1.+What+is+Personalized+Learning?

= **What is personalized learning?** =

==== What do you already know about personalized learning? According to our research, the concept of personalized learning is relatively new & “fuzzy.” First coined in the United Kingdom by the Honourable David Miliband in 2003, personalized learning was used to gain political legitimacy in the eyes of the public. This tactic is discussed in further detail below. Although the concept is relatively new, I wonder how many of us are already nurturing some of the characteristics associated with personalized learning in our schools. As you will note from our presentation, the concept of personalized learning is one that some hope will “transform” our education system. ====

=** Learning Tr﻿ansformation for 21st Century Education **=
 * ====From Learning Information to Learning to Learn====
 * ====From Data to Discovery====
 * ====From One Size Fits All to Tailored Learning====
 * ====From Testing to Assess to Assessing to Learn====
 * ====From Classroom Learning to Lifelong Learning====

(Pemier's Technology Council, 2010, p. 14)

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====“This means moving away from the traditional education model of the previous century: Mass education belongs in the era of massive armies, massive industrial complexes,and massive attempts at social control. We have lost much talent since the 19th century by enforcing stifling education routines in the name of efficiency. Current high school dropout rates clearly indicate that our standardized testing regime and outdated curriculums are wasting the potential of our youth. If we stop thinking of our schools as buildings and start thinking of learning as occurring in many different places, we will free ourselves from the conventional education model that still dominates our thinking" (Premier's Technology Council, 2010, p. 14). ====

= **How is personalized learning defined?** = ====McRae (2010) confirms, "It's an ambiguous and often broadly defined notion that has been hotly contested in the United Kingdom over the past several years" (p.8). Sorry, that’s not very helpful, but we will look at some of the common characteristics of personalized learning below!====

= **Origins** = ===="Historically, the term //personalized learning// was coined in a September 2003 speech in Britain by the Honourable David Miliband, then minister of state for School Standards for the United Kingdom, who pronounced that 'Personalized learning demands that every aspect of teaching and support is designed around a pupil's needs' (Hargreaves 2004)" (McRae, 2010, p. 9).====

**Larger framework**
====McRae (2010) provides the context for the term: "This speech was driven by Tony Blair's Labour government's desire to reorganize the way services were delivered, given a concern that the public institutions and government were lacking legitimacy in the public's eyes" (p. 9).====

=** The Concept **=
 * ==Characteristics of personalized learning== || ==Nine gateways to personlized learning==

||
 * ==== · involves assessment //for// learning====

· Flexible
|| * ==== assessment for learning ====
 * ==== learning to learn ====
 * ==== student voice ====
 * ==== curriculum ====
 * ==== new technologies ====
 * ==== school design and organization ====
 * ==== advice and guidance ====
 * ==== mentoring and coaching ====
 * ==== workforce development ==== ||

===="In BC, the ministry has identified 21st century skills as: reading, writing, numeracy, and 7 Cs: critical thinking and problem solving; creativity and innovation; collaboration, teamwork, and leadership; cross-cultural understanding; communication, computing, and ICT literacy; career and learning self-reliance; caring for personal health and planet earth. The focus in the presentations has been on personalized learning, use of technology and online learning, teachers as facilitators, and more choice for parents and students" (Sims, 2010, p. 1).==== = = =** What personalized learning is NOT **=
 * ====Students meandering through curriculum====
 * ====Simply integrating technology====
 * ====Everyone at the same pace====
 * ====Assessment of learning====

=** Technology **= ====From the information we've gathered, it is evident that technology is a key component of personalized learning. McRae (2010) reiterates, "The close association of personalized learning and new technologies has been a central strand since the inception of the idea, and is part of the all-embracing creed of technocrats looking to enter system level educational reform" (p. 9).====

=** Personalized Learning in Canada **= ====We are seeing a push for personalized learning in various provinces throughout Canada, especially in New Brunswick, Alberta and, recently, British Columbia. McRae (2010) confirms, "Personalized learning is part of the mantra of many educational reform efforts across Canada, where it is often coupled with technology as a means for more flexible learning delivery (as if learning can be delivered like pizza pie)" (p. 9). **OPTIONAL**: //for more information, please take a look at the documents below.//====

New Brunswick
====The New Brunswick Department of Education has produced a document entitled //NB3-21C: Creating a 21st Century Learning Model of Public Education. Three-Year Plan 2010-2013.//====

Alberta
===="Bill 18, the Education Act, was introduced in the Alberta Legislature on April 27, 2011" ([|http://ideas.education.alberta.ca/engage/current-initiatives/action-on-legislation)].==== ====. The proposed Education Act will enable the transformation of Alberta's education system by providing a foundation and expectations for educational excellence in Alberta. The guidance for the new Education Act comes from the document, Inspiring Education: A Dialogue with Albertans. For more information on Alberta Education's plan for personalized learning, please refer to this link: []====

B.C.
====The Premier's Technology Council December 2010 Report, [|A Vision for 21st Century Education], describes what a educational system might look like should it be transformed. One of the driving forces behind the push to infuse 21st Century Skills into education is the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, a national organization in the United States. The B.C. Ministry of Education has created this document, Personalized Learning in BC: An Interactive Discussion Guide, to facilitate discussion with students, parents and educators about personalized learning.==== =** Getting Started! **=

To facilitate our first discussion, please watch the video below. Then, add your two cents! What do you think about their motto, "any time, any place, at any pace"?
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=**Summary**= = = ====Personalized learning is a broadly-defined term that is moving to the forefront of educational reform efforts across Canada and around the world. In the recommendations from Inspiring Action on Education (2010), personalized learning means that…”students have access to a greater variety of learning experiences that include and extend beyond traditional education settings and benefit from increased community involvement in their learning" (p. 14). While this sounds great, Sims (2010) is more skeptical:==== ===="In the UK, this concept was an experiment that was carried out in a very low socio-economic area to help engage students in their learning, and was not seen as a panacea to overhaul the whole education system. What started as a progressive movement has since been influenced by the neo-liberal agenda for accountability that is based on measurable outputs, economic growth, privatization and commodification of public education/public services, and a focus on the individual and self-interest" (p.2). What we know for sure is that the concept of personalized learning is stil in its infant stage and needs our input.====