Personalized learning customizes what students learn. It is based on the student’s strengths, interests, skills, and needs. In this process, a student gets a learning plan based on his or her style of learning or how he or she learns best. However, this is not to be confused with an IEP or a 504.
Today, a very complex mix of instruction happens in schools. This also includes many instructional approaches and programs. Some schools have part remote and part in-class teaching. With in-class teaching, group work is emphasized. Other schools use personalized learning as their basic instruction. Therefore, there is various learning that happens daily throughout school districts.
Thus, what happens is that personalized learning becomes difficult. A survey by the EdWeek Research Center states “teachers aren’t doing as well with personalizing instruction as they were before the pandemic.”
Personalized or Programs
As schools continue with remote learning, a degree of independence is on the student. Many schools rely on computer-based programs for personalized learning. Instead of this method, personalized learning must be student-led. Personalized learning practices play a large role to make sure all students progress academically. Students must have strategies to make their educational experience fit their needs regardless of in-class or remote.
In-class lessons must not be lectures. Therefore, those types of lessons need to be part of on-line instruction. Save the explanations of concepts for on-line and conduct in-class with contact with others. Thus, discussions along with the teacher to student contact for question and answer sessions happen. Students need to solve problems and put their learning into action.
Some schools opt to increase the personalization of studies. They see students have better outcomes over time if they have more choices in their learning. These schools feel this method is better than an increase in high-quality instructional materials. However, studies show that student learning improves between 10 and 25 percent with high-quality material. Although, the increase in technology in the classroom heightens personalized learning.
Schools and educators are doing the best they can to make sure students improve academically. Thus, the choice of methods is to prevent a major learning gap.
