Technology in the classroom has drawn its fair share of criticism. With cause, some might say. Early studies about screen exposure in children have produced, at best, mixed results. There are indications that spending a lot of time in front of a screen, even when done with productivity in mind, can heighten anxiety, interfere with sleep, and possibly diminish reading comprehension.
Mixed though the data is on that aspect, screens have done some good. Namely, they’ve personalized the way that modern children learn.
In this article, we take a look at what personalization means in the classroom and why it can be very impactful.
Personalization of Work
A modern classroom will involve near-constant use of tablets or Chromebooks. Through these devices, students access general work, complete assignments at home, and work on individual tasks.
It’s in this latter category that digital technology shines. Many of the software programs that children use are automatically adjusted based on skill level.
Classrooms have long adopted elements of personalized work. For example, a schoolroom from back in the day might have had an advanced reading group that met with a reading specialist.
While those systems had their merit, they were limited by personnel bandwidth. Digitalized personal learning opportunities are both unlimited and self-adjusting when a child completes work well.
The skill level of the problems gradually increases until they begin missing questions. Then, the difficulty levels out.
Through this personalized learning technology, kids are constantly being challenged at the correct level.
And for the record, reading specialists aren’t going anywhere. They will stick work with children of every ability level. Now, they simply do so with an enhanced tool belt.
Aren’t There Consequences for Adjusting Down?
Is it really in the child’s best interest to make work easier just because they’re struggling? That’s not quite what we’re talking about here. Yes, the difficulty level of self-guided work will automatically adjust down in response to consistently missed questions. However, much of what these programs do is collect data so the teacher understands every student’s baseline and can meet them where they’re at.
It’s not about making school easier. To the contrary, it’s a powerful data collection tool that is designed to constantly monitor output and help develop personalized solutions for every student.
This information may also be used as part of a wider assessment method for identifying students who might benefit from special education services. While the ultimate screening will be done manually and through multiple avenues, digital work could signal that a child is three or more grade levels behind in their reading level, or struggling with grade-level math concepts.
Early detection, in these cases, will help struggling kids into a learning environment better suited to their needs.
Gamification of Learning
Many individualized learning platforms also contain a gamification element that boosts interest and engagement. The mechanics of a system that self-adjusts based on results may, in and of itself, inspire greater levels of focus.
Add to this the fact that many learning platforms are literally structured like a game. For example, there are math software programs like Prodigy that mimic the structure of Pokémon. Players collect animated pets and even battle them. To catch or to launch an attack, they first need to correctly solve a math problem.
These games are not the primary method of learning, but they serve as conceptual reinforcement during free periods. By making learning fun, kids naturally become more interested in what they’re doing.
But there’s an actual brain chemistry element to gamification that very literally taps into our motivation systems. Humans feel a rush when they are working toward a goal, particularly when said work produces visible incremental progress. A kid might not be particularly motivated to learn the nuances of long division, but if said nuances were tied to the physical progress of their virtual pet, it might be more motivating.
Learning Management Systems
Depending on how old you are, you might remember a paper-and-pen version of what we’re describing here. Learning management programs are used by teachers to document student progress and administer training.
Students do not use these tools themselves, but they do experience the results of them. These tools make it easier for teachers to record data on their students and often feature automations for deriving insights from that information. Through these systems, teachers can see where students are struggling and what they excel at.
Learning management systems are also often used at the school level to derive insights for the entire student body. For example, a system might identify that the 4th-grade class has lower-than-average reading scores, or that the 6th-grade class is performing exceptionally well in STEM studies.
Remote Learning
Remote learning is not necessarily specific to the individualized learning movement, but it is an example of how digital technology is changing student outcomes. Not every school district has fully embraced e-learning as an alternative to, for example, snow days, but it provides a way to make school safer or more accessible during times when in-person attendance would otherwise be impossible.
Many e-learning collaboration tools have also added an element of transparency and communication between educators and parents. During the pandemic, many schools invested heavily in remote communication methods for interacting with caregivers. Now, a concerned parent or guardian can reach out with questions to teachers and collaborate at a higher level, regardless of where or when school is taking place.
Conclusion
It’s important to keep in mind that most of the developments described in this article are relatively new, having reached schools only within the last decade or so. We don’t yet fully understand the long-term impact they’ll have on the education system. Most of the original students to experience this new, tech-driven approach haven’t even graduated from college yet.
What will the long-term impact of individualized learning be? We don’t know. It’s certainly reasonable to expect good things from virtual learning opportunities that encourage personal growth and tailor education to each student’s ability and effort.
That said, the most important instrument in the learning process is—and always will be—the teacher. Educators are the ones who tailor these tools for their classes and implement them in ways that foster growth and engagement. No tool can surpass the impact of a great teacher.
Educators interested in deepening their understanding of how digital technology is shaping the modern learning environment have many options. Continuing education opportunities and school trainings will often focus on new digital technologies, while graduate programs will often focus on the nuances of technology in the classroom at a more strategic level.
