5th
AnniversaryBookProject
Personalize Learning by Redesigning a Standards-Based Classroom
By:
Kathleen McClaskey and Barbara Bray
Creative Commons License:
CC BY-NC-ND
Author contact:
khm@edtech-associates.com
Author Biography:
Barbara Bray (barbara.bray@gmail.com) has over 23 years experience “Making Learning Personal,” writes the professional development column for Computer Using Educators (CUE) since 1998, is a Creative Learning Strategist where she is Rethinking Learning (http://barbarabray.net), and owner of My eCoach (
http://my-ecoach.com
). Follow Barbara on Twitter: @bbray and Scoop.it
http://www.scoop.it/t/making-learning-personal
. Kathleen McClaskey is President and Digital Learning Consultant of EdTech Associates (
www.edtech-associates.com
) who has over 28 years experience in designing instruction and learning environments for all learners and in developing professional development programs and projects using the Universal Design for Learning framework. Follow on Twitter: @khmmc and Scoop.it http://www.scoop.it/t/personalized-learning-plearning
Activity Summary
This is an English-Language Arts lesson aligned to the third grade Common Core standard > key ideas and details. This lesson is for students to read, listen, ask and develop questions around the
text in a exible, personalized learning environment. A diagram of a redesigned classroom with ve
learning zones is included to demonstrate how to support personalizing learning. Personal Learner
Proles (tm) based on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) helped students understand how they
learn and express what they know. Based upon on how students learn best, three students in different scenarios have been given a voice and choice how they would like to express their ideas and understanding of the text.
Class or subject area: English Language ArtsGrade level(s):
3rd grade
Specifc learning objectives:
•
Ask and answer questions about the text.
•
Choose the best way to demonstrate understanding of the text.
•
Select the appropriate technology or resource for tasks.
•
Make real-world connection to the text.
•
Collaborate with another student to support learning.
Transforming a classroom to a personalized learning environment is challenging. What is and what is not personalized learning? The chart below shows how personalized learning is different than differentiated and individualized instruction.
PersonalizationDifferentiationIndividualization
starts with the learnerstarts with groups of learnersstarts with the need of an individual learner connects with interests, passions, and aspirationsadjusts to learning needs of groups of learnersaccomodates learning needs of the individuallearners actively participate in the design of their learningexplicit instruction based upon the learning needs of groups of learnersexplicit instruction based upon the learning needs of an individual learner learners have a voice and choice on what they learnteachers create or adapt instruction and choose roles for learners based on different needs of learnersteachers customize lessons and tasks for learners based on individual needsdifferent objectives for each learner same objectives for groups of learnerssame objectives for learners
with specic objectives for
individuals who receive one-on-one supportlearner selects appropriate technology and resources to support their learningtechnology and resources are selected to support the learning needs of groups of learner technology and resources are selected to support the learning needs of an individual learner learners build a network of peers, experts, teachers, and paraprofessionals to guide and support their learninglearners are reliant on the guidance of teachers to support their learninglearners are dependent on individual teachers or para-professionals to support their learningcompetency-based models where the learner demonstrates masterybased on Carnegie unit (seat time) and grade levelbased on Carnegie unit (seat time) and grade levelassessment AS learningassessment FOR learningassessment OF learningteachers develop capacity to create independent learners who set goals, monitor
progress, and reect on learning
and summative assessments based on student masteryassessment involves time-based testing and teachers provide feedback to advance learningsummative assessment is grade-based and involves time-
based testing which conrms
what learners know and don’t know
Personalized Learning Chart by Barbara Bray and Kathleen McClaskey is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Personalized learning starts with the learner, is all about the learner, and means the student drives their learning. In the latter two approaches, the teacher adapts or customizes the instruction to meet the needs of either a group of students (differentiation) or for an individual student (individualization). For a downloadable version of the chart, go here Personalization vs Differentiation vs Individualization.
With differentiated and individualized instruction, there is little or no student voice. These are mostly
teacher-directed. Students may participate in projects and take responsibility for specic roles within
a project, but, in most cases, the teacher determines the topics, roles, and responsibilities. Project-based learning (PBL) has students collaborate and produce an end product together. However, to personalize PBL, the student has a voice in the design of the project and possibly, the process.Student voice and choice is necessary to personalize learning. Student voice
is difcult to hear in a traditional classroom where the teacher provides direct
instruction and curriculum that is either provided for the teacher, adapted by the teacher, or designed by the teacher. Student choice means students choose how they learn something and, possibly, what they learn.
Third Grade ELA Common Core Standards-Based Lesson
In a traditional classroom, third graders may read or listen to the same literature and usually are asked to respond the same way to the text as everyone else in the class according to
ELA-RL.3.1
standard.
Third Grade Literature > Key Ideas and Details
ELA-RL.3.1. Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.In a personalized learning environment, each third grader and the teacher knows how the learner learns best and the best way that works for them to demonstrate what they know. To meet the standard ELA-RL.3.1, the teacher presents a story and offers multiple ways to read, listen, and respond to the story. To personalize the classroom, it can be set up with learning zones so learners have choices how to learn and demonstrate understanding of a concept. Let’s look at what this can look like in a classroom that was redesigning to personalize learning.
Classroom Redesign to Personalize Learning
Kevin McLaughlin, a primary teacher at Old Mill Primary School in the UK,
set up his classroom with ve learning
zones. He found that redesigning the learning environment encouraged his students to take more ownership of their learning. Learn more here and even more about this on his website.Kevin shared how the learning zones work with his students:
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