At the beginning of this course I equated personalized learning to differentiation. After taking this course I feel that personalized learning is so much more than that. A major factor of personalized learning is giving students choices in how they will learn content and how they will demonstrate mastery. The foundation for personalized learning is the belief that any student is capable of mastering content as long as they are given the appropriate time and resources. I feel that I came into this course with a more traditional mindset. I have had the expectation all students master content on the same date and are prepared for a unit exam. This is a major injustice to my students. Students are not all going to learn at the same pace and need flexibility within the classroom. In order for personalized learning to be successful several conditions need to be met. Students need to make the transition from being a passive learner to an active learner. They need to develop several skills such as executive function, voice, communication, and a mastery mindset. Mastery mindset is essential for personalized learning to take place. Students should have the opportunity to work until mastery instead of failing to master a skill and simply moving on because it is time to. Before taking this course creating a personalized learning environment seemed like a difficult task. Now I feel that this is much more attainable. I have learned strategies for developing a course, skills that are essential for students to develop and tools that are available to assist me in creating these opportunities for my students. I am exciting to begin creating learning opportunities that will be beneficial for my students.
This course was a very unique learning experience. I appreciated the opportunity to experience the students perspective of personalized learning. After completing this course I feel much more prepared to develop courses that promote a more personalized learning approach.
This course was a very unique learning experience. I appreciated the opportunity to experience the students perspective of personalized learning. After completing this course I feel much more prepared to develop courses that promote a more personalized learning approach.