Learning and Leading

Start with the Learner
Where Technology Fits In

Each learner is unique and learns in
different ways. Personalized learning
is built on the idea that the learner:
•;Knows;how;he;or;she;learns;best
•;Self-directs;and;self-regulates
his or her learning
•;Designs;his;or;her;own;learning;path
•;Has;a;voice;and;choice;about
his or her learning
•;Is;a;co-designer;of;curriculum
and learning environment
•;Has;flexible;learning;anytime
and anywhere
•;Has;high-quality;teachers;who
are partners in learning
•;Uses;a;competency-based;model
to demonstrate mastery
•;Is;motivated;and;engaged;in;the
learning process
With personalized learning, anyone
can be a learner. The term student implies
someone in a class being taught by a
teacher. Learners, in contrast, drive their
learning from anywhere at anytime.

Technology plays different roles in individualization, differentiation, and personalization:

Personalization. Learners have access to a set of technologies to support their own learning.

Differentiation. The teacher adapts instruction and chooses technology to support groups of learners.

Individualization. The teacher selects technology for each student’s individual education;plan;(IEP).

Personalized learning is not the same as adaptive curriculum, where technology drives the;learning;based;on;data;using;algorithms;of;performance,;such;as;number;of;clicks.;It is also not just about giving each learner his or her own device. The technology is there to support—not drive—the learning.

The focus of personalized learning is not on the technology but on the learner’s motivation, engagement, and voice. And, according to researchers Eric Toshalis and Michael Nakkula,;in;their;paper;“Motivation,;Engagement,;and;Student;Voice”;( bit.ly/11QAuva),;if learners have a voice in how they learn, they will be motivated to engage in the learning process.

Learning environments should be able to flex to fit how each learner learns best. But it takes a process over time to achieve this flexibility. Traditional teaching with direct instruction is ingrained in our system. This is what most teachers were taught. That’s why moving to any of the stages takes time and vision. Here is a condensed version of the stages of personalized learning environments (PLEs).

Before you attempt to transform learning and teaching with a PLE, consider where you and your learners are now and then decide which stage is a feasible goal for your classroom, school, or district. Keep in mind that roles change for teachers and learners in all three stages.