Personalized learning is the secret to student success
Every child is different, so why should learning be the same?
Until recently, classrooms looked the same as they did long years ago. Teachers would teach a class of 40 or more students, and students would memorize information in order to pass exams. Some students who grasped the concept quickly had to slow their pace, while students who were struggling would have to adjust to a faster pace.
The old ways of teaching were no longer adequate for today’s changing technological world, and thus was born the idea of personalized learning. When the student is given personal direction, attention, and content catered to their specific needs, they learn more, faster. Meanwhile, online learning and tech tools make personalized learning easier for the students. Learning with technology will strengthen both personalized learning for students and professional development for educators.
What is personalized learning
Personalized learning is the key to engaging students, as teachers are leading the way toward making learning as relevant, rigorous, and meaningful inside classroom as outside.Personalized learning tailors learning experiences to each student’s strengths, needs, and interests. Students learn in different ways and at different paces. Personalized learning is a teaching model based on that premise. Each student gets a “learning plan” based on how he learns, what he knows, and what his skills and interests are. It’s the opposite of the “one size fits all” approach used in most schools. However, the end goal and academic standards don’t differ. Each student must reach a certain mastery level by the end.
Personalized learning examples
Example 1
Pat really loves dinosaurs, so the teacher creates a reading unit based on books about dinosaurs combined with a writing unit involving research about dinosaurs. If Pat is weak on particular styles of charts and graphs, Pat may get an extra unit that works on organizing information about dinosaurs visually.Example 2
Sam wants to be a concert pianist, so Sam's educational program approaches history from the perspective of the history of music, and Sam actually spends less time daily on science so that there's more time for music-related studies.Teacher can also give students the choice between reading a short story or listening to an audio version while reading. Allowing these kinds of customized learning give students the ability to choose the process that best fits their needs.
Personalized learning vs personalized pacing
What many schools are actually talking about is personalized pacing not personalized learning. Pat and Sam complete exactly the same reading materials, they study the exact same units in math, and they study history out of exactly the same textbook. The only difference is the speed with which they move through the materials. There is nothing personal about their learning program except the speed with which they move through it. It's the oldest problem in education, and personalized pacing does not help solve it.
The Benefits of using a personalized learning in the classroom
Personalized learning has become one of the most talked-about strategies in education today. The old-school methods of conducting a classroom simply don’t work for today’s plugged-in students. Modern learning theory supports the shift away from antiquated, rote learning models toward personalized learning model. This model creates fun and engaging classroom atmospheres that benefit students and teachers alike.
Here are many benefits of personalized learning.
What is critical thinking and why is it so important
- Students are effectively more engaged and highly motivated
- Self-regulation skills are built in students
- Students are equipped with the tools to learn
- Constantly challenged students are academically advanced
- Lifelong learning mindset will be developed in students
Read More:
Teaching philosophies in educationWhat is critical thinking and why is it so important
Useful information.👍👍
ReplyDeleteIn teaching observation, we have to keep all these points in mind.
Thanks Ratnagiri sir for reading
ReplyDeleteVery good article keep up the good work
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