Definitions of personalized learning
Now we know more about personalized learning, a universal definition is still somewhat elusive.
Personalized learning means that students have a voice and choice in their academic lives, curriculum formation, assessment, and products. Personalized means that students can pursue their passions, but within a teacher-provided framework or structure that meets state or district standards. Project-based learning and technology integration have an important place within this framework.
We often think: The more individualized a student's curriculum, the more personalized their learning. Digital technology works to do just that-they automate processes to create individualized curricula for students. But if the curriculum is too personalized, we're isolating the child, leaving them alone with their learning.
5 myths and denials about the role of technology in personalized learning
- Personalized learning means that the program must be individualized. In fact, the program must first and foremost be structured to be accessible, understandable to all students.
- For personalized learning, the program must be based on the interests of the child. A child's interests and involvement are different things. And here we should remember that young children in junior high do not know their interests at all yet, they are constantly searching, they can be interested in everything at all. You shouldn't narrow the curriculum to certain interests of a child, because they may change tomorrow. Learning, on the contrary, should broaden the child's experience and interest.
- Personalized learning personalized learning lies in the control of the teacher. I believe that meaningful personalized learning is a partnership between teacher and students: you can collaborate, weaving children's interests into learning, you can help them make decisions. For example, when I do story-writing training, I never tell the children what they will write about - it's up to them to decide. I limit them to a certain genre - it's a necessary framework that unites all the work, but they choose the topics themselves.
- Technology is a necessary component of personalized learning. I believe technology is ancillary. They should be used where and when they keep or reinforce the students' connection to one another. Children should not be turned toward screens any more than they are toward each other.
- Personalized learning through technology paves the way for equity in education. Many teachers think: If I give kids content through digital technology, then everyone gets it at their own level, according to their abilities. That's really true if we're only talking about content. But equity in education is about giving every student in the classroom what they need. And students need a lot more than content and academic material: they need motivation to work in the classroom, they want to feel like they have friends, that they belong in a certain community, that the teacher sees their strengths and the challenges they overcome in learning.
What should personalized learning be?
Education more pesonalized should be driven by people, not technology.
It should bring students together through collaboration, vulnerability, and human contact, not isolate children through individual assignments, competition, or a culture of shaming.
A personalized learning program should include children's interests, but also extend their life experiences. For example, I proposed a project to the children - to build their own city. To do this, we went to a field study of our neighborhood, talking with residents about its advantages and problems. At the end of the project, the children would build their imaginary city using the knowledge they had gained. Is building a city a direct interest or hobby for any of the children? No, but this is an example of how the curriculum can be very interesting and expand children's interests rather than limiting them to selected hobbies.
In personalized learning, we should use assessment to get to know students better, not to compare, compete, or categorize children.
It should allow children to cooperate in large group, small group, and independent assignments.
Personalized learning understands individual student needs in the context of the classroom community, rather than making learning simply individualized.
It provides a structure in which students take responsibility for their decisions. Technology should not drive the learning process and limit the student's autonomy over decisions.
Technology in personalized learning is an auxiliary tool that should preserve and enhance human connection, not disengage the classroom.
Eleena Timmons