Summary for Educators

“Using Technology in a Differentiated Classroom” Reviewed by Melinda Stewart
MiddleWeb, December 4, 2025

In Using Technology in a Differentiated Classroom: Strategies and Tools for Designing Engaging, Effective, Efficient & Equitable Learning, authors Clare R. Kilbane and Natalie B. Milman offer a thoughtful, research-based guide for educators seeking to use technology to better meet the diverse needs of today’s learners. As reviewed by Melinda Stewart, the book moves beyond enthusiasm for digital tools and instead centers on purposeful instructional design grounded in equity, accessibility, and student ownership of learning.

A central premise of the book is that technology is not inherently transformative; its impact depends on how intentionally it is used. Kilbane and Milman frame teachers as designers of learning experiences who must carefully select and apply tools to support differentiation in content, process, and product. Throughout the book, they emphasize that effective technology integration begins with a clear instructional goal and an understanding of students’ strengths, needs, interests, and learning preferences.

The principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) are woven throughout the text. The authors highlight how technology can reduce barriers and expand access for all learners, including students with disabilities, English learners, and those with varying levels of background knowledge. Digital tools can provide multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression—allowing students to interact with content in different ways, receive built-in supports, and demonstrate understanding through varied formats. Choice, flexibility, and scaffolding are presented as essential features of a differentiated classroom, not optional enhancements.

Kilbane and Milman also introduce practical frameworks to help educators evaluate the effectiveness of their technology use. The 4E model—Engagement, Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Equity—encourages teachers to consider whether a tool meaningfully supports learning, saves time, and promotes fairness and inclusion. Similarly, the SAMR model (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition) is used to examine how technology can move instruction beyond simple replacement of traditional tasks toward deeper learning experiences that would not be possible without digital tools.

A particularly valuable contribution of the book is its focus on efficiency. Recognizing the time pressures teachers face, the authors offer strategies for using technology to streamline administrative tasks, organize instructional materials, and provide timely feedback. When used well, technology can free teachers to focus on high-impact practices such as conferencing with students, analyzing learning data, and adjusting instruction. The book emphasizes that efficiency should serve learning, not drive it; tools should reduce workload without sacrificing instructional quality or relationships.

The authors also address technology’s role in supporting social-emotional learning. Digital platforms can foster collaboration, reflection, and self-regulation when integrated thoughtfully before, during, and after instruction. Tools that support formative assessment and feedback loops help students monitor their own progress and develop greater agency in their learning. This alignment between differentiation, assessment, and SEL reinforces a classroom culture where students feel supported, capable, and valued.

Stewart notes that while some specific tools referenced in the book may become outdated as technology evolves—particularly with the rapid development of artificial intelligence—the underlying strategies remain relevant. Kilbane and Milman encourage educators to stay current through ongoing research and professional learning while holding fast to core principles of inclusive design, responsiveness, and intentionality.

Ultimately, Using Technology in a Differentiated Classroom serves as both a conceptual framework and a practical guide. It challenges educators to move beyond “tech for tech’s sake” and instead use digital tools as levers for equity, engagement, and deeper learning. For teachers and school leaders alike, the book offers a roadmap for designing technology-rich learning environments that honor student diversity while remaining manageable, meaningful, and instructionally sound.

Original Article-

“Using Technology in a Differentiated Classroom” Reviewed by Melinda Stewart
MiddleWeb, December 4, 2025

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com