Personalized Learning is NOT Differentiating Instruction
The term “Personalized Learning” is a buzz word educators use to be an alternative to “one size fits all” teaching. Unfortunately, the message is confusing. Ed.gov’s archive as part of the National Technology Plan lays out the definition of Individualized, Personalized, and Differentiated Instruction:
Individualization refers to instruction that is paced to the learning needs of different learners. Learning goals are the same for all students, but students can progress through the material at different speeds according to their learning needs. For example, students might take longer to progress through a given topic, skip topics that cover information they already know, or repeat topics they need more help on.
Differentiation refers to instruction that is tailored to the learning preferences of different learners. Learning goals are the same for all students, but the method or approach of instruction varies according to the preferences of each student or what research has found works best for students like them.
Personalization refers to instruction that is paced to learning needs, tailored to learning preferences, and tailored to the specific interests of different learners. In an environment that is fully personalized, the learning objectives and content as well as the method and pace may all vary (so personalization encompasses differentiation and individualization).
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Personalized learning is NOT “Personalized Instruction.”
Personalizing learning means…
- students know how they learn so they are prepared for today and their future as global citizens.
- students are co-learners and co-designers of the curriculum and the learning environment.
- students own and drive their learning.
Each learner is unique and learns in different ways. Differentiating instruction means that the teacher adapts the existing curriculum to meet the different needs of each student in their classroom. The teacher becomes the hardest working person in the classroom. Individualizing means that the teacher and textbook companies create multiple levels of curriculum to meet the different needs of all students. This means that you pay more to textbook companies to prepare the curriculum or you find multiple ways to teach a content area that meets the varied learning styles and reading levels in their classroom.
Differentiating and individualizing instruction is teacher-centric, grade-level, and standards-based. Teachers can use these techniques to present content. However, he student needs to be the hardest working people in the classroom. Teachers need to teach their students how to fish and not fish for them. In a personalized learning environment, the teacher doesn’t have to be the only expert. The advantage of technology is that students can use the content and be the experts with their teacher. They can become experts on specific content areas, technology, and even create content.
Check out Mathtrain.tv where Eric Marcos realized that students learn best from other students.” target=”_blank”>
Schools are using Khan Academy to personalize learning. Students are finding the resources and sharing them with each other. Students are flipping the classroom with their teachers. You can take university classes from MIT Open Courseware and Stanford is offering 15 free online courses.
Personalizing learning starts with the learner. It is not personalized instruction. The teacher, the school, and textbook companies can individualize instruction for the different types of learners. Personalized learning means the students drive their learning and the teacher IS the guide on the side, the co-designer of their learning, and more of a facilitator to make sure the students are meeting their learning goals.
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Thanks for clarifying these current buzz words. I think this is a really valuable conversation. I have been attempting to personalize learning as you describe it, with the help of technology. Khan Academy videos are on YouTube, so downloading such large files and sharing them with my students is difficult at best. They also seem to be even more boring than I am, but at least students could stop, review etc.
I have tried to use a program called TenMarks, but am still working out the kinks to get it to work on the computers, on the restricted network in my classroom. This program is free and allows the teacher to set up practice sets for math. If students get stuck, they can look at a video to help them.
I did manage to get a simple math program called Xtra Math to work in my room. Though some dislike skill practice programs. My students all need to become proficient with math facts and have them be automatic. So far, they all find it very engaging so that is a plus. I wish all the online resources I have found were as easy to set up and have students use in a classroom or lab environment.
It has been a real eye opener for me that even I, as a former district technology and curriculum specialist, am having a hard time finding appropriate material to support student learning in weak areas and getting it to function on my machines. My students need explicit instruction and practice to master concepts. I am also beginning to have them do some creative projects such as Garage Band Book Reports and writing on portable keyboards that they send to the computer to format, these are helping my students build language and writing skills.
I guess my take away from your post above is that I should continue in my efforts to use technology to provide learning resources in areas students need to master, combined with working with students to help them understand what they need to master so they can be more self directed in their learning. It’s a challenge to get this going in a real classroom, it seems this will require more time with individual students to get rolling.
We’ll see how it goes.
Sarah Zykanov
Northern California
Fourth Grade
Title 1 – ELL
Thank you Sarah for your comment. In your situation, it still looks like you are doing most of the work to personalize the learning for your students. A lot of it because of the set up in your room and having to use a lab and portable keyboards. YouTube Edu can be whitelisted now for schools. These videos have been reviewed and categorized in playlists around the standards.
I am working with several fourth grade teachers who collaborated on a Missions Project. They worked together to design a website with all of the information and ideas for students to have a voice and choose how they want to demonstrate their learning. Many students still created a mission with the help of their parents, but many others created a virtual mission with Google Sketchup. Some worked together to create a video tour of their mission. Student voice and choice can happen even in elementary school.
Another group of teachers talked about creating student experts where every student in the class identifies themselves as an expert of something. The something can be content. If you are studying the Gold Rush and one of your students has visited Sutter’s Fort or panned for gold, they know something about it. They are more interested and want to share what they know with other students. There are experts on technology. So instead of asking you for help, they can ask an expert. I really believe that students can own and drive their learning at early ages. Traditional school is embedded in our brains and theirs from very early on. Little by little we need to give them more choices and let them share their voice.
This post speaks to me. I’m not there yet, but I am trying – in small, baby steps to shift the learning in my class from what’s being taught to what’s being learned. I know it’s where I want to go. There are many limitations – particularly in the area of technology.
Any resources you can suggest would be most helpful.
Ann
yes.. much thanks for the clarification..
so, would we throw in yet another term (not sure what it is.. but feel the need to clarify what “personalized” as you define it, is not yet representing.)
self-directed perhaps? again, I don’t know… but something representing learning, driven, as best it can be, from the curiosity inside each learner, rather than any publicly prescribed curriculum, or basics, or …
Monika – I am rethinking the word “personalized” as it seems to state something done to students. Personal learning or personalizing learning means that students drive their learning. I like what you wrote “from the curiosity inside each learner.” I am excited about the future for learners if we can weed through all the information and regulations and policies that keep creativity and innovation out of the classroom. Maybe what we will see is a mass exodus of learners from K-12 and universities. Questions for you and others:
- will we need “school” to be successful?
- what does “success” mean in a world where everything you need is at your fingertips?