As next-generation assessments and instructional data can help educators gain a deeper understanding of students, the sheer amount of information available can prove challenging.  As discussed in a prior post, educational technologies can amplify the impact of proven formative assessment strategies. But in doing so, educators must often navigate various platforms and other sources of student information that, in many cases, do not seamlessly align or integrate together.

A foundational piece of any learner-centered approach involves gaining a deeper understanding of our students. We know that learner variability exists, and research suggests it is growing in classrooms across the nation. It is therefore essential to personalize instruction based upon learner differences if we are going to ensure that all students thrive in our schools. To do this effectively, we must develop a more nuanced understanding of each students’ particular abilities and needs.

Inspiring students. Innovative learning spaces.  Strong and supportive leadership. Educators that truly connect with and care for kids.  This school visit left me with a renewed sense of what is possible in education.  

We often hear of the need to redesign schools to support modern learning environments, and yes, we should.  But how often does a school’s investment in these spaces clearly support and enable a shift towards innovative, student-centered practices?  Not so much. That is why when I had the chance to visit Montour Public Schools last Spring, I jumped at the opportunity.

This week I had the incredible opportunity to help launch my school district’s new “Personalized Learning Fellowship.” We spent the day exploring the what, why and how of Personalized Learning, while also engaging in deep discussions about the current state of K-12 education and ways that we can shift to create a more relevant and impactful learning experience for our students.

More than any other idea in education, I have witnessed the greatest disconnect between intentions and outcomes when it comes to the idea of student agency.  

Over the past few years, in several different roles, I have researched and experimented with various frameworks and approaches to Personalized Learning.  Despite the vast amount of resources out there that describe what personalized learning is and how to implement it, it is often difficult to find quality research that gets to the “why” of personalization.   

Although Personalized Learning has gained considerable traction in education, there is still much confusion and, at times, heated debate regarding what this set of ideas actually means and looks like in practice.  Fortunately, there has been a relative convergence of key concepts and essential components of Personalized Learning (PL) that can help frame a more nuanced discussion moving forward as schools explore and implement different iterations of PL.

After my first year in a district leadership position, I now have more questions than ever about the future of teaching and learning.  I firmly believe that is a good thing.