eLearning is the Next Normal

Do you remember getting stuck on beginning algebra while your schoolmates raced ahead? Or, you seem to not quite get the lesson when the rest of the class is breezing along?  This traditional model of classroom education, sadly, continues to be very much one-size-fits-all.  But, it's time for diversity & inclusion.

How can personalized learning help me?  What is it and is it hard to implement?  A personalized learning program is constructed in a systematic way.  There are various methodologies yet, there are 2-3 key steps involved.  Let's begin with "differentiated instruction."   

Differentiating instruction can help students achieve no matter how they learn and what they know.   But how do we do that you may ask.   The first part of differentiating instruction is figuring out what each student knows so teachers can help them learn. There are a variety of ways to do that which we've found the pre-assessment works best.  To effectively assess the student we need to understand their readiness to learn, interest in the class and style of learning.  At some point there will be a measurement of the effectiveness of that lesson.   The evaluation will allow students and teachers the ability to celebrate success no matter their academic level or individual strengths. 

Next, the student specific or "personalized" learning program is developed.  Remember, personalized is not individualized learning.  The main ingredient in personalized learning is the student's more of the "curator" of what goes into their learning experience.   Educators that support this learning strategy believes this enables flexibility for the student based on their strengths and interests as well as gives them voice and choice (buy in) of their learning experience.  This ultimately supports high interest and mastery of the required education standards.   In a personalized learning classroom, students and teachers co-design their objectives and learning based on their learning goals.

With the research and observation of developing personalized learning, we needed to be more predictive vs proactive and set the learner up for anticipated success in new skilling or upskilling.  Studies have shown that AI (artificial intelligence) facilitates an automated learning algorithm that adapts to the learners comprehension of the material.   Different individuals learn in  different ways and at a different pace and an adaptive program would be able to adjust a training program to those individual learning styles. So how does this actually work?  What makes adaptive learning special is that (depending on the subject) it figures out exactly what item a student is strong and weak at in order to identify what they already know and what they’re ready to learn. Unlike a traditional classroom where all 30 or 40 students are taught the same thing—regardless of individual progress—adaptive learning is able to provide a highly tailored course syllabus in order to maximize a student’s progress.  We can see the role of the teacher evolve; where their expertise is augmented and we don’t see a future where Artificial intelligence in Education (AIEd) replaces teachers.  AIEd will provide better information, and personalized learning plans for the individual learner that might be struggling with their education.  Ideally, all parties would accept the new technology to improve learning for students yet, the challenge with using AI to assist the teacher/instructor in school or business, when an adjustment is recommended the teacher must be willing to accept and adjust for the student otherwise it doesn't work.  But with all new technology trials will continue to run because we know personalized learning has been and is the best way for humans to learn.