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The education landscape has evolved dramatically over the past decade in response to the ineffective one-size-fits-all approach in education. Parents not only want their children to learn vital content and gain knowledge, but ultimately they want them to be prepared for the real world as students enter the job market and begin shaping their future. And since every student learns and thrives in different ways, it is important to understand how professional educators, in partnership with parents, can meet their individual needs.
Personalization is an educational buzzword – but for good reason. Each educational institution may define it in different ways, but institutes like Mountain Heights Academy believe that, at the core, what educators provide to each student should connect, motivate and inspire.
KnowledgeWorks and the National Commission on Teaching & America’s Future just released a new study in July called “The Shifting Paradigm of Teaching: Personalized Learning According to Teachers.” It focuses on the need to approach education differently in order to prepare students for a workplace that is changing dramatically due to rapid advances in technology and innovation cycles.
In the study, the researchers define personalized learning as “customized instruction that allows students to work at their own pace, and uses data to track student progress and to provide support and any necessary intervention.”
This definition is further supported by outlining the 5 key components of personalized learning:
1. Instruction is aligned to rigorous college– and career-ready standards and the social and emotional skills students need to be successful in college and their careers.
2. Instruction is customized, allowing each student to design learning experiences aligned to his or her interests.
3. The pace of instruction is varied based on individual student needs, allowing students to accelerate or take additional time based on their level of mastery.
4. Educators use data from formative assessments and student feedback in real time to differentiate instruction and provide robust support and any necessary intervention so that every student remains on track toward graduation.
5. Students and parents have access to clear, transferable learning objectives and assessment results so they understand what is expected for mastery and advancement.
Educators must empower students to be actively involved in their own education by applying these components of personalized education. And for parents, it is important to be involved in children’s education to ensure they are gaining the knowledge and skills to succeed in college and in the workplace.
About the Author
DeLaina Tonks, the director of Mountain Heights Academy, is considered a thought leader in education with more than 20 years of experience — from teaching and instructional design to currently running the public online charter school for grades 7-12. Under her direction, Mountain Heights Academy is elevating their educational model to include an emphasis on character development, personalized learning, and technology integration in conjunction with academic excellence. For more information on Mountain Heights Academy, visit www.mountainheightsacademy.org.
