Demystifying the Impact of Teachers’ Qualification and Experience on Implementation of Differentiated Instruction

Abstract

According to many educators, teachers’ knowledge and experience are identified as key factors that facilitate effective classroom instruction. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of teachers’ experience and qualifications in the implementation of differentiated instruction (DI). The study employed convergent mixed method design with 400 teachers surveyed, out of which 16 were interviewed, and 8 teachers’ classroom teaching sessions were observed. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to analyze data collected from instruments that were adapted from previous studies. The survey data were analyzed using inferential statistics of ANOVA, while interview transcripts were analyzed using content analysis method, and observation checklists were analyzed using a mixed approach. Findings of these analyses showed that there is no significant difference in teachers’ implementation of DI based on their experience, while teachers’ qualifications showed otherwise. These findings indicate the importance of teachers’ pre-service and in-service professional development in the area of differentiated instruction. Further research is required to confirm and crossvalidate these findings in other educational contexts.