{"id":1679,"date":"2016-02-17T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-02-17T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/aurora-institute.org\/blog\/what-is-personalized-learning\/"},"modified":"2020-02-19T18:23:56","modified_gmt":"2020-02-19T23:23:56","slug":"what-is-personalized-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aurora-institute.org\/blog\/what-is-personalized-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Personalized Learning?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Pupils<\/a>Advances in technology and personalized learning environments<\/a> have created a historic opportunity to expand access and boost achievement and completion for learners across the globe. <\/span><\/p>\n

With student-centered, personalized learning, we can identify students\u2019 unique needs and address them. Teachers possess powerful tools to personalize instruction and utilize real-time data for feedback to intervene exactly where each student needs it most. It is about optimizing learning every day and maximizing the amount of learning per unit of time. Students also amass a collection of evidence that demonstrates their learning. <\/span><\/p>\n

As an emerging and evolving field, it is essential to clearly define personalized learning to avoid confusion and frustration. Regularly-published, field-tested definitions prove useful for generating shared understanding and challenging misconceptions. By clearly articulating the definitions of these terms, the field can close communication gaps and advance toward next generation learning with increased clarity, effectiveness and scalability. <\/span><\/p>\n

Personalized Learning, Defined<\/b><\/h3>\n

Each year, iNACOL surveys thousands of educators to inform and push our understanding of the field. This practitioner-based feedback informed our definition of personalized learning: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTailoring learning for each student\u2019s strengths, needs and interests–including enabling student voice and choice in what, how, when and where they learn–to provide flexibility and supports to ensure mastery of the highest standards possible.\u201d<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

The purpose of personalized learning is to open student pathways and encourage student voice and choice in their education. Differentiation is a key part of personalized learning, and it is essential in education. In personalized learning environments, educators seek to meet each student within their own zone of proximal development. Without personalization, there is a gap between the individual student, their learning, and the support they need to succeed in a way that makes sense to his\/her interests. <\/span><\/p>\n

The shift toward personalization changes the dynamic between the teacher and student. Educators take on new roles as mentors, coaches and facilitators, and power and control shifts to the students. By giving students ownership over their learning and grounding learning in their interests and passions, they feel valued, motivated and in control. <\/span><\/p>\n

In an iNACOL survey, we asked educators what personalized learning means to them. Below are some responses:<\/span><\/p>\n