Personalised and Adaptive Learning

This week we take a wee look at personalised and adaptive learning.

PL is a teaching method that endeavours to forge a journey of discovery tailored to each and every learner’s individual needs, pace of learning, and preferred learning style, with tech augmenting (but not defining) the method.  With PL, teachers gain a keener insight into each student’s needs and so can offer more individualised support and feedback. Students can make choices about their learning, which is a fantastic advantage and, of course, makes this the ultimate student-centred learning experience.

AL is a technique that can be used to facilitate PL, often using data-driven systems to continually adapt learning material and provide personalised content in real time to meet a learner’s changing needs and abilities. Particular attention is paid to a learner’s prior knowledge. Available platforms provide rich data, not just quantitatively, but also with evaluations about a student’s learning style, and how this compares to learning styles of other students in the class. AL can form a significant and effective part of a PL programme, but - in my opinion - it should be complemented with real-time social aspects such as face to face feedback and collaboration.

Concerns with AL

It is noted that AL can be costly and time-consuming to implement. In addition, it lacks significant application to the higher order thinking skills, such as creativity and critical thinking, which are key aspects of a 21st Century education. It could be argued that with its reliance on tech, AL is a depersonalised pedagogical technique. However, it should be noted that the human factor is taking a more significant role as some experts are learning to implement AL within flipped learning, in order to promote greater critical thinking and problem-solving.

Is AL the ideal, with PL just a step along the way?

In theory it sounds ideal, as it can ensure that activities and material are located soundly in a student’s Zone of Optimised Learning (not to be confused with the Zone of Proximal Development), which factors in prior knowledge and the desired learning targets.

What would I implement and how would I convince the staff?

I am not likely to advocate for the exclusive implementation of AL. The cost would most likely be unrealistic and cause too much (justified) opposition. Furthermore, I am too invested in the value of social constructivism, non-directive teaching, emotional intelligence, and social-emotional learning to endorse AL as an exclusive learning tool. Having said that, I would consider advocating for the use of AL for children with identified learning and/or behavioural needs; in addition, I would advocate for the use of PL to meet the needs of students who are identified as being highly gifted (these students would be identified through observation of specific behaviours in addition to test scores). We would need to consider aspects such as the physical environment, teacher evaluation system, and school and district-level policies when considering adoption of these techniques.

To generate support, I would stick with my current recipe. I would involve staff in the process and planning from the outset- on a voluntary basis. For example, I could invite interested staff to form a committee or professional learning community several months in advance to explore “use of AL for learning needs”. This group would also be tasked with preparing the action plan for implementation.

We would launch the initiative to the entire faculty, with a thoughtfully designed presentation structured thus:

1. Why AL for learning needs? I would emphasise the importance of data and research-based decision-making, the initiative’s relationship with the school vision, and recognition of the voluntary committee who prepared the initiative.
2. What is AL? What does it look like in practice? What impact will we expect to see?
3. How will we implement AL? How will the action plan work? How will we measure its effectiveness?
4. Q & A, with a promise to follow up any queries or suggestions.

Finally, dissenters will be listened to with respect and empathy, with the presumption of positive intentions.

Interesting diagrams:

Here’s a Piktochart infographic about personalised learning that I made last year for an M. Ed. course on models of teaching: