Personalized Learning: It’s not what you think!

Written by Dr. Diana Brandon and Kristen Stevenson, ABD

Unless you’ve been living off-grid, you’ve been experiencing a more personalized world. Media and shopping are two areas where personalization is happening, perhaps without your knowledge, as the ads you see are targeted to you based on browser history, geographic location, and basic demographics. What’s more, customization is a marketing feature for brands and services across all kinds of areas: personalized workouts, sleep schedules, playlists, task lists, and home décor are just a few of the plethora of customizable offerings available today. With the somewhat overwhelming possibilities of fully customized aspects of everyday life, it’s no wonder that learners are seeking, if not demanding, a more personalized learning offering than the traditional curriculum.

“Personalized Learning” is often tossed around in discussions about how to better tailor educational experiences to individual needs. Contrary to popular belief, it’s more than adding a few extra options or allowing students to pick their favorite topics. Nor is it exploding curriculum into individualized, isolated lesson plans for each learner. (However, we acknowledge that AI’s progression makes this a more feasible, powerful, and realistic option). But what does personalized learning entail, especially in e-learning environments with static learning management systems and limited resources?

Fulfilling the Needs of the Learners

At its core, personalized learning is all about fulfilling the needs of the learners. It’s about understanding and addressing the diverse requirements of each learner rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach. In traditional learning and training settings, the curriculum often follows a set path that every student must adhere to, regardless of their individual needs or pace. Frequently, this is because of regulations. Time requirements or mandatory content are historically included to ensure a minimum standard is met. (Teachers’ bloodborne pathogen training and OHSA hazardous chemical training are both examples of annual training that occurs each year.) Personalized learning, however, shifts this paradigm by placing the learner’s needs at the forefront.

It involves adapting the educational experience to cater to different learning styles (more on this later), learning pace, and interests. The goal is to make learning more relevant and engaging by considering what each learner needs. This could mean adjusting the difficulty level of the material, offering various ways to engage with the content, or providing additional resources where needed. Universal Design has much to contribute to personalized learning, but it’s a broader brushstroke. Personalized learning is, at its core, an individualized approach. The essence of personalized learning is flexibility—giving learners the tools and opportunities to master content in a way that suits them best.

The Importance of Learner Analysis

Effective personalized learning hinges on a deep understanding of the learners; it goes beyond superficial demographics such as age or experience. It involves a comprehensive analysis of learners’ background knowledge, prior experiences, and the time they can dedicate to learning.

Understanding these factors allows educators to create a more tailored learning experience. For instance, if a learner has prior knowledge of a subject, the content can be adjusted to challenge them appropriately rather than revisiting basics they already know. Similarly, knowing how much time a learner can commit helps design a realistic and manageable learning path. It also includes designing a learning experience that reduces or eliminates misunderstandings due to cultural interpretation.

Do you think that doesn’t happen in the real world? Let’s demonstrate.

How do you transport things you buy between selecting an item and completing the purchase? This “simple” question should only have a one- or two-word answer, so pause and jot a note on the random piece of paper on your desk or open a note app on your phone to type your answer.

Now, let’s unpack that answer. If you shop online, the answer is easy. You don’t. It’s transported directly to your home or office by the retailer. You only have a digital shopping cart. Ah—the shopping cart (or, for those in the southern United States, a buggy!). In urban areas where walking or public transportation is required, a shopping cart or basket is ridiculous because you cannot get a cart/buggy full of items up five flights of stairs, so using a smaller basket may be more realistic. In a farmer’s market, shoppers may need to provide their own reusable bags– and this doesn’t account for purchases in airports where bags are limited, for big purchases, like cars, or expensive items, like art.

Did you read the previous paragraph and have many moments where you said to yourself, “Ah, I didn’t think of that!” Congratulations! That’s why personalized learning is so effective—it considers those things. If you weren’t surprised, you’re either an instructional designer or someone with strong analytical skills who saw the trick question coming.

Another aspect is recognizing learners’ preferred methods of learning. While many educators assume that learning styles—visual, auditory, or kinesthetic—are fixed traits, research shows they are preferences rather than inherent characteristics. Cognitive psychologist Daniel Willingham noted that learning styles are not as predictive of learning success as once thought. Instead, focusing on effective strategies and providing a variety of methods to engage with content can be more beneficial. This also includes preferences for the delivery format (asynchronous vs. synchronous, in-person or online).

Personalized Learning in E-Learning

The rise of e-learning has made personalized learning more feasible than ever. Various features in e-learning platforms facilitate this tailored approach. Key features include self-selection, learning paths, and microlearning.

• Self-selection allows learners to choose from a range of topics or types of content based on their interests or needs. It empowers learners to take charge of their learning journey and engage more deeply with materials that resonate with them.
• Learning paths are another powerful tool. These allow learners to progress through content at their own pace, following a pathway that suits their needs. This can be particularly useful in addressing knowledge gaps and ensuring learners can move forward only when ready.
• Microlearning offers bite-sized chunks of content that learners can consume in short periods. This approach fits well with varied schedules and attention spans, making it easier for learners to integrate learning into their daily routines.

By leveraging these features, e-learning platforms can provide a more personalized and flexible learning experience, making education more accessible and effective for a diverse range of learners.

Moving Away from Uniform Curricula

Personalized learning is more effective but requires a significant shift from traditional educational models. In a conventional curriculum, every student progresses through the same material at the same pace, regardless of individual needs. This uniform approach can overlook the unique challenges and strengths of each learner.

To fully embrace personalized learning, educational systems must move away from using this rigid curriculum. Instead, they must focus on creating adaptable and responsive learning experiences. This transition might involve using data to continuously assess learner progress and adjust the content and delivery accordingly. It also means empowering educators with the tools and training to implement personalized strategies effectively.

This shift can be challenging, as it requires rethinking established practices and embracing new teaching and assessment methods. However, the benefits of a more personalized approach—higher engagement, better retention, and improved outcomes—make it worthwhile.

Conclusion

Personalized learning is more than just a trend; it represents a fundamental shift in how we approach education. It’s not about simply offering a few choices or tweaking existing materials but about fundamentally rethinking how we address the needs of each learner. By focusing on learner analysis, leveraging e-learning features, and moving away from uniform curricula, we can create more engaging and effective educational experiences.

Understanding that learning styles are preferences rather than inherent traits and embracing the flexibility that personalized learning offers, we can better support learners in achieving their full potential. Personalized learning is not what it may seem at first glance. It’s a nuanced, dynamic approach that prioritizes the individual needs of learners and leverages technology to create flexible, engaging educational experiences. As we continue to explore and implement personalized learning, it’s crucial to keep these principles in mind and strive for an educational system that truly meets the diverse needs of all learners.

Contact the DOC!

It’s easy to be overwhelmed when trying to personalize learning. Whether you’re just starting to consider thinking through your learner analysis or you’re ready to overhaul a curriculum entirely or anywhere in between, having learning experts from eLearningDOC on your team makes the process faster, reduces your workload, and produces a better final product