Personalized Learning Archives - The Tech Edvocate https://www.thetechedvocate.org/category/personalizedlearning/ Authoritative EdTech News and Commentary Fri, 28 Apr 2023 05:41:24 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.2 https://www.thetechedvocate.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/cropped-TELogoWhiteWaves3-32x32.jpg Personalized Learning Archives - The Tech Edvocate https://www.thetechedvocate.org/category/personalizedlearning/ 32 32 How to Look Up Someone’s Address by Name https://www.thetechedvocate.org/how-to-look-up-someones-address-by-name/ Fri, 28 Apr 2023 05:41:24 +0000 https://www.thetechedvocate.org/?p=59818 The internet has made it easier than ever to find information about someone, including their address. Whether you’re looking for an old friend, a relative, or a potential partner, there are a few strategies you can use to find someone’s address by name. 1.Use Whitepages or a similar directory service One of the easiest ways to find someone’s address is to use a directory service like Whitepages. Simply enter the person’s name and location into the search bar, and you’ll be presented with a list of possible matches. From there, you can click on a specific person’s name to see […]

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The internet has made it easier than ever to find information about someone, including their address. Whether you’re looking for an old friend, a relative, or a potential partner, there are a few strategies you can use to find someone’s address by name.

1.Use Whitepages or a similar directory service

One of the easiest ways to find someone’s address is to use a directory service like Whitepages. Simply enter the person’s name and location into the search bar, and you’ll be presented with a list of possible matches. From there, you can click on a specific person’s name to see more information, including their address.

2.Use social media

Many people share their location and address information on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. If you’re having trouble finding someone’s address through more traditional means, try searching for them on social media. Just be sure to respect their privacy – don’t message them or share their information without their consent.

3.Check public records

Another option is to check public records, which can include things like property records, voter registration information, and other official documents. You can usually find these records through your local government website or by contacting the relevant government agency directly.

4.Ask mutual acquaintances

If you know someone who knows the person you’re trying to find, consider asking them if they have the person’s address. This can be a more personal and effective way to find someone’s address, especially if you’ve lost touch with the person and don’t have any other leads.

5. Use a private investigator

Finally, if all else fails, you can hire a private investigator to help you find someone’s address. This can be a costly option, but it’s often the most effective way to find someone who doesn’t want to be found.

Overall, there are many different strategies you can use to find someone’s address by name. Just be sure to respect the person’s privacy and use the information responsibly once you have it.

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What is a Relationship? https://www.thetechedvocate.org/what-is-a-relationship/ Sun, 23 Apr 2023 17:41:26 +0000 https://www.thetechedvocate.org/?p=59205 Relationships have always been an essential part of our lives. Whether it’s with family, friends, or romantic partners, these connections form the backbone of our support systems and can greatly impact our daily experiences. But what is a relationship, really? At its core, a relationship is a connection between two or more people. This bond is built through shared experiences, emotions, and interactions. Relationships can take many forms, including friendships, familial relationships, and romantic partnerships. One of the key components of any successful relationship is trust. This means being able to rely on the other person to keep their promises, […]

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Relationships have always been an essential part of our lives. Whether it’s with family, friends, or romantic partners, these connections form the backbone of our support systems and can greatly impact our daily experiences. But what is a relationship, really?

At its core, a relationship is a connection between two or more people. This bond is built through shared experiences, emotions, and interactions. Relationships can take many forms, including friendships, familial relationships, and romantic partnerships.

One of the key components of any successful relationship is trust. This means being able to rely on the other person to keep their promises, be honest with you, and maintain your confidentiality. When we have trust in a relationship, we feel safe and secure, which can help us open up and be vulnerable with our loved ones.

Another important characteristic of relationships is communication. Effective communication is crucial for building and maintaining strong connections with others. When we are able to openly and honestly express our thoughts and feelings, we can work through conflicts and strengthen our bonds with one another.

Boundaries are also crucial in relationships. These are the limits we set for ourselves in terms of what we are willing or able to do for others. Healthy boundaries can help us maintain our own sense of self and prevent us from becoming overwhelmed or overextended.

While relationships are rewarding, they can also be challenging at times. Conflict is a natural part of any relationship, and it’s important to learn how to navigate these challenges in a healthy and productive way. This often involves active listening, empathy, and compromise.

In conclusion, a relationship is a connection between two or more people that is built on trust, communication, and boundaries. While relationships can be challenging, having strong connections with others can greatly enrich our lives and provide us with a sense of belonging and support.

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What Is a “Stan,” and Where Does the Name Come From? https://www.thetechedvocate.org/what-is-a-stan-and-where-does-the-name-come-from/ Sun, 16 Apr 2023 04:59:04 +0000 https://www.thetechedvocate.org/?p=58733 A “Stan” is a term that originated from an iconic song by Eminem in 2000, titled “Stan.” The song tells the story of an obsessive fan named Stan who writes several letters to Eminem expressing his intense admiration and emotional connection to the rapper. However, things take a dark turn when Stan becomes increasingly manic and ultimately ends up driving his car off a bridge, killing himself and his pregnant girlfriend, after not receiving a response from Eminem. The term has since evolved to refer to someone who is an extreme fan of a particular celebrity or artist to the […]

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A “Stan” is a term that originated from an iconic song by Eminem in 2000, titled “Stan.” The song tells the story of an obsessive fan named Stan who writes several letters to Eminem expressing his intense admiration and emotional connection to the rapper. However, things take a dark turn when Stan becomes increasingly manic and ultimately ends up driving his car off a bridge, killing himself and his pregnant girlfriend, after not receiving a response from Eminem.

The term has since evolved to refer to someone who is an extreme fan of a particular celebrity or artist to the point of obsession. Stans are known for their unwavering love and loyalty, often defending their idol at any cost and engaging in “stan wars” with fans of other celebrities.

Stans are notorious for their social media presence, with many using Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok to express their admiration for their chosen celebrity. Some stans even go as far as to create fan accounts and fan fiction dedicated to their idol.

The term “stan” has been used in popular culture, with various celebrities referencing it in their songs and interviews. In 2019, a poll conducted by YouGov found that over half of young people aged 18-24 in the US were familiar with the term “stan.”

While the term may seem harmless, there have been instances where stans have crossed the line and engaged in behavior that can be harmful to both themselves and others. It’s important for stans to remember that their chosen celebrity is a human being, and their actions and words can have a real impact on them.

In conclusion, a “stan” is an extreme fan of a celebrity or artist, often characterized by their unwavering love and loyalty. The term has its origins in Eminem’s song “Stan,” and has since become a popular term in popular culture. While stans can be harmless fans, their behavior can cross the line and be harmful, so it’s essential to approach fandom with respect and moderation.

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Getting Up Close and Personal(ized) with Learning https://www.thetechedvocate.org/getting-up-close-and-personalized-with-learning/ Tue, 28 Dec 2021 10:44:00 +0000 https://www.thetechedvocate.org/?p=33392 Personalized learning creates a platform for you to get to know your students’ strengths, growth opportunities, and learning styles. With personalized learning, you will be able to tailor activities and lessons to meet the needs of your students, based on the mentioned factors, along with their interests and skills. It would ensure each student has his/ her plans and goals for learning. Let’s find out more about the different methods and tools that will enable you to personalize instruction for your students. What are the Benefits of Personalized Learning? Personalized learning ensures each student actively participates in the learning process. […]

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Personalized learning creates a platform for you to get to know your students’ strengths, growth opportunities, and learning styles. With personalized learning, you will be able to tailor activities and lessons to meet the needs of your students, based on the mentioned factors, along with their interests and skills. It would ensure each student has his/ her plans and goals for learning. Let’s find out more about the different methods and tools that will enable you to personalize instruction for your students.

What are the Benefits of Personalized Learning?

Personalized learning ensures each student actively participates in the learning process. All the activities are meaningful, engaging, and supportive of interpersonal communication among the students. It means that objectives are taught through the activities in the classroom and the soft skills that are necessary for the post-secondary level and career readiness.

An exciting part of personalized learning is that students can take part in enrichment opportunities to apply what they have learned or receive the reinforcement they need.  

The following are just a few examples practices and tools that are utilized when personalizing a student’s learning:

Social Learning Management Systems

Learning Management System (LMS) is a great way to fine-tune personalized learning to suit the needs of your students, but how do you think your planning will be if you consult with an online community of educators like Pedagogue. Pedagogue is a digital educational platform that connects teachers with students and their parents. The platform provides resources for planning lessons that will engage each student through their interests and skill levels. Through the community and the informative blogs, you can find tools and ideas that will enhance your lessons and projects while yielding positive outcomes for your students.

However, just like the traditional learning management system, teachers can see a student’s progress based on real-time data. From this data, they can create a guide for a student’s learning path.

Self-assessment

Self-assessment is a process that allows students to evaluate their performance based on meeting their objectives. This process makes students aware of their strengths and weaknesses with course content and learning strategies. The five-stage model for introducing self-assessment in your classroom involves:

·         The students’ awareness to recognize ownership of achieving the goals of each lesson.

·         Providing clarification which allows them to collaborate with you and ensure proper alignment in the grading process.

·         In-depth knowledge about A, B, or C grades and their criteria.

·         Receiving timely feedback from the instructor.

·         Productive goals for future assessments.

This practice is also useful in preparing students for self-reflection in their future careers.

Using Digital Tools

A student can learn from various sources like podcasts, expert websites, databases, blogs, and online tools available on the internet. Although, you would have to choose your source wisely as there many options to select. You can gather information and links and share them on the Pedagogue platform and conduct short tutorials on how to utilize digital tools or how to conduct research online. Or you can upload lessons and projects for students to complete at their own pace. 

The implementation of a personalized learning program benefits all students because it gives them the ability to learn at their own pace and utilize the pathway that is best for them. It also leads to more opportunities for students to interact with one another and for the teacher to observe the students’ progress closely. Personalized learning also creates room for students to have unlimited choices in learning, which generates comfort throughout the activity by building connections with peers and coming out of the experience as more confident learners.

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How K-12 Schools and Colleges Can Successfully Transition to Adaptive Learning https://www.thetechedvocate.org/how-k-12-schools-and-colleges-can-successfully-transition-to-adaptive-learning/ Mon, 28 Dec 2020 10:29:00 +0000 https://www.thetechedvocate.org/?p=32308 Adaptive learning is a technology-based or elearning system that analyzes a student’s performance in real-time and modifies teaching methods based on that data. Think AI meets a dedicated math tutor who meets personalized engagement. Is your school or college thinking of transitioning to adaptive learning but needs a little help? If so, we have you covered. To help you better understand how to transition to adaptive learning, we decided to write this short blog post. An overview of how adaptive learning works Learners in every age group are immersed in digital ways of learning and thinking. When the concept of […]

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Adaptive learning is a technology-based or elearning system that analyzes a student’s performance in real-time and modifies teaching methods based on that data. Think AI meets a dedicated math tutor who meets personalized engagement. Is your school or college thinking of transitioning to adaptive learning but needs a little help? If so, we have you covered. To help you better understand how to transition to adaptive learning, we decided to write this short blog post.

An overview of how adaptive learning works

Learners in every age group are immersed in digital ways of learning and thinking. When the concept of adaptive learning first arrived on the scene, computers were starting to become popular. It was imagined that artificial intelligence programs would tailor instruction around the needs of individual learners. Since then, several systems and technologies have emerged and essentially laid the groundwork for future attempts at adaptive learning.

Combining adaptive learning with predictive analytics holds great potential for improving the way learners learn resulting in positive learning outcomes. Artificial intelligence-based learning systems can gather and process huge amounts of data from learners’ learning activities, such as response latency and assessment results. The data can be used to detect patterns and build predictive models that help identify each learner’s needs and sharpen the content delivered to each learner.

Algorithms analyze data much faster than humans. So, learners get content, prompts, and interventions—all of which change in real-time—based on their individual needs and abilities. Although most educators can see the benefits of adaptive learning, the challenge is to find a way to implement it and to do so in a cost-effective way.

Adaptive learning is the future of education. Sooner or later, learners everywhere are going to benefit from being able to select classes and modules that are more closely tailored around how they prefer and need to learn. Schools and colleges that offer adaptive classes will gain the advantage over those that don’t.

What you need to know about transitioning to adaptive learning

At this point, you may be asking yourself, but how do we transition to adaptive learning? Well, here are three tips for doing just that.

Giving teachers the tools that they need. The first thing you need to do is give teachers all the tools they need to facilitate the adaptive learning process. This means tech devices, adaptive learning apps, a blazing fast internet connection, and lots of training. As an administrator, you may be leading the charge, but you will not be successful without teachers to implement your vision of adaptive learning.

Identifying goals. By moving to adaptive learning, what do you hope to gain? Are you looking to positively impact student outcomes, teacher effectiveness, or both? With the answer to this question, you can put together a plan that starts with goals, identifies the resources that will be needed, acquires those resources, and then moves to implementation.

Using the best platform. Adaptive learning is generally deployed via online platforms. These platforms include a variety of tools and features that teachers can use to disseminate and test content knowledge within their classrooms. Some of the best tools available can help teachers and students by monitoring student progress, allowing students to work at their own pace, and providing students with immediate feedback.

Concluding thoughts

So, there you have it, three tips that K-12 schools and colleges can use to successfully transition to adaptive learning. Do you have any additional tips, techniques, or strategies that you would like to share with our readers? If so, leave them in the comment section below.

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The Impact of Interactive Videos in the Classroom https://www.thetechedvocate.org/the-impact-of-interactive-videos-in-the-classroom/ Wed, 23 Sep 2020 09:04:00 +0000 https://www.thetechedvocate.org/?p=32822 Teachers are always finding ways to integrate new strategies into their teaching. Nowadays, in-person and virtual learning is made possible and convenient with all the technological innovations. One of the most frequently used and reliable teaching aids are interactive videos. The use of interactive videos guarantees effective and efficient learning for students and teachers. They can be easily accessed anytime, anywhere. Convenience is just the least that these educational videos can offer, given that they impact both parties in ways that flat videos and pre-pandemic classes couldn’t.  Below are some of the most notable impacts of interactive videos in the […]

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Teachers are always finding ways to integrate new strategies into their teaching. Nowadays, in-person and virtual learning is made possible and convenient with all the technological innovations. One of the most frequently used and reliable teaching aids are interactive videos.

The use of interactive videos guarantees effective and efficient learning for students and teachers. They can be easily accessed anytime, anywhere. Convenience is just the least that these educational videos can offer, given that they impact both parties in ways that flat videos and pre-pandemic classes couldn’t. 

Below are some of the most notable impacts of interactive videos in the classroom:

Personalized learning experiences

Think of it as a way of personalizing one’s learning experience. Interactive videos offer participants a sense of user-control in a way that allows them to design and organize their virtual learning environment and experience. They can watch and learn from these videos at their own pace without pressure from teachers or classmates. Plus, they always have a choice to either jump to advance contents of the topic or stick to the given basics. Interactive videos focus more on self-directory and self-decision making.

Accessible and flexible

As mentioned, interactive videos offer convenience to students and teachers. Since they can be delivered and completed virtually, they are perfect for online and blended learning. These interactive videos can also serve as simulations, learning sets, and support aids. Interactive videos don’t have to be bland and straightforward. Just a few editing, and they can be as fun and artsy. 

Immersive and engaging

Interactive videos are immersive and are designed to be engaging given that learners can be inconsistent at times, especially the younger generation—their attention span can be very short. They are made with certain captivating and interesting styles for students who can catch their attention and motivate them to watch and listen. Although these videos only provide vicarious learning experiences, it’s a fact that students can learn so much for them. Some concepts are too hard to explain and demonstrate, and thankfully, many interactive videos are there to assist teachers in helping students understand.

Stronger connections

It may sound quite ironic with the lack of face-to-face interaction, but interactive videos create strong teacher-student connections, including emotional and social. Given the ongoing crisis, there’s much less connection between teachers and students, and technology fills that void. Students are now able to have emotional and social support from teachers through online learning. Many interactive videos aren’t just for teaching but also for inspiring.

Thanks to interactive videos, learning in the classroom becomes more engaging, interesting, and fun, especially for students with a poor attention span. They serve as an excellent teaching aid and, at the same time, becomes an avenue for teachers and students to connect and inspire each other.

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How Tech Makes Personalizing Education More Efficient https://www.thetechedvocate.org/how-tech-makes-personalizing-education-more-efficient/ Fri, 18 Sep 2020 09:51:00 +0000 https://www.thetechedvocate.org/?p=32879 You can indeed personalize education without the use of tech. But technology can help you leverage personalization way more efficiently than non-tech strategies. In this brief article, I want to point out and discuss some of the roles that tech plays in the personalization of education for students. Objectives— Technology can provide an efficient way to create, share, and track student objectives and outcomes as well as connect them back to performance on learning outcomes. Without the use of edtech, a school would need a team of data analysts to achieve the same results, making the process way less efficient. […]

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You can indeed personalize education without the use of tech. But technology can help you leverage personalization way more efficiently than non-tech strategies. In this brief article, I want to point out and discuss some of the roles that tech plays in the personalization of education for students.

  • Objectives— Technology can provide an efficient way to create, share, and track student objectives and outcomes as well as connect them back to performance on learning outcomes. Without the use of edtech, a school would need a team of data analysts to achieve the same results, making the process way less efficient. With the meager budgets that today’s school districts receive, hiring a team of data analysts to crunch numbers would be cost-prohibitive.
  • Time— Technology allows students to work independently while teachers are working 1-1 and in small group teaching sessions; technology can support students working on different tasks at different times where a teacher can only be one place at a time. For example, a lot of schools use apps powered by artificial intelligence to not only tutor students who need extra help but also provide enrichment activities for students who quickly master the week’s objectives.
  • Learning Environment— Technology can be used to give access to learning resources both in and outside of the classroom. This especially works well with blended learning, as students can access readings, videos, etc., while they are at home. Since background information for the lesson can be accessed online at home, educators can devote class time to hands-on learning experiences.
  • Learning Pace— Technology can provide efficient tracking of individual student mastery, which makes it practical to allow students to work at different paces. Realizing that all learners are different and learn at a different pace is the cornerstone of good teaching. It also helps educators differentiate instruction for their students.
  • Learning Path— Technology can recommend or help teachers recommend targeted learning resources or pathways for students to follow; apps can provide data that helps students and teachers make more informed decisions about future learning activities. This saves teachers a lot of time since they can make the teaching and learning process more efficient.

In this article, we have discussed how tech makes the personalization of education more efficient. Do you agree or disagree? As always, leave your comments below.

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How to Avoid Poor Tech Training Practices https://www.thetechedvocate.org/how-to-avoid-poor-tech-training-practices/ Tue, 19 May 2020 09:44:18 +0000 https://www.thetechedvocate.org/?p=30311 Technology training for teachers usually fits into one of two categories. Either it’s well-planned and effective because teachers received thorough training before using a new tech tool, or it’s a bust. Inadequate professional development is either frontloaded at the beginning of the year or thrown at teachers along the continuum. Teachers don’t remember training when it all happens in the days before the academic year begins. They don’t appreciate training set up as afterthoughts – usually, once they failed to use the new technology properly. There are better and more effective ways to provide technology training. Blending formal and informal […]

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Technology training for teachers usually fits into one of two categories.

Either it’s well-planned and effective because teachers received thorough training before using a new tech tool, or it’s a bust. Inadequate professional development is either frontloaded at the beginning of the year or thrown at teachers along the continuum.

Teachers don’t remember training when it all happens in the days before the academic year begins. They don’t appreciate training set up as afterthoughts – usually, once they failed to use the new technology properly.

There are better and more effective ways to provide technology training.

Blending formal and informal training

Like many universities, New Jersey-based Stevens Institute of Technology offers online courses. Many professors find themselves unfamiliar with the best practices for remote instruction. Therefore, Stevens has created a blended professional development program that helps instructors maximize the online format.

The university takes its instructors through a simulated course. The professors who want to teach online must first learn how to take classes online. They’re required to do all the work students do for course completion. By having the professors participate in discussion boards and submit work through digital portals, the university assures that the professors understand their students’ experiences with online learning.

Other higher education institutions team their faculty with technical designers. They also offer opportunities for professors to meet with colleagues facing the same issues.

By merging formal and informal training, the universities are doing a better job of preparing to use technology in their classes.

Engage your teachers

The best way to accomplish anything is to model the behavior you want to see. If you think students must participate in hands-on activities involving technology, why wouldn’t you expect the same thing from your teachers?

Instead of assigning more study modules or another lunch training to catch up, get your teachers involved. Let them explore the simulations in virtual reality. Invite them to makerspaces where they can create things. Use gamification to engage and excite your teachers about learning and teaching in new ways.

Make professional development a priority

Too often, teacher training takes a backseat to everything else that has to be done at school. Until education leaders make teacher training for technology their priority, teacher skills will lag. Your instructional staff will never feel as though they have mastered the tech skills they need to do their jobs.

It’s unreasonable to ask teachers to use a new edtech program like a learning management system without training them how to use it. If your school has adopted a “fly by the seat of your pants” approach to teacher development, it’s time to change it.

Take an approach similar to that of higher education. Encourage teachers to first learn as students. Then provide ample opportunity to collaborate and reflect on instructional practice. Make sure you provide both formal and informal opportunities for training.

Teachers recognize that their students don’t all learn the same way. It’s time to do the same for our teachers.

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The Four Phases of Personalized Learning https://www.thetechedvocate.org/the-four-phases-of-personalized-learning/ Fri, 24 Apr 2020 09:43:46 +0000 https://www.thetechedvocate.org/?p=30229 Pedagogy is an ever-changing field, and it certainly must be in order to keep up with the changing world around us. The latest, and perhaps most useful, approach to education is Personalized Learning. While there is no one set definition to what this means, it focuses on the necessity of allowing students control over their education, customizing lessons according to students’ strengths, and flexibility on the part of the instructor. Essentially, personalized learning is a way to approach education that best serves each student as individuals and allows them input on how they learn. There are four key phases to […]

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Pedagogy is an ever-changing field, and it certainly must be in order to keep up with the changing world around us. The latest, and perhaps most useful, approach to education is Personalized Learning. While there is no one set definition to what this means, it focuses on the necessity of allowing students control over their education, customizing lessons according to students’ strengths, and flexibility on the part of the instructor. Essentially, personalized learning is a way to approach education that best serves each student as individuals and allows them input on how they learn.

There are four key phases to making personalized learning work in each classroom: Flexible Content and Tools, Targeted Instruction, Student Reflection and Ownership, and Data-Driven Decisions. Here, we’ll have a brief look at each of these four key phases.

Flexible Content and Tools

Differentiation is key in the classroom, as teachers well know. It allows for approaching students as individuals with individual needs. However, the difference that is set out in this phase of personalized learning is that differentiation isn’t simply about pacing or modifying materials for lower-level students. Instead, technology and digital content are key tools that support student needs. If used appropriately, this digital content can allow extra practice or extension activities that will allow students to demonstrate knowledge.

Targeted Instruction

Once student needs and abilities are identified, the instructor can create a specific learning goal for the group. Instruction can then be tailored to each student or group to help them achieve said goal. With the goal in mind, backward planning becomes a useful method to ensure that individual learning needs are met and each student will arrive at the targeted goal, even if by different paths of instruction.

Student Reflection and Ownership

A teacher who creates targeted educational goals based on individual student needs would be amiss if they did not also include the student in reflecting upon how – or if – those goals were met. By allowing time within the unit or lesson plan for student reflection, teachers will be able to encourage students to take ownership and pride in their own learning. By teaching accountability to students, educators are encouraging accountability in other aspects of the students’ lives. In that way, students will be able to make meaningful connections and make authentic decisions. Supporting student ownership of their personal education will further encourage critical thinking, analysis, and common sense.

Data-Driven Decisions

As students progress through a class, course, or unit, instructors should be gathering data whenever possible. Meaningful data gathered often and from a wide variety of sources is evidence of a student’s growth. Once this data has been gathered, an instructor is more easily able to revise learning goals and perhaps rethink activities or exams that weren’t quite successful. It is important to note that data not only indicates student learning but also the effectiveness of certain elements of the lesson plan. To encourage the previous phase of student ownership, students should be able to have access to their personal data so that they may review and revise their learning techniques as necessary.

Concluding Thoughts

By learning and implementing these four phases of personalized learning, teachers will surely see a marked improvement in not only their students’ learning, but also in their own effectiveness in the classroom. And while it may sound difficult, implementing these strategies will ensure that all of your students, whatever their skill level, will succeed.

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Personalization: The Next Big Edtech Trend https://www.thetechedvocate.org/personalization-the-next-big-edtech-trend/ Fri, 13 Mar 2020 09:57:00 +0000 https://www.theedadvocate.org/?p=30061 Over the past decades, education’s focus has become primarily fixated on high-stakes testing, funding that is tied to high-stakes testing, and teacher performance pay. With so much attention on data and financial obligations, student and educator needs have easily become lost in the shuffle. Today, while the demand for testing data and state funding continues, the big trend in education is beginning to shift in favor of filling gaps in learner skills and knowledge. The data gathered from testing has often been used to identify these gaps, but it is how those gaps are filled that has caught fire in […]

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Over the past decades, education’s focus has become primarily fixated on high-stakes testing, funding that is tied to high-stakes testing, and teacher performance pay. With so much attention on data and financial obligations, student and educator needs have easily become lost in the shuffle. Today, while the demand for testing data and state funding continues, the big trend in education is beginning to shift in favor of filling gaps in learner skills and knowledge. The data gathered from testing has often been used to identify these gaps, but it is how those gaps are filled that has caught fire in the minds of educators and administrators.

Personalized Learning

Learning personalized to every student seems a nearly impossible task. However, with the ever-increasing use in schools of online learning management systems and customizable tools, reaching individual learners is becoming more and more feasible. With that said, the use of online platforms to teach is not in and of itself a new idea; it is instead how students are being reached through these technological innovations that is the real trend. Specifically, two areas on the technology front that are gaining more traction are adaptive learning and augmented intelligence.

Adaptive Learning

Adaptive learning is, in a nutshell, learning that learns. Content is tailored, as much as possible,  to unique student needs. These needs are first determined, however, through diagnostics and other forms of online assessments. Once requirements are determined, students are presented with learning paths that specifically target their unique areas in need of improvement. Because teachers often find themselves overwhelmed and unable to give each student the personalized attention he or she needs, adaptive learning via technology is beginning to trend.

Augmented Intelligence

Augmented intelligence is not to be mistaken for artificial intelligence. Rather than replacing human intelligence, augmented intelligence works to help humans do tasks faster and more efficiently. In education, this may come in the form of virtual auto-graded activities or through providing immediate feedback in response to online student engagement, such as paper submissions or discussion posts. By taking this simple yet critical task off the plates of teachers, once again, personalized learning becomes more feasible. As the result of educator feedback, and due to high demand, creating and disseminating this type of aid has thus become of the primary focus of many major edtech companies. 

Shifting the Focus

From the creation of online learning as a way to reach marginalized populations to the data-driven and formulaic culling of quantitative and qualitative research, trends in education involving educational technology continue to forge ahead with renewed foci. Nowhere is this more prominently seen that in the desire to personalize student learning. Coupled with successful predictive analytics, the implementation of tools such as augmented intelligence and adaptive learning paths have begun what seems to be the latest and greatest trend in both K-12 and higher education. Edtech companies take note. The demands may only increase from here, and the impact that could be made across classrooms has the opportunity to change student learning for the better. 

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