layered Curriculum® vs. All Grades With Layered Curriculum®……………….…………………………………...…...……..40
6. Student Comments by Topic…………………………………………..……..41
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
1. Triangular Shaped Model for a Layered Curriculum® Unit…….…………..15
2. Diamond Shaped Model for a Layered Curriculum® Unit…………...……..16
3. Box Shaped Model for a Layered Curriculum® Unit…………………...…..16
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Student achievement is a high priority in education today. Programs such as No Child Left Behind require school districts to meet the needs and show progress by all students (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). This is yet another challenge for teachers to face in the classroom. A recent trend in education is the push for utilizing differentiated instruction into the classroom. In the past, many elementary teachers have used this method. In fact, differentiated instruction can be compared to coaching an athletic team. A coach finds various methods to teach athletes the skills required to compete in contests. Similarly, a teacher must find various methods for students to gain the knowledge and skills required by the school district and the government. One possible solution is a teaching method called Layered Curriculum®. Developed by Dr. Kathie Nunley, Layered Curriculum® is a systematic teaching style that challenges the students on multiple levels, including higher-order thinking activities. Students are given the opportunity to choose how they wish to demonstrate their knowledge of the material from a variety of assignments in a variety of formats. This allows the student to learn in the method best fitting for his/her learning style. Layered Curriculum® could be the solution for teachers in need of increasing student achievement (Nunley, 2006).
In today’s schools, there are many challenges that face teachers each day. Teachers should find a way to meet the needs of a classroom full of students who have a variety of learning styles. Teachers must also address classroom management issues and the demands by school districts that students be able to meet state standards. Differentiated instruction through Layered Curriculum® addresses all three of these needs.
Tomlinson (1999) stated that throughout history teachers have struggled with finding ways to teach to a group of students who learn at different paces and in different ways. According to Nunley (2003), differentiated instruction is a way to meet this challenge in the classroom. Nunley has created a method of teaching that uses differentiated instruction known as Layered Curriculum®. According to Nunley (2006), Layered Curriculum® is a three-layer model that encourages higher-order thinking as students progress through the levels. The purpose of the “C Layer” is to check for basic knowledge and understanding where the students will build upon the level of information they possess on the topic. This layer especially is created to meet the wide variety of needs of the students in the classroom. Assignments and activities are created for auditory, visual, and tactile learning styles. The “C Layer” can also include assignments and activities for students with special needs, gifted students, English language learners (ELL), and any other classification of learner in the classroom. The “B Layer” uses more application of the information learned in the “C Layer.” Many of the tasks include problem solving or other higher order thinking tasks. The “A Layer” involves critical thinking and analysis of the information that requires the highest levels of thinking and learning. Nunley's process also involves giving the students ownership in the classroom. The students are able to choose the types of assignments they want to complete from each layer. Layered Curriculum® allows the students to choose the method of learning that best fits them, as well as giving them the opportunity to take ownership or command of their educational process, thus making it different for each student.
Managing classroom discipline is another issue that teachers face in the classroom. Zuckerman (2007) stated that to establish order in the classroom and reduce the number of disciplinary incidents, a teacher must respond to discipline issues and must establish a routine. Zuckerman (2007) also suggested preventative measures that would decrease the amount of idle time in the classroom as well as “downtime” where the students are not engaged in the curriculum. Layered Curriculum® addresses both of these ideas. Layered Curriculum® offers a routine for students to follow. Each unit contains three layers or sets of activities and assignments for the students to complete. Through their unit sheets (the paper with the activities and assignments divided into layers), the students know what is expected to be done in the classroom. At the start of the class, the teacher is able to immediately share with the student the tasks and goals of the day, address questions, and then all students have tasks to engage themselves. No students are idle in the classroom due to becoming immediately engaged in their work. This reduces the opportunities for students to get into disciplinary situations that require the teacher to intervene (Nunley, 2003).
Schools must meet certain scores on the state mandated tests in order to remain in good standing with the state’s Department of Education (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). This requires schools to teach students to think critically as well as ensure that enduring learning is taking place. Layered Curriculum® again addresses both of these issues. Layered Curriculum®’s B Layer and A Layer are based on the highest level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. The American Psychological Association (2008) refers to analyzing, evaluating, and creating as the top three levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Layered Curriculum® requires students to function in these areas on a regular basis. Students utilize the information gained in the C Layer to complete the B Layer and A Layer (the layers where they will analyze, evaluate, and create).
Student achievement is a primary focus for local communities and state governments. School district administrators must prove student progress and growth in their learning through state mandated tests. One of the challenges for teacher is how to direct their students toward greater academic achievement.
Statement of the Problem
According to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) of Missouri (2008), 37.4% of schools did not meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in 2006. While there are many factors that may have contributed to this, it is imperative to find methods that will lead to an increase in student achievement.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was twofold. The first purpose was to determine if differentiated instruction through Layered Curriculum® can increase student achievement. The second purpose was to assess the attitude of teachers toward Layered Curriculum® after they attended a professional development workshop on the topic.
Research Questions
The following research questions directed this study:
1. What impact did differentiated instruction have on the student achievement of students in a sophomore level World History class?
2. What opinions did students have of Layered Curriculum® after having experienced it?
3. What were the opinions of teachers who attended a professional development opportunity on Layered Curriculum®?
Definition of Terms
For the purpose of this study, the following terms are defined.
Cooperative Learning: Instructional use of small groups so that the students work together to maximize their own and each other’s learning (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 1993)
Differentiated Instruction: Using a variety of teaching methods to convey the information taught in the classroom, which allows students to be active learners and recognizes that students differ in their learning methods (Sacramento City Unified School District, 2006)
Layer: Represents approximately one-third of the Layered Curriculum® unit depending on the level of thinking based on Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Student Achievement: A student’s grade
Unit Sheet: Paper given to the student for Layered Curriculum® that contains all assignments and activities for the unit that will typically last two to three weeks. All assignments on the unit sheet are divided into layers.
Delimitations
1. The study spanned four school years. This study compared the overall semester grades for students in the researcher’s World History class the two years where Layered Curriculum® was used and the grades of the students in the teacher’s same course from the two years prior to the introduction of Layered Curriculum®.
2. The students used in the study were different all four years (students retaking the class had their score only recorded once using the data from their first year in the course).
Limitations
Noted are the following limitations in the study:
1. The study was limited to the grades earned by sophomore students enrolled in the researcher’s World History course (a required course) in each of the four years under the study. The school is a medium-sized rural school of approximately 700 students. The estimated number of students in each year’s population will be approximately 50-130 students.
2. Not all students attended the full year (transfers, health conditions, etc.), thus they did not have the same amount of possible points as students who attended the full year.
3. The study was limited to one teacher conducting the class and gathering the information.
4. Because student comments about the class were provided as an opportunity for extra credit on their final examination, there was the opportunity for students to be more positive than if the questions had been asked anonymously.
5. Not all students enrolled in the class responded to the extra credit because not all students responded to the question, some students were exempt from the test, and some students used an option to not take the final as a reward for attendance, MAP scores, or attendance at a community awareness event.
6. The teachers surveyed might have been more positive than the total population of teachers, as these are teachers who put forth the effort to attend the workshop due to their interest and the returned surveys are not be anonymous.
Design of the Study
Data for this study is qualitative and quantitative and was collected through three methods. To measure student achievement, the grades of World History students in the researcher’s classes for the previous four years was analyzed. The second method of data collection was through student comments about the class. These comments were provided as part of an extra credit on the spring semester final exam. The final method included surveys completed by teachers who attended a workshop on Layered Curriculum®.
Summary
Chapter one includes an introduction, Chapter Two contains a review of the literature, Chapter Three will contain the methodology, results in Chapter Four, and Chapter Five will include summaries of the data collected and recommendations for further studies.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE:
Teachers in today’s school are dealing with more challenges than ever before. No Child Left Behind (U.S. Department of Education, 2004) has required school districts to prove students are making improvements in reading and mathematics. This has put added pressure on teachers to increase student achievement. Another challenge for teachers is how to teach their students and meet the learning needs of each one in the process. Tomlinson (1999) stated that throughout history teachers have struggled with finding ways to teach to a group of students who learn at different paces and in different ways. The concept of differentiated instruction could assist the teachers in meeting the needs of all their students in the classroom while improving student achievement.
Differentiated Instruction
Differentiated instruction has origins with Howard Gardner’s 1983 study of multiple intelligences. Gardner (as cited by Early Childhood Today, 2005) identified seven intelligences by which people learn. These intelligences include verbal skills, mathematical skills, spatial skills, bodily-kinesthetic skills, musical skills, interpersonal skills, intrapersonal skills, and naturalist skills. Gardner stated that teachers must teach material in different ways so that all intelligences are used.
Gardner (as cited by Early Childhood Today, 2005) also believed that a teacher should present the material so most or all intelligences are activated. Gardner also suggested that by using a variety of instructional methods, students gain deeper meaning of the subject material. This style also allows students to function within their own strengths and develop their weaknesses at an appropriate rate. Gardner further contended that while it is impossible for a teacher to teach a multitude of learning styles at one particular moment, allowing the students different methods of learning can accommodate the needs of each student and activate the appropriate intelligences.
Levy (2008) believed that every teacher already differentiates in the classroom, but most teachers are not aware they are doing it. Differentiation happens in its simplest form when a teacher allows more time for completion of an assignment or allows students to make choices in how they learn. Levy emphasized that differentiated instruction needs to become more systematic in the classroom. Furthermore, differentiated instruction can be used to address standards and provide a variety of paths for the students to achieve those goals. Levy also stressed that differentiated instruction must be flexible in the curriculum, the process, and the way students demonstrate what they have learned.
Research from the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NREL) (2005) showed support for the differentiated instruction approach. The NREL found that differentiated instruction provides adaptations for learners who are struggling, are more advanced or gifted, require special education, are from different backgrounds and experiences, and have varying interests. Kaplan (2007) also recommended the use of differentiated instruction for gifted students. Kaplan recommended encouraging thinking skills, enrichment of the content, and research as the ideal forms of differentiation for gifted learners.
The NREL continued its support by reporting that differentiated classrooms offer multiple ways for students to access and process the content, and it ensures that all students gain knowledge of the material. Yet another factor the NREL addressed is how easily technology can be integrated into this type of classroom. While some students may be proficient in a variety of technologies, differentiated instruction can also allow for students from low-income homes or students with backgrounds that lack technological abilities to gain skills they may otherwise not have the opportunity to obtain. The NREL also expressed the need for learners to have the opportunity for choice of which assignments they wish to complete to show their knowledge of the content. A variety of assignments and assessments, coupled with the concept of choice, will lead more students towards meeting their individual interests.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education of the State of Missouri (2007), or DESE, requires in the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP) that school districts report the use of differentiated instruction. In section 7.2 of the MSIP, school districts must report on the identification of gifted students in all grade levels. School districts must also report how the district uses differentiated instruction to meet the needs of gifted students. The school districts are then required to describe the way they have used differentiated instruction for gifted students. This may include the use of formal programs such as mentors or independent studies. The school district must then explain how the curriculum for gifted students is developed, how it is evaluated, and any changes the school has made to the program in the past two years. In section 8.1.1 of the MSIP, the school districts must note the programs that have been reviewed or evaluated in the past two years. A criterion of this section of the report is titled “Special/Supplemental/Differentiated Programs” (DESE, 2007, p. 7). This criterion includes programs such as English Language Learners, Title I, special education, career education, and gifted education. Through the MSIP reporting, DESE has emphasized to school districts the need to utilize differentiated instruction to meet the needs of a variety of classifications of students.
Armstrong (2006) believed that to have true academic achievement there must be individualized instruction. Each student must have a plan that is modified to his/her individual learning style. Another possibility is providing the opportunity for the student to choose the learning plan best fitted for him/her. Armstrong stressed that many traditional teachers do not create individualized learning plans nor provide students any choices of how they want to learn the material; however, for students to have true academic achievement teachers must encourage a variety of methods for students to learn and not just provide notes, worksheets, and book assignments. True academic achievement is enhanced when students are able to involve problem solving, task-oriented assignments such as presentations or re-enactments, and other active assignments (Armstrong).
Differentiation in the classroom is not only limited to instruction, the assignments, and the activities the students can complete. The ways students’ knowledge can be assessed can also be differentiated. Fisher and Frey (2007) stressed the necessity for differentiating the methods for checking the students for understanding of the content and skills the teacher desires the students to possess. The use of oral language, writing, tests, projects, and performances can all be effective methods of assessing the knowledge and skills of the students. These are all essential abilities needed by students. While some students may prefer one or two methods of assessment to another, it is important for the student to be assessed in all available methods. This provides the opportunity for the students to partake in a variety of assessments that will force them to demonstrate their skills and knowledge is multiple methods (Fisher & Frey).
Similarly to Fisher and Frey (2007), Pollock (2007) also concluded that varieties of assessment methods are recommended to gauge student learning. This variety of assessment specifically calls for methods to test for recall, to test for thinking, and to test through observations and student self-assessments. This formatting of assessments seeks to incorporate both higher-order and lower-order thinking skills of the students. According to Pollock, the most efficient classroom assessments will test students at all levels of understanding.
Challenges of Differentiated Instruction
While most resources show favor for differentiated instruction, there are some challenges to its successes. Holloway (2000) believed that there could be problems on many levels. First, he presented the concept that teacher education systems do not properly prepare teachers for their transition from student to teacher. Student-teachers are introduced to many ideas and concepts, but many find the student teaching experience much more challenging than they had expected. One area especially highlighted was the need for teaching materials other than the textbook.
Holloway (2000) also expressed that many teachers involved in differentiated instruction fail to find assignments that fit the students on both ends of the range of achievement. It may be possible that gifted students are not challenged enough, and that students who are very slow to learn do not have the ability to keep up or the assignments and activities are too complicated for them.
Holloway’s (2000) final challenge to the use of differentiated instruction was that there is not enough support in the way of professional development on a regular basis. While intentions of the teachers may be positive, and they work towards the success of their students, there may still be gaps where more education and development is needed to improve this method in the classroom.
Layered Curriculum®
According to Nunley (2006), Layered Curriculum® is a three-layer model that encourages higher-order thinking as students progress through the layers of C, B, and A. The purpose of the “C Layer” is to check for basic knowledge and understanding where the students will build upon the level of information they possess on the topic. This layer is especially created to meet the wide variety of needs of the students in the classroom. Assignments and activities are created for auditory, visual, and tactile learning styles. The “C Layer” can also include assignments and activities for students with special needs, gifted students, English language learners (ELL), and any other classification of student in the classroom. The “B Layer” uses more application of the information learned in the “C Layer.” Many of the tasks include problem solving or other higher order thinking tasks. The “A Layer” involves critical thinking and analysis of the information that requires the highest levels of thinking and learning. Nunley's process also involves giving the students ownership in the classroom. The students are able to choose the types of assignments they want to complete from each layer. Layered Curriculum® allows the students to choose the method of learning that best fits them, as well as gives them the opportunity to take ownership or command of their educational process, thus making it different for each student (Nunley).
Nunley (2004) noted the three most important aspects of Layered Curriculum® are choice, encouraging higher-order thinking, and accountability. The students have the ability to choose some of the assignments they wish to complete. This choice allows the students some control over their learning. Nunley contended that by giving some of the control to the students, classroom management issues and discipline issues are reduced dramatically. This offers the students shared decision-making in the classroom, thus giving them a greater sense of ownership.
One of the most important elements of Layered Curriculum® is accountability through using oral defense and one-on-one interactions between the teacher and the student (Nunley, 2004). Oral defense is used by the teacher to ensure the student has gained the appropriate amount of knowledge and skills to meet the desired outcomes of the district’s curriculum. An example of using oral defense would be to assess a student’s knowledge of the content on a worksheet. Instead of merely grading multiple-choice questions, the teacher asks the student a series of questions about the material on the worksheet. The student will receive a grade based on his/her knowledge of the material. This cuts down on students getting a grade for simply getting something done. This also eliminates copying or cheating off another student. The student is responsible for his/her knowledge of the material (Nunley).
Layered Curriculum® is organized through the application of unit sheets (Nunley, 2004). A unit sheet lists all the assignments and activities from which the students may select. The assignments and activities are grouped on the unit sheet by layer. The students are instructed to complete a certain number of assignments (some assignments can be chosen from the list and some assignments may be required). The structure of a unit sheet can be organized to focus more on a particular layer. Traditionally, most unit sheets organize the three layers to represent a triangle (Figure 1).
Note. From Layered curriculum®: The practical solution for teachers with more than one student in their classroom (p. 49), by K.F. Nunley, 2004, Amherst, NH: . Copyright 2004 by Dr. Kathie Nunley EdD. Reprinted with permission.
The “C Layer” is the largest area of focus with the most assignments and activities for the students as the base of the triangle. The middle section of the triangle contains the “B Layer” which is the second largest focus of the unit. At the top of the triangle is the “A Layer” which has the fewest assignments and activities (Nunley).
The triangle format is not the only format a unit sheet may take. Depending on the course, the unit being taught, or the teacher’s preference, the shape of the unit may move from a triangle to a diamond (Figure 2) (Nunley, 2004). This creates a larger focus on the “B Layer” in the unit. This means that the focus of this unit will be on assignments that require the application of the content that was introduced in the “C Layer”. This is most common in courses in Physical Education, Computers and Technology, and the Industrial Arts. The result is there will be less time spent on the introduction of the material in the “C Layer” and less time completing assignments in the “A Layer”.
Note. From Layered curriculum®: The practical solution for teachers with more than one student in their classroom (p. 54), by K.F. Nunley, 2004, Amherst, NH: . Copyright 2004 by Dr. Kathie Nunley EdD. Reprinted with permission.
The third shape, although rare, is the box (Figure 3). Each layer has an equal amount of assignments and activities for the students to complete. The same amount of time is also spent with each layer (Nunley).
Note. From Layered curriculum®: The practical solution for teachers with more than one student in their classroom, by K.F. Nunley, 2004, Amherst, NH: . Copyright 2004 by Dr. Kathie Nunley EdD. Adapted with permission.
Student Achievement
In 2001, one of the most demanding educational plans called No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was signed into law (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). This plan required school districts to test at least 95% of the students. Students fall into one of nine subgroups: Asian and Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, American Indian, White, free/reduced lunch, special education, Limited English Proficiency (LEP), and other/non-response. NCLB requires that the students in each subgroup meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in math and communication arts. This meant that teachers had to ensure that all students’ educational needs were met. Meeting these needs can be interpreted as finding ways to teach every student. This includes the subgroups in NCLB (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). The result is that teachers are required to find a way to reach a wide variety of learners in the classroom. The practice of differentiated instruction through Layered Curriculum® can serve this purpose by giving students choices and accommodating their preferred learning styles.
A major provision of NCLB is the accountability of the school district to ensure all students meet state standards (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). VanSciver (2005) believed that differentiated instruction is the perfect fit to meet the demands of NCLB. This allows all the students to attain a similar level of mastery over content, including the demands of NCLB (Vansciver). To ensure that students master these concepts and are meeting standards Nunley (2004) stated that in a Layered Curriculum® unit, the teacher must have one-on-one interaction with the students. As students complete assignments, the teacher is to have short discussions or question-and-answer sessions with the student. This allows the opportunity for the teacher to inquire about the level of knowledge the student possesses. For example, if a student completes a worksheet, the student will not receive points until he/she completes an oral defense of his/her work. The teacher will ask the student questions related to the worksheet. The points earned on the worksheet are based on the response by the student to the teacher’s questions. Oral defense ensures that the students have gained the knowledge required by the curriculum, which should be aligned with all state standards. Oral defense also deters the students from cheating or copying each other’s work, as they are held accountable for their knowledge and abilities by the teacher (Nunley).
In a study using a system very similar to Layered Curriculum®, Noble (2004) utilized a combination of the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (RBI) with Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences (MI) to create a differentiated curriculum for elementary students. Noble instructed and trained 16 elementary teachers over 18 months on how to utilize the combination of MI and RBT to differentiate the curriculum in the teachers’ classrooms. Noble provided the topic of the formation and eruption of volcanoes as an example of this process. Noble used six different types of assignments, with each assignment utilizing a different intelligence. The assignments included writing a report (linguistic intelligence), conducting an experiment (logical-mathematical), drawing and labeling a flow chart (spatial), acting out process (bodily-kinesthetic), teaching a classmate about the process (interpersonal), and explaining the process to the tune of a well known song (musical). The students are then able to choose an assignment based on how they wish to convey their knowledge of the material (Noble).
At the end of the 18 month study, Noble (2004) had the 16 elementary teachers complete a survey about having implemented this teaching method (combining MI and RBT) in their classrooms. Noble found many positive results. Many of Noble’s findings came from teachers’ comments such as the students having more confidence to complete the assignments and less fear of failure, students became aware of how they learn best, students were aware of their strengths and what guided their choice of assignments, and that students performed better on higher-order thinking assignments. Noble found that the majority of the teachers felt more successful in the classroom. In fact, Noble reported that 91% of teachers believed they better understood how students could be more successful (2004).
Chapman and King (2005) stated that
a variety of novel, stimulating strategies and activities will intrigue and challenge minds. Learning experiences must be planned to entice students with exciting, meaningful content. The learner must be guided to create relevant, personal connections to each lesson. When uniqueness and novelty are evident, students are more likely to focus on the lesson. More students grasp information and adapt it when their learning styles, modalities, intelligences, and interests are engaged. (p. 22)
Other researchers have also developed similar conclusions. Armstrong (2006) stated the best high schools (those that have the most academic achievement) have students in the role as the worker and the teacher in the role as the coach. The teacher is responsible for monitoring and guiding the students through the content and the educational activities. It is the responsibility of the students to take the active role in experiencing their education. The students conduct the research, solve problems, and gain a depth of knowledge based on how much effort they put into their academics (Armstrong).
Chapman and King (2005) also stated that
In a differentiated classroom, the teacher selects materials and resources to coordinate the learners' knowledge, ability levels, and interests. The teacher creates productive problem solvers and thinkers while challenging and stimulating minds in novel ways. The selected materials provide successful experiences for learners. (p. 23)
The role of the teacher is to provide opportunities for students to gain educational experience. In successful educational environments, the students must take an active role in the classroom, and they must be the ones to establish their own path for how to proceed, learn, and meet the goals of the curriculum (Chapman & King).
Differentiated instruction can be used at many grade levels and for a variety of subject areas to increase student achievement. Baumgartner et al. (2003) concluded in a study that the strategies incorporated in differentiated instruction are effective in successfully increasing reading achievement for elementary and middle school students.
Simply having differentiated instruction in the classroom does not automatically lead to student success. Simpson (1994) indicated that in a study of the four core secondary school subject areas, the results indicated that differentiated practices are successful when teachers collaborate with students in their learning, promote achievement, identify the range of needs of the class, and use a variety of sources and support for the student. By working with the students in developing how the content is delivered, the teacher is guiding the students towards success (Simpson).
Another method to greater student achievement is the use of higher-order thinking through higher-level questions. Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock (2001) stated that questions requiring students to analyze information through higher-level questions produce more learning than questions that simply require students to recall or recognize information. These types of questions also require students to restructure information or apply what they have learned in some way (Marzano, et. al.). This use of higher-level questions and activities are the foundations of using the “B Layer” and “A Layer” in Layered Curriculum® (Nunley, 2006).
Secondary Social Studies Education
While some studies, including those by Nunley (2003), the NREL (2005), Armstrong (2006), and Gardner (1983), supported the idea of differentiated instruction, there needs to be evidence that this form of instruction will work with secondary students. In 2006, De Jong conducted a study to determine the learning styles of secondary students in a vocational school setting. Nearly 900 students were involved and provided data on preferences for school-based learning or work-based learning. De Jong found that a majority of students preferred the school-based learning styles. However, a large number of students preferred an environment that had work-based learning styles. Furthermore, one-third of the total number of students surveyed expressed interest in the learning styles involved in both environments. De Jong’s study supported the idea that secondary students can gain knowledge and an education from a variety of learning styles. De Jong also provided evidence that if given the opportunity to choose, the students will side with the method that best suits their desires and needs. De Jong believed this variety of instructional opportunities could allow them to choose the path that best suits them.
Another issue to face is the use of differentiated instruction in the social studies classroom. According to Mehlinger (as cited in Nelson, 1993), social studies classrooms that rely on the textbook to create assignments, activities, and assessments do not challenge the students to work hard, think hard, or reflect on their learning. Nelson encouraged new teachers and experienced teachers alike to become educated in new methods in the classroom that do not depend on the classic lecture-textbook method where the teacher lectures over the material and follows it with an assignment from the book. New practices should also use the textbook as a resource, but the textbook should not dictate the course of the class (Nelson).
Nelson (1993) further advised that teachers of secondary social studies should move away from constant use of objective tests such as true or false, multiple choice, and matching questions. Instead, students should have the opportunities for higher-level thinking through analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing information and putting it into a process (Nelson). Differentiated instruction through Layered Curriculum® can provide the opportunities for multiple ways of learning, and it can create chances to challenge the students to gain skills for using higher-level thinking (Nunley, 2004).
Nelson (1993) continued by recommending a variety of strategies to increase student learning in the social studies classroom. Some recommendations included: a) oral activities, b) pictorial sources, c) writing activities, d) using audio and visual resources, and e) technology such as computers. It could be interpreted that Nelson’s recommendations of using a variety of methods of instruction could increase the quality of students’ learning opportunities.
Motivating Students
Layered Curriculum® can be used to increase student motivation and academic success. Sullo (2007) stated that providing the students with options in the classroom could be a strong motivator. It is also recommended for the teacher to deliver instruction to fit the style and personality of your class. The teacher should determine the needs of the students and meet them (Sullo, 2007). Stenhoff (2008) studied the effects of choice on assignment completion by students with special needs. Stenhoff found that “providing choice of assignment without sacrificing instructional content may be sufficient to increase student achievement” (2008 p.205). Strahan (2008) also found that students became more engaged in learning activities when they were able to take part in selecting assignments. Strahan continued by stating that through the choices his student made “he was making and [assuming] more responsibility for his learning” (2008 p.205). Layered Curriculum® provides students with the opportunity to select their preferred methods of demonstrating their knowledge and mastery of the content (Nunley, 2004).
Garner (2007) recommended a lesson plan model to better engage and motivate students. This lesson plan model is based around five steps. The first step is to allow the students to explore and gather input and information about the content on their own. From there, the students are then asked to describe what they have learned and link the new concepts to their prior knowledge. The third step requires the teacher to explain the content and check with the students to see that they understand the content (Garner). These first three steps could be activities and assignments that would be useful in the “C Layer” in Layered Curriculum®. Garner’s fourth step is to have the students demonstrate their understanding of the material by applying what they have learned to projects and activities (very similar to the “B Layer” and the “A Layer”). The final step is an evaluation or reflection of the lesson by the students and by the teacher. Student feedback can provide details of how to better teach the students and get to know their preferences (Garner).
Layered Curriculum® and Other Current Educational Trends
An emerging current practice in education is the Instructional Practices Inventory (IPI). This process, developed by Valentine (2008), focuses on improving student achievement. Observers take a mental “snap-shot” of what is happening in each classroom observed. Based on the level of student learning in the classroom, the room is given a rating. The rating system is as follows:
6 – Students are engaged in higher-order learning including cooperative learning, authentic project work, hands-on learning, demonstrations, and research
5 – Student learning conversations that encourage higher-order thinking
4 – Teacher-led instruction including lecture, giving directions, etc.
3 – Students work with teacher assistance and are engaged without evidence of higher-order thinking
2 – Students work without teacher assistance and without evidence of higher-order thinking
1 – Disengagement from the curriculum
After obtaining 140-180 “snap-shots” throughout a typical school day, the data are collected and organized to establish how the school, overall, is engaging students in learning. The percentage of classrooms in each category is calculated, which gives an overall picture of the school. The goal is to use this data in a collaborative way with faculty and staff members to improve student achievement. Sharing the data with the faculty and staff is intended to foster quality discussions so teachers can find new and better ways to teach their students. This collaborative effort requires teachers to be reflective about their teaching. The teachers reflect about how their students learn, and they can make the appropriate adjustments to their teaching styles to ensure quality learning that includes higher-order thinking is taking place in the classroom (Valentine, 2008).
According to Valentine (2008), IPI can be used as an indicator of the achievement level of a school. Valentine states that the ratio comparing the frequency of using levels four to six of IPI to levels one to three can indicate how successful student achievement is in a school. Valentine concluded that high achieving schools utilize levels four to six of IPI at a ratio of 3:1 to levels one to three. The ratio for lower achieving schools is closer to 1:1 (Valentine). When used higher-ordering thinking are used correctly in design of activities and assignments, Layered Curriculum® focuses on utilizing the IPI levels of four to six on a near-daily basis. Based on Valentine’s findings it can be implied that student achievement would be high for courses that utilize Layered Curriculum®.
Another recent trend in education that can be related to Layered Curriculum® is the method of developing curriculum called Backward Design. Wiggins and McTighe (2005) identified three stages to this form of curriculum development. The first step is to identify the desired results of a unit. At this stage, the teacher should identify the content that needs to be taught, what enduring understandings are desired, and what the teacher wants the students to be able to do. This is essentially the goal-setting stage for the unit (Wiggins & McTighe). The goals should be linked to the district curriculum. The district curriculum should also be aligned to state standards and any other external standards (such as professional organizations).
Wiggins and McTighe (2005) identified the second stage of Backward Design as determining the acceptable evidence. This is the stage where the teacher creates the methods to assess if the desired learning has been achieved. This is meant to be both an informal and formal method of assessment. This forces the teacher to act like an assessor and establish the means to determine if the goals have been accomplished and decide upfront how to obtain the evidence of that learning (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005).
The final stage in Backward Design is to plan the learning experiences and instruction for the students to be able to succeed on the assessments and provide evidence that learning has taken place. The goal for the instructor during this stage is to determine what knowledge and skills will be needed for the students to be successful on the assessments (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005).
As Tomlinson and McTighe (2006) clearly stated that Backward Design and differentiated instruction go hand-in-hand, it could also be interpreted that Layered Curriculum® would go hand-in-hand with Backward Design, as well. When building a unit the teacher must first establish goals for the students to achieve. From this point, the oral defense, one-on-one interactions, and any exams can be methods to assess student learning and if goals have been accomplished. The assignments and activities that are planned into the course should be aligned with the assessments to help the students meet the goals and successfully provide evidence of their learning.
One of the leading researchers in education in recent years is Dr. Robert Marzano. Marzano (2006) emphasized the need to replace the outdated traditional method of grading that uses a point system. Instead, Marzano (2006) recommended replacing the point system with a rubric-based scoring scale that represents progress on measurement topics. This rubric-based scoring scale represents the level of knowledge of the topic. On the scale developed by Marzano, a score of 3.0 indicates no major errors or omissions of the information and/or processes that were taught. However, on Marzano’s scale it is possible for a student to score as high as a 4.0. Students can score higher based on the additional knowledge they have of the topic beyond what was taught in the classroom. Essentially, if a student has more knowledge of a topic beyond what was provided from the teacher delivery of the content, then the student can score at a higher level (Marzano).
In terms of the assignments, Marzano (2006) recommended three types of assignments that are very similar to Layered Curriculum®. Type I assignments reflect basic details and processes that are relatively easy for the students to complete. Type II assignments are assignments that address ideas that are more complex and processes that are challenging to the students. Type III assignments are assignments that go beyond what was taught in the class (Marzano). Each of these types of assignments closely relate to each of the layers that require students to learn, manipulate, and expand on the material they have learned. While a teacher is using Layered Curriculum®, the method of assessment can be flexible by being either formal or informal (Nunley, 2006). Marzano encouraged using formal and informal assessments to judge first if the student has any major errors or omissions from the Type II assignment(s) for a topic. This method of organization and assessing student knowledge and skills can avoid the traditional points system. The result would be teachers getting away from awarding points for simply doing work and turning in assignments. Instead, the student’s knowledge of the topic is the basis for the student’s grade (Nunley, 2004; Marzano, 2006).
Conclusion
Differentiated instruction seems to be widely supported and encouraged by many resources and authors. There are even many new trends in education over the past ten years that support differentiated instruction and promote various aspects of the goals of Layered Curriculum®. Although there are many challenges that may face the teachers as they try to adjust to the differences in the classroom, these changes could assist in providing a better educational experience for the student. Instead of an education where the instruction is presented in one method and follows the textbook, the student now has the opportunity go outside the textbook and use higher order thinking to grow and experience what they are learning.
CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
As Layered Curriculum® becomes an emerging trend in education, this study inquired if Layered Curriculum® could be a method of teaching that produces data that show an increase in student achievement while gaining the trust of teachers and a more enjoyable educational experience by students while they learn. This study produced data from student grades and student and teacher opinions of Layered Curriculum®.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was twofold. The first purpose was to determine if differentiated instruction through Layered Curriculum® could increase student achievement. The second purpose was to assess the attitude of teachers toward Layered Curriculum® after they attended a professional development workshop on the topic.
Research Questions
The following research questions directed this study:
1. What impact did differentiated instruction have on the achievement of students in a sophomore level World History class?
2. What opinions did students have of Layered Curriculum® after having experienced it?
3. What were the opinions of teachers who attended a professional development opportunity on Layered Curriculum®?
Research Design
At the end of each semester (fall and spring), students’ grades were recorded. The students’ grades are represented by the following letter grade after being rounded to the nearest whole percentage:
95% + = A
90%-94% = A-
87%-89% = B+
83%-86% = B
80%-82% = B-
77%-79% = C+
73%-76% = C
70%-72% = C-
67%-69% = D+
63%-66% = D
60%-62% = D-
Below 60% = F
For the process of data collection for this study, student grades were grouped together as follows:
A or A- = A
B+, B, or B- = B
C+, C, or C- = C
D+, D, or D- = D
F
At the end the spring semester of the 2007-2008 school year, the researcher provided an extra credit opportunity for students to share comments on two aspects of the class they enjoyed and one aspect of the class that could be improved. All comments regarding Layered Curriculum® were taken from the tests to obtain the views and opinions of the students. Finally, a survey was distributed to a group of teachers after they attended a workshop conducted by the researcher at Missouri’s Central Regional Professional Development Center. This allowed for the opinions of teachers of Layered Curriculum® to be expressed.
Selection of Subjects
The subjects involved in the study were approximately 400 different sophomore students who were enrolled in the researcher’s World History course from the 2004-2005 school year through the 2007-2008 school year. During the two years before the use of Layered Curriculum® there were 115 students enrolled in the researcher’s two-semester, World History course. In the spring semester, there were 122 students enrolled. For the years during the use of Layered Curriculum®, the enrollment during the fall semesters was 289 students, and in the spring semesters, the enrollment was 254 students. While not all students were included in the study, the school has basic trends related to the student population. The student population was over 95% Caucasian. Most students came from low to lower-middle income households. The school was a rural ninth to twelfth grade, public school with approximately 700 students. The student scores from the 2006-2007 and the 2007-2008 school years (when Layered Curriculum® was used) were compared to those of the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 school years (before Layered Curriculum® was introduced). Non-sophomore students were omitted from the study. Students who retook the class were also omitted from the study. Similarly, students who were removed from the classroom for out-of-school suspension for more than three months during the school year were omitted from the study. Student comments were taken from an extra credit question on the spring semester final exam during the 2007-2008 school year. Not all students took the test, and not all students responded to the extra credit question.
Ten teachers or former teachers attended a workshop on Layered Curriculum® directed by the researcher. The workshop included a basic introduction to the core concepts of Layered Curriculum®, a video presentation involving the philosophies behind Layered Curriculum®, a small group exercise, a question and answer session, and the opportunity to begin designing a Layered Curriculum® unit that could be used in the teachers’ classrooms. In a follow-up email, the teachers were given a link to an online survey to determine the teachers’ opinions of Layered Curriculum®.
Instrumentation
Data for this study are qualitative and quantitative. The data were collected through three methods. To measure student achievement the grades of World History students in the researcher’s classes for the previous four years was analyzed. This data included grades for two years of classes without Layered Curriculum® and two years of classes with Layered Curriculum® as the primary instructional method. The data were then organized and compared to see if student achievement increased during the two years with Layered Curriculum®. Student grades were grouped together into categories based on the following reported grade for each semester:
A or A- = A
B+, B, or B- = B
C+, C, or C- = C
D+, D, or D- = D
F
The frequency of each student’s semester grade was recorded to its appropriate category for the two years before the use of Layered Curriculum®, and a separate total of frequencies was recorded for the two years during the use of Layered Curriculum® (i.e. all frequencies of A, B, C, D, and F were totaled for each of the two years). The percentages of frequencies in each category (A, B, C, D, and F) were calculated. The percentages of the two years before Layered Curriculum® and the percentages of the two years during Layered Curriculum® in each category were then compared.
The second method of data collection was through student comments about the class. These comments were provided as part of an extra credit question on the spring semester final exam. The questions stated: “What were two things you enjoyed about this class, and what is one thing you would change about the class?” Any comments related to Layered Curriculum®, unit sheets, or any other aspects of the Layered Curriculum® method of teaching were included. A series of charts summarized the comments into positive responses and negative responses based on feedback from the student. The responses were also grouped into categories based on similar comments about the various aspects of Layered Curriculum®. A complete listing of comments from students regarding Layered Curriculum® is found in the appendix.
The final method of data collection was a teacher survey. The researcher presented a workshop on Layered Curriculum® at the Central Regional Professional Development Center. All eighteen attendees were asked to complete an online survey. Those attending the workshop included teachers and former teachers from the K-12 and post-secondary levels. Information on the surveys included information about their teaching position and provided feedback as to how valuable they believed the Layered Curriculum® system was. Teacher buy-in was based on the number of responses from teachers who plan to or have already implemented Layered Curriculum® into their classrooms. The teacher survey included questions involving the following:
• Grade Level Taught
• Average Class Size
• Course(s) taught
• Interest level in using Layered Curriculum®
• Intentions of using Layered Curriculum® in the classroom
• Favorite aspects of Layered Curriculum®
• Foreseen challenges with using Layered Curriculum®
• Anticipated level of integration into the classroom and when
A reproduction of the online version of the survey is available in Appendix C. Ten workshop attendees completed the survey.
Procedures
Student grades were obtained through the assistance of one of the school counselors. Grades for the 2005-2006, 2006-2007, and 2007-2008 school years were available through the school districts computer database. Grades for the 2004-2005 school year were obtained through a physical search of a storage area within the school building. Permission was obtained from the school principal to use the student data in this study. An approval notice from the school principal is located in Appendix B.
Comments from students about Layered Curriculum® were gathered from the spring semester final exam during the 2007-2008 school year. Comments were given as part of an extra credit opportunity. The final exam was taken through an online testing host. All comments from the students regarding Layered Curriculum® were copied and can be found unedited in Appendix E.
Teachers who attended a workshop on Layered Curriculum® at the Central Regional Professional Development Center (CRPDC) were emailed a link to an online survey to obtain their opinions of Layered Curriculum®. A copy of the survey and the email can be found in Appendix C and Appendix D. The teachers were given until August 30, 2008 to complete the survey. After this date, the survey was closed to any more submissions.
Data Collection and Recording
The classroom grades of the students of the past four years taking the World History course were compared on charts to see if more students are achieving higher grades in the class during the utilization of Layered Curriculum®. The frequency of each grade category was recorded for the two years without Layered Curriculum® and then recorded for the two years using Layered Curriculum®. The percentage of student grades in each category from the total frequencies for that set of years was established. The percentages from each set were then compared to see if student achievement (grades) had increased. Student comments were organized into positive comments and negative comments for Layered Curriculum®. Comments were also gathered together by similarity based on the key concepts of Layered Curriculum® such as choice, unit sheets, etc. Teacher comments were organized by the response to each survey question.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS
There were two purposes of this study. The first purpose was to determine if differentiated instruction through Layered Curriculum® could increase student achievement. For this study, student achievement was measured by student grades. The second purpose was to assess the attitude of teachers toward Layered Curriculum® after they attended a professional development workshop on the topic. The following research questions directed this study:
1. What impact did differentiated instruction have on the student achievement of students in a sophomore level World History class?
2. What opinions did students have of Layered Curriculum® after having experienced it?
3. What were the opinions of teachers who attended a professional development opportunity on Layered Curriculum®?
Findings
Impact on Student Achievement
The collecting of student grades involved two methods. First, a physical search for the 2004-2005 grade book required searching the storage area of student and school records. The second method required the assistance of the school counselor. The school counselor downloaded the grades for the three school years ranging from 2005-2008 from the school’s electronic database. The school principal granted permission for use of the student data for this study (see Appendix B).
The 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 school years were the periods where Layered Curriculum® was not used in the classroom. In the fall semester, 115 students were enrolled in the researcher’s two-semester, World History course, and in the spring semester, 122 students were enrolled. In the fall semesters, 44 students (38.3% of the total group) earned a grade of A (90% or above), 24 students (20.9%) earned a grade of B (80-89%), 17 students (14.8%) earned a grade of C (70-79%), 17 students (14.8%) earned a grade of D (60-69%), and 13 students (11.3%) failed the course (See Table 1). In the spring semesters, 36 students (29.5% of the total group) earned a grade of A, 51 students (41.8%) earned a grade of B, 17 students (13.9) earned a grade of C, eight students (6.6%) earned a grade of D, and 10 students (8.2%) failed the course (See Table 2).
Table 1:
Fall Grades before Layered Curriculum®
Grade Count Percentage
A 44 38.3%
B 24 20.9%
C 17 14.8%
D 17 14.8%
F 13 11.3%
Table 2:
Spring Grades before Layered Curriculum®
Grade Count Percentage
A 36 29.5%
B 51 41.8%
C 17 13.9%
D 8 6.6%
F 10 8.2%
In the school years of 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 Layered Curriculum® was utilized in the same course. The enrollment during the fall semesters was 289 students, and in the spring semesters, the enrollment was 254 students. The grade distribution for the fall semesters were 124 students (42.9%) earning a grade of A, 46 students (15.9%) earning a grade of B, 49 students (17.0%) earning a grade of C, 47 students (16.3%) earned a grade of D, and 23 students (8.0%) failed the course (See Table 3). In the spring semesters, 112 students (44.1%) earned a grade of A, 43 students (16.9%) earned a grade of B, 48 students (18.9%) earned a grade of C, 31 students (12.2%) earned a grade of D, and 20 students (7.9%) failed the course (See Table 4).
Table 3:
Fall Grades with Layered Curriculum®
Grade ___Count Percentage
A 124 42.9%
B 46 15.9%
C 49 17%
D 47 16.3%
F 23 8%
Table 4:
Spring Grades with Layered Curriculum®
Grade ___Count Percentage
A 112 44.1%
B 43 16.9%
C 48 18.9%
D 31 12.2%
F 20 7.9%
Table 5:
All Grades Before Layered Curriculum® vs. All Grades With Layered Curriculum®
Grade f Before LC % f With LC %
A 80 33.8% 236 43.5%
B 75 31.6% 89 16.4%
C 34 14.3% 97 17.9%
D 25 10.5% 78 14.4%
F 23 9.7% 43 7.9%
Student Opinions
The second question driving this study was to obtain the opinions of the students who experienced a Layered Curriculum® classroom. Students during the 2007-2008 school year had the opportunity to answer the following extra credit question on the spring semester final exam: What were two things you enjoyed about the class this year, and what is one thing you would change? Not all students took the exam, as some students had the opportunity to option-out of the exam and some students were exempt due to having already secured a grade of A for the semester. In addition, not all students answered the extra credit question. There were 75 responses related to using the Layered Curriculum® method of teaching. This also included any of the key components of Layered Curriculum®. Because some students commented on more than one aspect of Layered Curriculum®, the comments were organized by topic. Students made 75 comments which were grouped into eight topics related to Layered Curriculum® including assessments, assignments, the ability to make choices, the scheduling of the units, student-centered learning, use of technology, unit sheets, and the overall system of Layered Curriculum®. The comments of the students were categorized as positive, negative, or constructive criticism. Comments labeled as constructive criticism were categorized this way because the student’s comment offered suggestions for improvement (See Table 6).
Table 6
Student Comments by Topic
Topic Positive Negative Constructive Criticism
Assessment 0 0 1
Assignments 9 0 2
Choice 12 0 0
Layered Curriculum® 12 5 1
Scheduling 4 3 0
Student-Center learning 12 6 1
Technology 1 1 0
Unit Sheet 4 0 0
Total 55 15 5
One student made a comment related to the assessment methods in the Layered Curriculum® model. This comment was in regards to the use of rubrics. For many assignments created by the students, the instructor used rubrics as basic guidelines including the student’s knowledge of the content. One student commented, “I would have done something with the rubrics. They almost go contrary to the free-learning style the class offers.”
The second category for students’ comments was the assignments. Nine comments were favorable for the assignments and two comments involved some constructive criticism. Comments indicated the students enjoyed “all the fun projects” and the “collaborative assignments.” Students also expressed liking “lots of assignments”, “A-Layer assignments”, “bringing in the food”, “the different projects”, and “being able to do other things [than] just worksheets in the class”. The two comments that were constructive criticism involved providing an even wider variety of assignments and ensuring that an adequate amount of supplies were always available in the classroom for students to complete all assignments.
One of the key components to Layered Curriculum® is the ability for the students to have choice in their assignments and the method they prefer to demonstrate their knowledge of the content. Choice was one of three comment topics to tie for the most positive comments. All twelve comments involving student choice were positive. Students expressed they liked being able to make a choice of which assignments they wanted to complete to show their knowledge of the topic. One student noted, “I enjoyed getting to choose the projects we did off our unit sheet, it allowed us to do what we like the most.” Similarly, another student added, “I liked the layered class it was a lot more fun and also gave us the chance to do what we can do best.” Another student combined having choices and being accountable for his/her learning by adding, “I also like how you let [us] take own responsibility for [our] own choices to do our work.”
The scheduling of the Layered Curriculum® unit also had twelve positive responses (tied for most positive comments), but had five negative responses and one point of constructive criticism. Three types of scheduling were used in the Layered Curriculum® method. The first schedule is the daily schedule. This means that students have a choice each day of what assignment they wish to complete; however, the assignment is due at the end of the day or the beginning of the next day. The second method is the traditional method for Layered Curriculum®. In the traditional method, each layer is given an allotment of days for the students to complete their work. This may be two to three days or could be a week or more. This can be set depending on the number of assignments and the teacher’s preference. The third method for scheduling a unit is a blending of the first two methods. This normally involved the C Layer being a daily method and the B Layer and the A Layer falling under the traditional method. Students expressed that with the Layered Curriculum® schedule they were able to work at their own pace and they did not always have something required to be turned in to the teacher each day. One student noted, “I enjoyed being able to work on our own and having set dates for when everything was to be turned in.” One student expressed enjoying the flexibility in the scheduling for the units by stating that he/she, “liked not having a scheduled time for everything to happen.”
Most of the negative comments regarding the schedule had to do with not having enough time in one or more of the layers. A student commented, “I don't so much like the unit sheets because I feel rushed into getting things done, so I would take the unit sheets away.” Other students were more specific and wanted to have more time to complete assignments in the A Layer, “One thing I would change would be give more time for A layer.” The constructive criticism recommended changing, “the A, B, and C layer days around where you have more days with A, and less with C layer.” Some students expressed the need to have more time for all the layers. One student felt that he/she was “rushed” through the unit. Another student also wanted assignments turned in more frequently, such as in the daily method of scheduling the unit.
The students had mixed comments about Layered Curriculum® being more student-centered. The results showed four positive comments and three negative comments about the student-centered classroom. How the students felt about being in control of their learning was mixed. One student commented he/she liked “how you almost teach yourself.” Another student expressed, “the only thing I did not like was a lack of teaching. We were teaching ourselves in a way.” Besides the use of technology (only two comments overall), this topic showed the greatest split in the students’ comments with some embracing the responsibility and accountability of learning while others did not. One student noted that he/she did like “how you get treated like an adult.”
Some students made comments about the overall system of Layered Curriculum®. Twelve students gave positive comments including how they liked the Layered Curriculum®. Some students were very general in stating they liked the way the class was set-up and they liked learning this way. One student even thought the layer system was “cool.” One student was very positive and stated that, “Layers are a good thing!” Another student commented that the Layered Curriculum® “was different, but better than what some other teachers had.” On the other side, some students expressed they did not like Layered Curriculum®. Students commented they “did not like the layer system” and the one thing they “would change – the layer system.” One student expanded on this by stating, “I wish we would have just gotten worksheets.” The only constructive criticism from a student included changing the amount of work and point values in the system.
Technology only received two comments from students. Although technology was not a major component of Layered Curriculum®, it is important to note that many of the assignments the students completed in all layers required the use of technology. It is for this reason the topic of technology is included.
The two comments were in direct conflict with each other. One student liked “being able to send all of the assignments in online” while the other student commented it was “very hard to turn in work on a computer.” Both assignments deal with turning in assignments to a classroom website created by the instructor. No comments were made regarding the creation or utilization of technological resources except for submission of assignments.
The final category of comments deals with the unit sheets. Unit sheets are the assignments and schedule written out for the student at the start of each unit. The students were able to view all this information upfront before the unit began. There were four comments specifically about the unit sheets, and all comments were positive. One student captured the intent of presenting all the assignments and schedule on the unit sheet by commenting, “I really liked the unit sheets. That kept me on task and helped me remember what i needed to do.” Another student expressed that the unit sheets were “fun and easy.” The other comments were similarly positive and indicated the student enjoyed using them.
Teacher Opinions
The third question driving this study involved the opinions of teachers who attended a professional development opportunity on Layered Curriculum®. The eighteen participants who attended the workshop were sent an email (Appendix D) which included a link to a follow-up survey (Appendix C) regarding the Layered Curriculum® workshop and their opinions of Layered Curriculum®. Ten teachers and former teachers responded to the survey.
The first question of the survey asked the teachers for their average class size. The range of responses from those still teaching was from 15-28. Two participants indicated they were not currently teaching, but they had taught before and planned to teach again.
The second question of the survey inquired as to what course the teachers taught. Eight teachers responded to the question. Two teachers taught library courses at the university level, and one teacher responded from each of middle school social studies, high school social studies, high school science, upper-elementary math, and agriculture. One response was N/A.
The third question inquired as to how interested the teachers were in using Layered Curriculum®. Of the ten respondents six (60%) stated they planned to use it during the 2008-2009 school year, three (30%) were very interested in Layered Curriculum®, and one teacher (10%) replied with N/A.
Question four of the survey asked the teachers how they see themselves using Layered Curriculum® in their classrooms. The teachers had the following comments in response to this question:
• I will implement layer B and A after layer C is established
• As an integral part of my teaching process.
• I would love the opportunity to use layered curriculum and wish I had had this last year. Unfortunately my small district did not renew my contract so as of right now I will not be teaching this coming school year. I retired from the KCMO system and guess it may be time to retire from the state system...not my choice...
• Implemented Biotechnology so far this year. I want to gradually implement
• work with teachers
• Very closely to the way Dr. Nunley describes in her book.
• If I were ever to return to the classroom I would use layered curriculum in my science classes - giving choice of activities seems like a great way to pull in the reluctant.
• I will use it much in the way you described. Oral defense and smaller projects throughout the semester as opposed to lots of worksheet grading and a BIG project at the end.
• For a variety of key units throughout the semester. I have created an introduction to MLA Style for my fall class, one of the first activities my students will be doing this fall semester.
• For this year, I intend to plan one unit using Layered Curriculum. Our district is moving toward more formative assessment and I will need to think through how to combine Layered Curriculum with the district focus as I see Layered Curriculum as providing a lot of grades but less formative feedback for students to use for improvement. I would still like to try it though.
Question five inquired if the teacher would use Layered Curriculum® in all of his/her classes and why or why not? The result was six of the ten teachers stated they would use it or at least try to use it in their classrooms. Two teachers were not sure if they would use it in all their classes (depending on number of different courses being prepared for and unsure for face-to-face classes, but would use for online courses). One teacher indicated if she is teaching in the next year she would (no current position held in teaching), and one teacher said he/she would not use Layered Curriculum® because his/her course is a pass/fail course. The full responses were as follows:
• yes-the classes can be designed the same way
• As much as possible. I am just getting started.
• I would use it in all my classes or at least give it a go...I really enjoyed your workshop and will probably try to do some of the regional PDC ones related even tho I am not actively teaching...I was not ready to give it up but...Biological science is my field and I definately see many possibilities...too bad no one needs a resource person (w/o an official masters degree but lots of hours)!!!
• Yes in time, except exploratory (7th grade)
• yes in all of my classes due to the fact that this is a way to engage all learners
• I will not be using layered curriculum in my career class. It is an exploratory class that uses a pass fail grade.
• It would depend on class load. If I had 3 sections of one class and 3 of another yes, but if I had 6 different preps probably not. It would be my goal, however, to use it in all of my classes.
• Not sure. I am using it in the four F2F sections, but will probably use a modified version in my two online sections.
• It is likely that I will
• Yes.
Question 6 asked the teachers to share what they liked best about Layered Curriculum®. Teachers were able to respond with more than one aspect of Layered Curriculum® that they liked best. The following is a breakdown of the frequencies where an aspect was shared as what the teachers liked:
• Student Choice – 5
• Accountability – 3
• Higher Order Thinking / Bloom’s Taxonomy – 3
• Student Engagement – 3
• Organized – 2
• Differentiated Instruction – 1
Teachers responded with the following to this question:
• The ability to give choices to the students
• Accountability. Can the students prove to me that they really know the material.
• I like the choice aspect and reallllly like having the student be able to demonstrate their learning and thinking...years ago I tried to do that with my students with some limited success...in KC the classes were too large to adequately implement this...but I see how Kathie Nunley has done it and it helps that she is an actual science teacher! So many who do this are not--usually English or (no offense) Social Studies...
• Organized
• How all students can be engage in meaningful learning activities and the ability to drive higher order thinking in the classroom.
• The structure and format of layered curriculum allows for the teacher to organize differentiated instruction more easily. If done correctly the students can work at their own pace in their preferred learning style and will be pushed to think critically at at different levels of bloom's taxonomy.
• Student choice - sometimes you can plan learning activities that hook a student, but not all students every unit. I think this could do it.
• I like the flexibility, creativity, student-accountability, and active-learning components of Layered Curriculum.
• It gives students choices about what they will do and gives them control of their learning
• I like the aspects of student choice and I also appreciate the fact that students cannot succeed by only choosing lower-level projects, but that they will have to choose projects which use higher-level thinking.
Question 7 asked the teachers if Layered Curriculum® could boost student achievement and why or why not? One-hundred percent of the teachers believed that Layered Curriculum® could increase student achievement due to reasons including deeper levels of thinking / higher-order thinking, the accountability, student ownership, and choice in activities. Teacher responses included:
• Yes, deeper level thinking will be required
• Yes, if the students see that they must learn the material instead of just skimming the pages they will develop the skills to perform better in all areas.
• I know it could...if only I were to have the opportunity...
• Definitely, Students have ownership
• Yes it will boost student achievement as it fosters interest and engagement in meaningful activities by all students
• I believe brain based research proves that people need to be active while learning and perform better when they are interested in the topic or activity they are studying.
• Students have to be involved w/ their learning. Layered curriculum would help with the motivation some students lack. I think some activities would have to be required, to be sure to meet the objectives necessary - C level activities.
• Yes, no doubt about it and for all of the reasons I just mentioned in Question 6. (Question 6 response: I like the flexibility, creativity, student-accountability, and active-learning components of Layered Curriculum.)
• I believe it can because of the opportunities for students to select activities that complement their preferred learning styles.
• Yes, I see power in student choice.
The final question asked the teachers if they would incorporate Layered Curriculum® into their classrooms at the start of the next school year, in the spring semester, or not at all. Eight of the teachers responded that they were already using Layered Curriculum® in their classroom, would implement at the start of the school year, or would use Layered Curriculum® for a later unit. Two teachers currently are not in a position to use Layered Curriculum® at the classroom level.
Summary
The first question of whether or not Layered Curriculum® has a positive effect on student achievement was observed through the collection of student grades from the two years before Layered Curriculum® was used and the student grades during the two years when Layered Curriculum® was used. The results indicated an increase of 9.7% of students scoring in the “A” range and a decrease of 1.8% of students failing the semester with a grade of “F.” However, there was an increase in the number of students in the ranges of “C” and “D” during the two years with Layered Curriculum® as the method of teaching.
The opinions of students were obtained as part of an optional extra credit question on the course final exam. Students could provide two aspects of the class they liked and one aspect of the class they would change or did not like. Fifty-five of the seventy-five comments related to Layered Curriculum® were deemed positive while fifteen were deemed negative. Five comments offered constructive criticism, but did not indicate a positive or negative value. The aspects of Layered Curriculum® receiving the most positive comments were student choice in what assignments they wanted to complete to meet the objective, Layered Curriculum® as a whole, and student-centered learning. The aspects of Layered Curriculum® receiving the most negative comments were student-centered learning, Layered Curriculum® as a whole, and the scheduling used during Layered Curriculum®.
The final question addressed the opinions of teachers about Layered Curriculum®. The teachers surveyed took part in a workshop conducted by the researcher. After the workshop, all eighteen participants received an email with a link to an eight-question survey regarding their opinions of Layered Curriculum®. Ten teachers responded to the survey. The teachers taught class sizes ranging from 15-28, and they taught a variety of subject areas at a variety of grade-levels. The overall response was positive from the teachers. All teachers believed that Layered Curriculum® could increase student achievement. The teachers could also find at least one aspect of Layered Curriculum® they liked. Student choice in assignments, higher-order thinking, student engagement, and accountability were the aspects receiving the most comments from the teachers. Nine teachers responded that they were at least very interested in using Layered Curriculum® during the next school year. The tenth teacher indicated “N/A” as he/she does not have a contract for a teaching position at the time of the survey. Eight of the respondents indicated they are already using Layered Curriculum® or would use it during the 2008-2009 school year, and two respondents indicated they would not be in the classroom to use Layered Curriculum® during the 2008-2009 school year.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Teachers and schools are being faced with more challenges than ever before. No Child Left Behind (U.S. Department of Education, 2004) is increasing the demands upon teachers, administrators, and school districts. Accountability in regards for student achievement is in high-demand by the lawmakers and community members alike. Schools are also faced with students who have a wide variety of needs and bring with them a wide variety of challenges for teachers and the schools to face (Tomlinson, 1999). Differentiated instruction was found by many to be a way to combat these challenges (Armstrong 2006; Fisher & Frey, 2007; Kaplan, 2007; Levy, 2008; & Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2005). Even state programs are requiring school districts to provide evidence of use of differentiated instruction in the formal review of a school district’s programs (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education of the State of Missouri, 2007). A possible approach to meet the demands placed on schools to increase student achievement while meeting the needs of students with a variety of learning styles is Layered Curriculum®. Up to this point, no other studies were found that examine if Layered Curriculum® could have an effect on student achievement.
The focus of this study was two-fold. The first purpose was to determine if differentiated instruction through Layered Curriculum® could increase student achievement. For this study, student achievement was measured by student grades. The second purpose was to assess the attitude of teachers toward Layered Curriculum® after they attended a professional development workshop on the topic. The following research questions directed this study:
1. What impact did differentiated instruction have on the student achievement of students in a sophomore level World History class?
2. What opinions did students have of Layered Curriculum® after having experienced it?
3. What were the opinions of teachers who attended a professional development opportunity on Layered Curriculum®?
Summary of Findings
In regards to an increase of student achievement based on the findings for Research Question 1, there were several key effects. The first effect was an increase of 9.7% of the students who earned a semester grade in the A range. The second key effect was a reduction (1.8%) of the student population who failed the course. Finally, there was an increase in the number of students who scored a grade of “C” or below. Similarly, there was a decrease of students (5.5%) who scored grades in the “A” and “B” ranges.
The second questions driving this study addressed the opinions of students who experienced Layered Curriculum® as the primary method of teaching. The Students received the opportunity to provide feedback about the course to the teacher through an extra credit question on the final exam. All comments related to Layered Curriculum® or one of its components were compiled into a list (Appendix E).
Of the comments received from students about Layered Curriculum® on the course final exam, fifty-five of seventy-five overall comments (73%) were positive. The highest frequency of positive comments were concerning student choice, student-centered learning, and Layered Curriculum® overall with twelve comments each. Negative comments made up fifteen of the seventy-five overall comments (20%). The most common negative comments were in regards to student-centered learning (6) and Layered Curriculum® overall (5). Students shared constructive five (7%) constructive criticism comments (or comments on how to improve the course) Overall, student responses for Layered Curriculum® were positive. Students who responded negatively to the Layered Curriculum® were very general and did not offer details to what they specifically did not like.
The final question driving this study was to determine the opinions of teachers regarding Layered Curriculum®. Ten of eighteen participants at a workshop conducted by researcher responded to an email (Appendix D) containing a request for teachers to follow a link to a survey (Appendix C) to ascertain the opinions of the teachers about Layered Curriculum®. Of the ten teachers who responded, the teachers indicated their average class size (if they currently were teaching in schools) ranged from 15-28 students. The courses they taught were a wide variety ranging from upper-elementary to post-secondary library science and information services. Sixty percent of the teachers stated they planned to use it during the school year, and thirty percent indicated they were very interested in using Layered Curriculum®. One respondent replied with Not Applicable (N/A). All ten respondents indicated they would use it in their classroom in different methods. Eighty percent of the teachers surveyed said they would use or consider using Layered Curriculum® with all their classes. The remaining twenty percent stated they would not have a classroom of students during the next school year.
The aspect of Layered Curriculum® receiving the most comments was involving student choice (5). Accountability, higher-order thinking / Bloom’s Taxonomy, and student engagement each received three comments. The ability to maintain organization received two comments while the concept of differentiated instruction produced one comment. When asked on question seven if the teachers believed Layered Curriculum® could boost student achievement, 100% of the respondents indicated that student achievement could increase. When asked why they thought this most explanations referred back to the key aspects in question six of why student achievement could increase. The final question of the survey asked teachers if they would incorporate Layered Curriculum® into their classrooms at the start of the school year, in the spring semester, or not at all. All eight (100%) of the respondents currently teaching indicated they would implement Layered Curriculum® into their course at some point in the school year. Two respondents indicated they are not currently in a teaching position, thus they cannot implement the teaching method into a classroom at this time.
Recommendations for Future Research
Recommendations for further study include:
1. Further study of Layered Curriculum® in other disciplines and other grade levels needs to be conducted. This research would allow the opportunity to examine if Layered Curriculum® has an effect on student achievement in other classrooms. This study would test for student achievement in disciplines other than social studies and at other grade levels such as elementary, the middle grades, and at the post-secondary level.
2. It would be recommended that further study be completed to examine the increase in student grades in the “C” and “D” ranges. While the percentage of students who failed the course decreased (one possible explanation), it would be prudent to study if there are any other factors contributing to this increase.
3. As the number of students in the “A” range for grades increased, it would be recommended to further study the effects of Layered Curriculum® on student achievement in upper-level courses such as honors courses, dual credit courses, and advanced placement courses.
4. Students who drop out of school tend not have been successful in the classroom. More research could be completed to examine if Layered Curriculum® produces more successful students, and if a result of that success results in a reduced dropout rate, increased graduation rate, and/or increased attendance rate.
5. This study only examined the overall semester grades of students. It is recommended that research be continued that examines where students lost the most points during the units. One question could involve if some students grades lowered because they were not completing assignments or they were not successful with the oral defense aspect of the teaching method.
6. Further study could include surveying teachers after they have used Layered Curriculum® in their classroom, and the researcher could make comparisons between the opinions of teachers before and after implementation in their classrooms.
7. To more accurately ascertain the opinions of students about Layered Curriculum® it is recommended that further study take place where all students enrolled in the course are polled. It would also be recommended that the students be directed to comment specifically on Layered Curriculum®. Instead of leaving the responses to encompass anything that occurred in the course, this would provide more direction and produce a more accurate portrayal of the students' opinions of Layered Curriculum®.
Implications for Practice
Although Layered Curriculum® did not have a major effect on student achievement in this study, the opinions of the students who experienced Layered Curriculum® and teachers surveyed about Layered Curriculum® tend to be very positive. While student grades did not show major improvements, the experiences by the students tended to be very positive. Coupled with the opinions of the teachers who attended the workshop on Layered Curriculum®, it is possible that Layered Curriculum® may provide both the students and the teachers with a more satisfying or positive educational experience. Both students and teachers viewed the aspects of the Layered Curriculum® (especially student choice) very favorably. Finding these types of common grounds of preferences for teachers and students may lead to a more cooperative classroom environment. Instead of the teacher using one method to teach and the students preferring another method, it would seem ideal to find methods of teaching that appease both sides so that teachers and students can work together for a better educational experience in the classroom. With the aspects of Layered Curriculum® receiving so many positive responses from both students and teachers, this may be a teaching method where both sides can work together instead of against one another. By students having a method of learning they enjoy and the teachers having a method of teaching that is enjoyable and keeps the students accountable, then there could be the expectation to have a more positive learning environment.
As there was a decrease in the number of students failing the world history course during the use of Layered Curriculum®, it would be prudent to determine if a greater use of Layered Curriculum® in schools could decrease the number of students dropping out of schools. As students fail more courses, there tends to be less hope of graduating with peers, thus some students drop out of school. If school-wide use of the aspects of Layered Curriculum® could reduce the number of students failing course, then possibly more students would graduate and increase the graduation rate and the attendance rate and reduce the dropout rate.
Summary
This study found that Layered Curriculum® has little effect on student achievement, but teachers and students have positive opinions of Layered Curriculum®. As the number of students with grades in the “A” range increased and the number of students with grades in the “F” range decreased, the number of students with grades in the ranges of “C” and “D” increased. Overall, students found their experiences with Layered Curriculum® to be positive. Fifty-five of the seventy-five comments provided by students about Layered Curriculum® were positive, while only fifteen comments were negative. Five of the comments were constructive criticism and did not indicate a positive or negative opinion of Layered Curriculum®. Finally, teachers also had a positive opinion of Layered Curriculum®. Teachers surveyed found aspects they liked about Layered Curriculum®, all teachers surveyed believed Layered Curriculum® could increase student achievement, and all teachers surveyed found aspects of Layered Curriculum® they liked. Overall, Layered Curriculum® may have little effect on the levels of student achievement in terms of student grades, but teachers and students overall found the idea and experience of Layered Curriculum® to be positive.
REFERENCES
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Anderson, K. M., & Algozzine, B. (2007). Tips for teaching: Differentiating instruction to include all students. Preventing School Failure, 51(3), 49.
Armstrong, T. (2006). The Best Schools. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Chapman, C., & King, R. (2005). 11 Practical ways to guide teachers towards differentiation (and an evaluation tool). Journal of Staff Development, 26(4), 20-25.
De Jong, J. (2006). An exploration of the relationship between academic and experimental learning approaches in vocational education. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76 (1), 155-169.
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (2006). More students earn proficient scores in reading and math in greatly expanded MAP testing program. Retrieved on June 12, 2008, from .
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2007). Missouri School Improvement Plan. Retrieved on July 7, 2008, from .
Diverse classrooms demand multiple paths to success.(2008). What Works in Teaching & Learning, 4(9), 3-3.
Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2007). Checking for understanding: Formative assessment techniques for your classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Friend, M. (2007). Co-teach: A handbook for creating and sustaining effective classroom partnerships in inclusive schools. Greensboro, NC: Marilyn Friend, Inc.
Garner, B. K. (2007). Getting to got it: Helping struggling students learn how to learn. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Howell, D. C. (2004). Fundamental statistics for the behavioral sciences. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole – Thomson.
Holloway, J. (2000). Preparing teachers for differentiated instruction. Educational Leadership, 58 (1), 82-84.
Kaplan, S. N. (2007). Classics curriculum: A focus to differentiated curriculum. Gifted Education International 23, 15-18.
Levy, H. M. (2008). Meeting the needs of all students through differentiated instruction: Helping every child reach and exceed standards. Clearing House, 81(4), 161-164.
Marzano, R. J. (2006). Classroom assessment and grading that work. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Nelson, J. (1993). A secondary social studies methods course. Clearing House, 66 (4), 223-225.
Noble, T. (2004). Integrating the revised bloom’s taxonomy with multiple intelligences: A planning tool for curriculum differentiation. Teachers College Record, 106 (1), 193-211.
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. (2005). Differentiated instruction. Retrieved on October 21, 2006, from focus/challenges/instruction.php
Nunley, K. (2003). Layered curriculum brings teachers to tiers. Education Digest, 69 (1), 31-36.
Nunley, K. (2004). Layered curriculum: The practical solution for teachers with more than one student in their classroom. Amherst, NH: .
Nunley, K. (2006). An overview of Kathie Nunley’s layered curriculum. Retrieved October 3, 2006, from how.htm
Pollock, J. E. (2007). Improving student learning one teacher at a time. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Sacramento City Unified School District. (2006). What is differentiated instruction? Retrieved October 4, 2006, from scusd.edu/gate_ext_learning/fidderenetiated.htm
Southeast Missouri State University. (2004). Definition of MAP. Retrieved October 4, 2006, from www2.semo.edu/map/defmap.htm
Stenhoff, D. M., Davey, B. J., & Lignugaris/Kraft, B. (2008). The effects of choice on assignment completion and percent correct by a high school student with a learning disability. Education & Treatment of Children, 31(2), 203-211.
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Understanding the theory of multiple intelligences. Early Childhood Today, 20 (3), 2005.
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VanSciver, J. H. (2005). NCLB fitfully fits differentiated instruction. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 70(9), 37.
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Appendix A
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Appendix B
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Appendix C
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Appendix D
Teachers:
Thank you again for attending the workshop on Layered Curriculum® on June 17, 2008 at the Central Regional Professional Development Center. I enjoyed meeting all of you, and I hope that you found the information valuable. I would like to request your participation in a short, eight-question survey. I have decided to write my research paper for my Education Specialist degree in School Administration on Layered Curriculum®. I am asking if you would be willing to complete the survey by clicking on the link near the bottom of this email.
I am seeking your input on your opinions of Layered Curriculum®, how/if you intend to use it, and other relevant information. Please do not put your name in the survey, as I wish for your response will be anonymous.
Please submit your survey by August 30, 2008. If you wish to obtain a copy of the results, please reply to this email.
Thank you again, and I hope you have a successful 2008-2009 school year.
Steve Ritter
sritter@clinton.k12.mo.us
(660)924-6242
Appendix E
I enjoyed the way we used the unit sheets and all the fun projects the class got to do
Iwould change the A, B, and C layer days around where you have more days with A, and less with C layer
lots of projects lots of freedom Need to add more time to a, b, and c layers
And i really liked the unit sheets, that kept me on task and helped me remember what i needed to do. 1 thing i would change..some of the assignments on the unit sheets. some of them i couldn't do because i didnt have the supplies, or this or that. and i enjoyed doing the assignements.
I enjoyed the long time we had to get our work done and the fun assignments
mostly A-Layer assignments. I also enjoyed the collaborative assignments, despite wasting the first day just talking.
I enjoyed getting to choose the projects we did off out unit sheet, it allowed us to do what we like the most
I like the layered criculam. and also i like being able to send all of the assignments in on line.
I liked not having a scheduled time for everything to happen. I liked having the opportunity to choose what I learned. I would have done something with the rubrics. They almost go contrary to the free-learning style the class offers. Dankeshen, Mr. Ritter.
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I enjoyed being able to work on our own and having set dates for when everything was to be turned in.
I like the layer assignments instead of just getting assignments that have to be done. I also like that there are more projects like the board game than there are actual worksheets and stuff like that
I enjoyed the way we did the unit sheets,
One thing I would change is the way we study for tests.
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I enjoyed having the layers to work how fast i wanted to work.
I would change the layers. I did not like it that much and thought it was harder than usual.
but teh only thing i did not liek was a lack of teaching we were teaching ourselves in a way.
How you get to choose your assignments. And how you almost teach your self.
I have enjoyed: 1.bringing in food 2.the layered system I would change
i enjoyed that we got to work at our own pace and choose our own assignments
I liked the Unit Sheets because they helped you learn and were fun and easy
I enjoyed the cirriculum that was given to us. I thought it was different, but better than what some other teachers had
I enjoyed this class because the layered curriculum was kinda cool to try and see how that worked.
i also liked unit sheets. I would maybe give a wider variety and range in the unit sheet. More Assignments to choose from.
i enjoyed how you did the unit sheets i like learning that way.
being able to do other things this just worksheets in the class.
Also i liked some of the different projects that we did on our layers ( food and so forth!)
I liked the layer things we did
I enjoyed learning about world history, and the Layer curriculum, it made class alot better and less stressful.
a lot of fun i liked how we could do our things at our own pace and still get done (most of the time)
I like the layer system because it sets accurate due dates and shows me everything I need to do a week in advance.
one thing i would change would be the way the homework takes place its every hard to turn in work on a computer I like how you get treated like adult
1 thing that i liked about this class was the unit sheet we had a choice of wat we wanted to do to get the required points for that unit
i would change the layer curriculmn
i enjoyed the layered assignments and i enjoyed
I enjoyed the way you gave the assignments because it was simple and easy to gather information
2 things i enjoyed was the amount of extra credit, and C layer. One thing I would change would be give more time for A layer.
i also like how you let take own resonseability for are own choices to do our work
Things I enjoyed were the Layers, because it showed me the work that i had to do all at once so i could complete it or take it slow it was very flexible for me,
i enjoyed being able to choose my assisgnments and being able to take my time doing them
i enjoined the freedom we got when working on our projects and i liked the way the class was set up. i would add some more days on to the unit sheet and maybe have more class study time before the test.
)I also liked the layered assignments where we could work on things in the order we wanted to and turn them in all at once I wouldent change much besides Mr. Ritters teaching method (not that thiers anything wrong with it im just saying.
I liked how you gave us dates at which times you had to have assessments done so that we could do it at our own time.
I didnt like the layer system.
I liked the layered class it was a lot more fun and also gave us the change to do what we can do best
One thing that i would change about this class though would have to be the way the unit sheet is set up, like make more things due more often instead of a bunch a thing all at once
would change the layered assignments. I do not like this style of learning,
I don't so much like the unit sheets, because I feel rushed into getting things done, so I would take the unit sheets away.
Layers are a good thing!
*I loved the unit sheet. it gave me order,
I would only change how much work we have to do for the layers. The 200 points seems like a lot for us, but some of the assignments can be easily done.
And i wish we would have just gotten worksheets rather than a unit sheet because it really had me not want to do it because i got to pick what i wanted to do.
Another thing that I enjoyed was the self propelled work that we had
WOULD CHANGE- the layer system
I liked that we got to pick our assignments and had a certain day to turn it in.
Appendix F
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C Layer (same number of assignments and time as all other layers)
B Layer (same number of assignments and time as all other layers)
A Layer (same number of assignments and time as all other layers)
C Layer (less assignments and time than B Layer, but the same as the A layer)
B Layer (has the most assignments and time spent)
A Layer (less assignments and time than B Layer, but the same as C Layer)
C Layer (has the most assignments and most time spent)
B Layer (Less time and assignments than C layer, but more than A Layer)
A Layer (least number of assignments, least amount of time spent)
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