The power of technology in facilitating personalised learning, Seb Francis

The power of technology in facilitating personalised learning

Seb Francis explores some new techniques

The importance of personalised learning programmes in maximising learning outcomes has long been recognised, but has not always been possible to implement in the majority of schools. While, as the name suggests, the focus is on empowering the student to take control of their own learning, the nature of personalised learning requires systematic monitoring and assessment on the part of the teacher in order to anticipate where intervention or guidance is needed. This has traditionally posed a challenge to timepoor teachers with responsibility for large groups of learners. However, with the emergence of new software and hardware tools, it is possible for teachers to enable a high degree of personalisation without an associated increase in workload.

One key use of technology in this way is the learning management system, or virtual learning environment. Having started life as relatively simple online repositories of resources and activities, learning platforms have evolved to become more sophisticated tools for stimulating, guiding and assessing learners individually. From the teacher’s perspective learning management systems give greater flexibility in defining personal learning plans, either by manually refining and adjusting a course to better fit an individual student’s needs or by allowing students themselves to take some control over the definition of their learning goals. Furthermore, a degree of automation is possible; for example, defining steps in a course so that learners are presented with a different set of activities depending on their current progress. This type of conditional activity is well suited to mixed ability groups where a single teacher is required to give extra support to certain learners while providing extended stimulus for others. Using technology to differentiate learning in this way is a key advantage. While teachers are limited by the amount of contact time they have with their students, in some cases only a couple of hours per week, using software to direct learning in this way means learners can work through topics at a pace that suits them. Communication

While teachers are limited by the amount of contact time they have with their students, in some cases only a couple of hours per week, using software to direct learning in this way means learners can work through topics at a pace that suits them

tools within the platform allow learners to request help and teachers to intervene either in real time or asynchronously, as appropriate. The limited contact time available can then be used to address issues which have been explored or identified outside the classroom.

Personal devices such as smartphones and tablets have an important role to play in facilitating personalised learning, giving learners uninterrupted access to learning management systems or educational apps, as well as resources on the wider web. The ease with which learners can use personal devices for real-time communication via messaging apps also enables peer-to-peer learning, which is an important component in empowering them to learn outside the classroom and beyond the curriculum.

At the same time, careful monitoring of such tools can give teachers valuable insight into learning styles and provide more detailed information on what activities the learner undertook, how much time was spent on an activity, what incorrect attempts were made in answering a question, and other key data which goes further than simply a pass or fail grade. This ability to access both overall trends and granular data is vital for teachers adopting a standards-based grading system where proficiency is measured by progress towards carefully defined goals rather than simply by comparing numerical grades. Being able to assess how a student has approached an assignment or exam question can be equally as important as knowing what their answer was. This information is vital in guiding and formulating future personalised learning plans.

Another vital ingredient in personalised learning is parental support. Here too technology has an important role to play, not only in making available relevant information and resources but also in providing a communication link between home and school. Allowing parents access to their child’s learning plan and giving them sight of the child’s progress towards defined goals empowers them to offer greater learning support.

The key areas in which technology can enable personalised learning are those in which they enhance, rather than replace, the roles and responsibilities of the teacher, the parent or the student. For many teachers, tools such as learning platforms, virtual learning apps and communication services allow them to offer a degree of personalisation for their students which simply would not be possible otherwise.

Seb Francis is a co-founder and director of Titus Learning Ltd. Email: seb@tituslearning.com www.tituslearning.com