Running head: ARTICLE REVIEW 1
Article Review
Student’s Name
Institution Affiliation
ARTICLE REVIEW 2
Article Review
Article Summary
The article chosen for this assignment is titled “Differentiating Instruction for Large
Classes in Higher Education” by Tuner, Solis, and Kincade. This research article aims to
establish the effectiveness and perceptions of using differentiated instructions in higher
education. According to the authors, the current education system in higher education is
primarily based on a one-size-fits-all. The authors argue that this type of system does not
effectively serve a diverse student body. Therefore, the researchers sought to identify the reasons
and perceptions of using differentiated instructions for higher education.
The study participant involved instructors of higher education. The number of
participants who responded to the study included 20 instructors, which comprised 13 female and
six male instructors. The participants ranged from 30 to 79 years of age. The 20 participants that
responded to the survey represented only 19 percent. In terms of race distribution, 90 percent of
the participants were white, while two of the participants identified themselves as other.
The research design is descriptive, as the study seeks to describe the perception and
understand why differentiated instructions are not being adopted in higher education. This
research design was appropriate for this study since the authors wanted to identify why higher
education has not adopted differentiated instruction strategies. A descriptive research study
would help identify different perspectives of the target participants.
The method of data collection that the researchers adopted is an online survey. The
researchers ensured they communicated the purpose of the research study. The researchers also
ARTICLE REVIEW 3
surveyed the participants through open-ended questions, allowing the participants to explain their
perspectives thoroughly. According to the authors, qualitative and quantitative data collected
through the online survey was analyzed through a research tool called Qualtrics.
This research study findings indicate that differentiated instructions are yet to be adopted
in higher learning institutions. While differentiated instruction is broadly and widely adopted in
elementary and secondary institutions, higher education practitioners cannot pick up on the
momentum. Considering higher education institutions are more diverse, it is essential to adopt
the differentiated instruction teaching design. The study found a need for more awareness to be
created about differentiated instructions, benefitting the students. Those aware of differentiated
innovation stated lack of resources, training, and time as significant challenges of implementing
the teaching strategy.
Article Analysis
The research study has opportunities for further studies, especially on a larger sample.
According to the authors, the participants were from one academic institution. Conducting this
research on a much larger sample can provide much more perspective. Another research
opportunity is engaging the students in the study to determine whether they are aware of
differentiated instruction and their perspective on how it can impact their educational success.
One of the weaknesses of this research is that it only engages a small sample of
participants, which affects the research findings' credibility. Engaging a small sample size can
limit the number of perspectives identified. It also affects the credibility of the research article
since a small sample size may not represent the larger population's opinions. Also, the population
needs to be diverse and should include participants from several schools.
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My criticism of the research study is that it fails to identify the teachers and academic
institutions' critical challenges in implementing the teaching strategy. The implications of the
findings are for higher learning institutions to overcome the obstacles hindering the adoption of
differentiated instructions. Embracing this teaching strategy will significantly benefit the
students, especially in appreciating their diversity. The authors highlight that using differentiated
instruction strategy in higher learning will help recognize student’s diverse abilities, thus
resulting in a more inclusive education system.
ARTICLE REVIEW 5
References
Turner, W. D., Solis, O. J., & Kincade, D. H. (2017). Differentiating instruction for large classes
in higher education. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher
Education, 29(3), 490-500.
