Primary teachers' information source use and the student role in adaptive teaching and differentiation

Abstract Differentiation is a key instructional approach that enables teachers to tailor their teaching to students' diverse learning needs. An essential component of differentiation is the use of valid information sources. However, little is known about which sources teachers use, at what stage they gather information, and to what extent they actively involve students in differentiation decisions. This study employed a mixed‐methods sequential explanatory design, combining questionnaire data from 24 primary school teachers with follow‐up interviews with 11 teachers. The questionnaire assessed teachers' use of information sources in the preparation, implementation, and evaluation phases of differentiation, while the interviews explored teachers' reasoning behind their use of information sources and their inclusion of student voice. Findings indicate that teachers relied primarily on student work samples, observations, and tests related to teaching methods, while student involvement remained limited. Teachers predominantly used student input to verify differentiation decisions rather than to actively engage students in differentiation. These findings highlight the teacher‐centered nature of differentiation and suggest a need for stronger integration of student voice. Future research could explore how professional development can support teachers to use student voices for adaptive teaching and differentiation.