Diagnostic Assessment: The First Step of Differentiated Learning Plan

Nova Tania - Student of PPG for Prospective Teachers of Mathematics Study Program of Universitas Islam Sultan Agung

Course: Differentiated Learning

Lecturer: Nila Ubaidah, S.Pd., M.Pd.

Differentiated learning is one of the advantages of the Merdeka curriculum. This was conveyed by the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia for 2019-2024, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, who said that through the Merdeka curriculum, teachers can adjust learning to the level of students' abilities. Through differentiated learning, the needs of each student can be facilitated fairly. This facilitation is not only based on the level of ability of students but also the various backgrounds and uniqueness of each student.

Students are unique. Even two students who are born identical twins, they are still unique with their own personalities. Moreover, students who have different genes, backgrounds, cultures, races, tribes and religions. Students grow and are raised in different environments. How different family and community interactions certainly made the lives of students differently. The diversity of each student's background makes students have different motivations, interests, talents, learning styles, academic and non-academic abilities. This diversity must be facilitated by teachers fairly.

Diagnostic assessment is the first step in creating a differentiated learning plan. Through this diagnostic assessment, both cognitively and non-cognitively, students' learning styles, interests, motivations, and abilities will be identified. So that teachers can design learning that is appropriate to the conditions of each student. Without a diagnostic assessment, teachers cannot design differentiated learning according to needs. This is because without a diagnostic assessment, teachers do not have sufficient information about the characteristics of each student.

Diagnostic assessment can be done in various ways and interesting for students. Teachers can use digital media such as mentimeter, quiziz, kahoot, even conventional media such as written tests using sticky notes. This is of course adjusted to the facilities of students, such as mobile phone access or internet, without reducing the essence of the diagnostic assessment. Whatever the media, teachers need to analyze the results of the diagnostic assessment quickly and accurately so that they can find out what students need. One form of follow-up to the diagnostic assessment is to be the basis for forming study groups during the implementation of learning in the classroom.