Personalized Learning
The idea of differentiated instruction has been around for a long time. However, as Adam pointed out, we have finally “reached a tipping potin with digital assets and access” that can support truly personalized learning. We will hear less talk of learning management systems and more talk of platform that allows students to access the individualized digital assets (whether leveled reading, response to intervention software, or remediation tools, for example) they need to improve achievement. Dell is actually piloting a personalized learning platform, the idea being that every student can show mastery of subject matter in many ways. Not only will these platforms for personalized learning be driven by data (formative and summative assessments), but will cater to students’ learning styles and needs. Adam predicted that this approach won’t just be enabled by advances in technology and access, but also by the common math and literacy core standards being adopted nationwide.
Source: ZDnet
Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
jarvise 5:57 am on September 7, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
In high school, we get students entering at various levels of competence. Many of them get stuck in grade 10 for a prolonged period of time, get frustrated, and give up. Through targeted e-learning strategies that complement curriculum, this could help to reverse the problem. Think of personalized reading and writing help, numeracy help, built-in apps that allow students to read content that may be too hard for them while scaffolding the experience. Basically, educators have been talking about individualized instruction for a long time, but is now becoming possible.
ashleyross 1:36 pm on September 7, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
If I could vote more than once, it would be for personalized learning. I believe personalized learning is extensive, as no two students learn exactly the same way and now that there is technology to assist the different learning styles, there is no reason why students should struggle through a subject that could be presented to them in a form that utilizes their personal learning style and needs.
Karen Jones 4:20 pm on September 7, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
The use of technology to personalize learning may not only go a long way to address the diversity in classrooms, but may increase the relevance and interest of education to learners in danger of becoming disenfranchised in the current system.
David William Price 6:42 pm on September 7, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
In the explanatory video for the Khan Academy, they showed how their backend system tracks the progress of students on EACH QUESTION they answer in the system, showing how long it took to answer each question, whether it was right or wrong, and providing a graph of the questions and the time to answer them and the correctness… a graph of learning, basically. This theoretically allows a teacher to intervene with individual students for specific problems without being asked for help. Yes, this still requires human intervention…. but it makes the MOST of that human intervention.
http://www.khanacademy.org/about
verenanz 9:04 pm on September 8, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
The whole goal of my business company is to create the best possible learning. We have learned through testing and research, that the “best” possible teaching is due to amazing teachers who really get to know their learners – that it is the secret to success. However, the other “secret” is having the teacher act as a facilitator to encourage personalized learning. Even personalized learning needs network support.
themusicwoman 9:15 am on September 10, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
It just doesn’t make sense that all learners learn the same way. Research is showing that the kids of today actually are using different parts of their brain in respect to technology. Although they can fiddle with the newest gadgets in the blink of an eye, they don’t read like older learners do nor act as socially as others in the past. In a sense, technology is making them dumber. Personalized learning needs to take this into account as we adapt to today’s needs and advantages.
khenry 4:43 pm on September 11, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Being able to asses, design and enable personalised learning is becoming and will continue to trend. Such practices are essential in Constructivist strategies and environments and in harnessing and facilitating diversification and catering to a variety of learning styles and intelligences (Howard Gardner, Theory of Multiple Intelligences). Also, it allows for more targeted and prescriptive assessment/learning and strategies.
ifeoma 1:09 pm on September 12, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I am not a teacher but I got a glimpse into differentiated learning as I had to prepare a research proposal for ETEC 500. I was completely taken in by the concept and philosophy. Poring through quite a number of research documentation, I realised that DI is garnering a lot of interest in the education industry and for good reason too. The reports from research conducted point toward improvement.
Much like the web design strategy and principle of knowing your audience and targeting content /tasks to suit their needs and goals, with data gathered in class the teacher understands the student’s needs and can better direct teaching and learning to yield more rewards. Using technology to personalise learning in my opinion, is a great way to identify the differences/uniquesness we each possess and a great positive yield /asset in education.
Everton Walker 8:46 pm on September 12, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I am definitely on board for personalized learning. Such a learning provide the context for them to discover and develop strategies to guide their own learning. I am just concern about the social aspect and the natural human to human interactions that may be absent when each student goes their own way.