Defining Personalized Learning

Defining Personalized Learning

(5th grader presenting his work on ADHD)

What is personalized learning?
The first step in defining Personalized Learning (PL) is to keep it simple and clear.  Over complicating this will only lower its effectiveness for you as a learner.  One definition of personalized learning is shifting decision making about what is learned and how from teacher centered to a cooperative process with the student, where learning strategies, not standards are the focus. The idea of PL is based on the flexibility and scaffold structures for learners

This requires a collaborative environment which focuses on the student's journey to acquire the skills of planning, reflection, and developing a sense of intrinsic motivation through setting and monitoring personal goals, along with coaching and guidance from mentors.  If there is little to no focus on these or other soft skills (learning to learn strategies) then it probably is not a true form of personalized learning.

This allows the opportunity for blended learning, PBL, and some forms of 1:1 programs to be used to create a personalized learning experience (although technology is not required to personalize learning, its just a tool).  

What personalized learning is not...and maybe why 
Many different types of learning programs may be confused with personalized learning because they are not the traditional teacher centered and student product based programs the majority of us are accustomed to.  Programs such as adaptive learning softwares, IEP's, and some forms of flipped classes present themselves as personalized learning but by definition can not be.

Learning at a personal level requires students to have a voice and a say in what is being learned and how, they choose their pace, as well as depth and direction they take the topic.  These standard criteria indicate that adaptive learning software, forms of flipped classes, and IEP's cant be classified as personalized learning because they either stifle or limit student choice in some form.


What is needed for personalized learning to take place in the learning environment?  
After defining what is and is not PL, we need to ensure that students are in an environment that promotes the freedom of choice, encourages learning from trying and failing, and has patient coaches who model the soft skills for success. Technology is not required to create a personalized learning environment; relationships with mentors and the safety to learn the skills of learning are required.

MG