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The future of education: How to prepare for the growing emphasis on personalized learning /Back

  • September 3, 2021
  • Manoj Sundaram
The future of education: How to prepare for the growing emphasis on personalized learning

The future of education is here. Personalized learning, or adaptive learning, is the new way to teach kids. Adaptive learning programs give students personalized feedback on how they're performing and offer them more individualized instruction based on their needs. It's time to get ready for this change in education!


Here are some ways you can prepare your classroom for personalized learning:

  • Choose a data-driven instructional approach

  • Start by assessing what works for your learners

  • Take advantage of technology tools that provide individualized instruction*Make sure all your materials are aligned with the standards so everyone has access to the same information

  • Don't forget about assessments! Make sure you have assessments in place before implementing an adaptive approach.

  • Adaptive Learning Framework - Build a learning environment that allows you to give students the information they need, when they need it.

You can also visit our 6 reasons you need Hybrid Classrooms today here

1. What is personalized learning and how does it work?

Personalized learning is an approach that gives learners greater opportunity to customize their learning pathway, while allowing them access to the tools and resources they need to achieve success. In a personalized learning environment, there is a different approach taken for each student based on his or her needs and interests. To get an idea of personalized learning , think about the different types of learners in your life, such as your younger sister who enjoys art class and your older brother who loves sports. The teacher doesn't lead all students in the same lesson-instead, he or she creates different lesson plans to meet their individual needs. Tailored to meet individual students needs, the personalized learning approach aims to make education more accessible which is why it has become one of the most important trends in education today.

No two schools using personalized learning will be the same . The outcomes of personalized learning will vary depending on how it's implemented at a particular school. There may be some schools using this approach who are completely digital, while others only do so partially.

Every student has different learning styles, making them learn in different ways . Hybrid Learning is the combination of online and offline teaching. Hybrid learning helps teachers set clear expectations for all students and aligns their learning to rigorous standards.




2.What are the benefits of personalized learning?

Personalized learning is an educational movement that aims to give students greater choice, control and customization over their education. With this approach, students can learn at their own pace, follow their interests and build self advocacy skills.

In Personalized learning,

- Teachers gain more insight into their students' progress and performance.

- Students have a chance to be creative in the classroom and in their projects

- The whole class benefits from an engaging lesson plan that will see a higher percentage of students understanding a topic fully.


  • Encourages students to be active participants in their learning

  • In a Hybrid Learning environment, students use technology at home to engage with content and enhance projects that connect them back to the classroom. It is a contrast from a blended learning model where a bit of online and offline activity is involved. This helps teach skills such as collaboration, communication, critical thinking and problem solving.


3. How to prepare for a future in which education will be increasingly customized to the individual's needs

Experiences that allow collaboration, communication and teamwork for students are becoming increasingly popular as many colleges and universities are finding that these skills will be critical to success in the workplace. The concept of the teacher standing in front of the class "sage on the stage" type approach is fading. In this model, teachers are giving up their front and center position as the main source of learning information for a role as a facilitator or guide. Students have more direct access to information from an expert speaker via video, blogs, wikis and other electronic media.

Students these days are concerned with the ultimate outcome - earning a high score, obtaining a distinction in class, or excelling at tests. The education of the future will demonstrate once again what you have been told many times before: how you perform does not define who you are.

We are looking at the education revolution through the window of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, blended learning, social media, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence.

Today's students are digital natives who take for granted instant access to vast amounts of information via the internet. With these latest technological advancements in education, student participation is evolving into a vibrant one that makes learning more interesting and intriguing than ever before.

Grading is a waste of time if it's only to identify who's at the top and who's at the bottom. Assessments in the future will be based on evidence and will include instruments that enable learning plans to be created and personalized.

“The big question is ‘why are we grading and for whom?

The primary role of the teacher is no longer to instruct but to help students become more resilient and adaptable, capable of learning new skills. While curriculum teaching and learning have already gone beyond the classroom, this will continue to be the case, and as education adjusts for future needs, so does the function of a teacher. It is each instructor's duty to help students discover the best way to keep learning in a world with a constantly changing skill set."

In light of the shift towards a more customised learning experience, future teachers must be data collectors as well as analysts, planners, collaborators, curriculum experts, synthesizers, problem-solvers, and researchers.



4. The challenges that come with personalizing education

The biggest challenge that comes with personalized learning is the risk of information overload on the internet. When students are being encouraged to research different topics, they may come across many sources that are not credible.

However symmetrically changing the education system and student-teacher ratio is not easy either. While large classes may decrease the possibility of personalization, small group learning is very expensive and requires a significant investment in time on Professional Learning that helps teachers to learn about their students' needs

The problem we face in schools isn't a lack of ability to adapt; it's too much change that isn't well-planned or sustained. In his book Great by Choice, Jim Collins states that "the signature of mediocrity is not unwillingness to change, but chronic inconsistency." Teachers frequently abandon early efforts for "the next thing." As a result, they develop a sense of initiative weariness and adopt the attitude that things will pass as before.

Implementing personalized learning is time consuming and requires a tremendous amount of upfront planning. Edtech consultants like us can help you put the right infrastructure for Hybrid learning in place, that fosters collaboration, communication and set the right learning goals aligned to your 21st Century learners. Hybrid learning is like building a bridge, you need the right material (content, technology & pedagogy), sufficient funding and motivation to make it happen. Read our Hybrid Learning blogpost for more information on Hybrid learning.



5. Ways educators can start preparing for this change now, such as by incorporating more technology into their classrooms and rethinking traditional teaching methods

Hybrid Learning is the future of education

Hybrid learning has started to gain popularity in schools, colleges and universities across the globe. Hybrid mode includes pairing up with online resources, having a blended class where students go to a classroom for a part of a lesson and then use other means to Iearn for the rest of it. Hybrid learning is being used to personalize education

This way, students are able to learn at their own pace and develop a sense of responsibility towards their own education. Hybrid learning is not just about technology and its all about bridging the gaps between technology and a 21st century learner. Hybrid learning fills the gap between professor's lecture, reading textbooks and online research

In this education model, students have access to advanced technologies such as smartphones, tablets, iPods etc. which can be used as multimedia based activity for various subject matter providing them with an opportunity to learn in a more collaborative way and gain skills that will prepare them for the 21st century World.

While many might assume that hybrid learning involves extensive use of technology, it actually includes pairing up with the conventional physical classroom experience, to provide learners with both online and offline educational support.

The Hybrid model is particularly effective in an era where technology is playing a pivotal role in the education sector to bridge gaps between educators and learners. For instance, you can have live chat sessions for questions related to course material or upload presentations online so that it helps students gain more



6. The pros and cons of personalized learning in the classroom

  • Students can take control of their own learning thanks to personalized instruction. They are in command of their own learning, and they are responsible for what they need to know in order to meet the state academic benchmark. By giving youngsters this authority, schools and instructors provide them with a sense of purpose, and it might be the reason they stay in school.

  • Personalized Learning may also help students learn to collaborate and communicate with their peers, which will transfer to skills they can use in the workplace as adults.

  • Both emotionally and physically, personalized learning can provide kids the feeling that they are a part of something larger than themselves. It also makes it easy for pupils to demonstrate mastery of information in different ways than by writing essays on paper and pencil.

  • Students who participate in PL environments have fewer absences from school, and they are more likely to finish their work on time because they learn to better manage their time (Hall Rivera, 2017).

Disadvantages:

  • Pre-reading and other preparatory activities to ensure that the lessons are aligned

  • Teachers must learn to live within the new paradigm.

  • To accommodate evolving technologies, the traditional classroom has to be redesigned.

  • Many students are faced with a similar issue: they don't know what to study. A student who is undecided might move from subject to subject without obtaining much knowledge. Worse, they could take every course available; eventually, the information overload overwhelms them.


7. Ways to prepare your child for the future of education today, including how to teach them about digital citizenship, coding, and more

We live in a world that is interconnected and, in certain ways, defined by technology. All students must learn how to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly in order to succeed in academics and eventually in their profession. You may play a role by instructing digital citizenship in your class as an educator. Devices like Smartphones, Tablets, VR & AR tools are becoming a part of the learning process for students and teachers. Education is changing.The method that you may have experienced as a student is most likely different from what children face in classrooms today. These devices should be provided along with lesson plans and infographics that provide better understanding of uses of these devices in the learning process.. With these insights about Hybrid learning it becomes easier for students to adapt Digital citizenship, coding, lifelong learning etc., to make them future ready.



8. Why teachers need to be prepared as well - what skills they should work on now so that they are ready when the time comes

In the era of personalized learning, teachers have a greater responsibility than ever before to equip students with skills that will help them succeed. In this blog post, we explore six skills that every teacher should possess in order to deliver a personalized learning model effectively. Personalized learning is about knowing your audience better than ever before. Teachers need a variety of skills and understanding in order to deliver personalized learning models. It starts with knowing your students: what they like, what makes them tick, and where you can find out more about them (e.g., social media). The next step is knowing how kids learn best: reading good books, doing good projects, making connections with other things on their mind or on their plate—and then teaching from there. Differentiated learning helps to cater to different learning needs of students. Teachers can analyze the areas in which they will need more instruction or where students need enrichment, and then personalize their lesson plans accordingly



9. Examples of personalized learning in the real world

Video Learning : Remote learning has revolutionized the way we learn. With remote learning, it is easier than ever to interact with your child's school and get an education that works for both of you. Because video has become the norm for understanding abstract lesson information, it has enhanced our ability to teach children. Many youngsters already like video studying because it engages more senses than

Mastery Learning : The current educational system's preoccupation with standards is one of the most aggravating features: every kid should know the same things at the same time and in the same way; otherwise, they fall behind.Things aren't as simple as they appear, and the epidemic has made that abundantly clear. Each student has their own interests, learning abilities, and rate of development. Standardized education can't possibly cater to all students' requirements by forcing a specific method of behavior. It creates an environment conducive to widening learning gaps. Teachers should aim to develop expertise rather than test scores. Students shouldn't advance to more advanced aspects of a subject until they've proved that they can master the basic elements. As a result, they create knowledge on top of a solid base and are less likely to drop out as a result of their studies.It can be challenging for teachers to adopt this approach, keeping in mind the many standards they have to meet, but it can be done with the right edtech tools.

Adaptive learning : The ideal learning procedure would adapt feedback and ideas every step of the way, continuing the notion that each student has a distinct set of learning requirements and a method to absorb information. Adaptive learning systems learn about the student as the student learns, adapting the next steps the learner may take in a learning platform based on previous actions. It can send a notification if a student makes an error, providing extra study material recommendations. For more credit, it can unlock more complex modules. The adaptive learning's potential is enormous, both for general and special education. It's a significant step on the road to genuinely individualized learning and teaching that gets students more involved in their own learning.

Immersive learning: Immersion in a subject is beneficial for learning. And, as far as immersion goes, there's no better method to do it than to include immersive learning technologies in the classroom? The most frequently used examples are Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, but Mixed Reality, 360° photographs and videos, and 3D simulations also make the grade. Simulations, virtual experiences, and gamification are the most interactive forms of learning available today. They attract students of all ages who enjoy them.


The future of education will be increasingly customized to the individual's needs. Educators have a responsibility to prepare themselves and their students for this change now, by incorporating more technology into classrooms and rethinking traditional teaching methods. We can help you do just that! Our team is ready and waiting to partner with you on your next project, whether it’s an online course or a new website. "If you'd like to create high-quality, customized learning experiences with us, regardless of where your institution is on the spectrum of digital literacy, we'd love to collaborate. Write to me to find out how we can work together as partners in building excellent personalized learning experiences - no matter where your institution is on the road towards digital literacy."