We are all familiar with the traditional learning system: one teacher overseeing more than 10 students in one classroom. They usually follow a standardized curriculum covering various core subjects like math, science, language arts, social studies, and more. Students should follow the same pace and path despite having unique strengths and weaknesses. Now personalized learning has emerged as the new approach in modern education, shifting the focus from a one-size-fits-all model to a more tailored and student-centered experience.

Personalized learning leverages technology, data-driven insights, and flexible teaching strategies to ensure that every student can progress in a way that works best for them. Let’s learn about personalized learning and how to implement it effectively.

What is Personalized Learning?

Personalized learning is an educational approach that customizes teaching and learning experiences to meet each student’s unique needs, strengths, skills, interests, and pace. Instead of a “one-size-fits-all” model in the traditional learning system, this new approach tailors learning objectives, educational content, and pace to fit individual learners. Technologies, including AI and learning management systems, are often used to support personalized learning processes. 

It is designed to engage students more deeply, address diverse learning needs, and maintain academic standards, which eventually enhance learning outcomes. However, personalized learning also poses several challenges, including a lack of access to necessary technology, a lack of training and support for teachers, and difficulty in pushing students’ motivation and responsibility.

What are the Examples of Personalized Learning?

Several examples of personalized learning are:

• One-on-One Tutoring: A teacher tailors explanations to the student’s prior knowledge. For example, a parent explains a car’s gearshift to a child by relating it to the child’s bike gears. This makes the concept easier to understand by connecting it to the child’s existing knowledge.

• Mentoring: An experienced person guides a less experienced one, using their past knowledge to help solve challenges and difficulties in learning.

• Online Course Providers: Online course platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning track individual learning data to recommend relevant courses and materials. This allows students to progress according to their interests and pace.

• Search Engines: Search engines like Google and Bing assist personalized learning by providing personalized answers based on the user’s interests and previous activities, and adapting search results to be most relevant.

Why is Personalized Learning Important?

Personalized learning serves to transform traditional learning systems. It tailors education to meet each student’s needs, interests, and learning styles. This eventually enhances the student’s engagement, motivation, and academic achievement. More reasons why personalized learning is important:

Increased Student Engagement

Personalized learning keeps students engaged longer because the content is customized to their current interests or progress. When lessons are personally relevant, students are more likely to interact with the material and invest effort in learning. This can contribute significantly in boosting personal growth and academic success.

Intrinsic Motivation

With personalized learning, rather than being forced to follow a one-size-fits-all curriculum, students can learn topics that are meaningful and relevant to them. This internal motivation encourages them to put their best efforts and spend significant time learning.

Learning at Own Pace

Every student has unique strengths and weaknesses. Personalized learning allows them to progress at their own pace. In the process, fast learners don’t get bored and slower learners get extra time to master topics. This prevents students from falling behind or feeling disconnected.

Better Academic Results

Students generally perform better academically with greater engagement and self-motivation. The tailored approach helps students understand learning materials more deeply before moving on. This will lead to improved academic outcomes and higher test scores.

Strategies to Implement Personalized Learning

This section will explore the action part: how can educational institutions implement personalized learning? Here are the steps to implement personalized learning effectively:

Train Teachers

Educate teachers thoroughly on personalized learning techniques, assessments, and technology. Provide ongoing support for teachers to ensure the approach is implemented well. When teachers know how to assess each student’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests, they can tailor the learning experience accordingly, making it more effective.

Use Educational Technology

Use adoptive learning technologies and digital resources to provide personalized content and pacing. Tools like learning management systems, artificial intelligence (AI), and educational games help students learn at their own pace while enabling teachers to monitor and adjust the learning path.

Create Flexible Learning Environments

Other than physical classrooms, the learning process can also be held through online platforms. Flexible learning environments through the combination of physical and virtual classrooms will create highly engaging and effective learning experiences. Online platforms to support individual work and discussions can improve learning engagement and accommodate diverse learning styles.

Utilize Assessments and Data

Regular assessments provide feedback and help track learner progress. Using data analytics and data-driven insights on assessments and engagement allows educators to refine learning plans, provide targeted support, and continuously improve personalized learning strategies for each student.

Encourage Student Agency and Choice

Offering choices in learning activities, assessment formats (tests, essays, presentations), and project topics gives students control over what and how they learn. Empowering students promotes learning motivation and better knowledge retention.

Build Smarter Education Solutions with PhinCon’s IT Outsourcing 

To build smarter education solutions, you will need the right technology and the right talent to implement them successfully. PhinCon Pte Ltd empowers your organization to develop innovative education solutions by providing hassle-free and cost-effective IT outsourcing solutions. These ensure you have access to top-tier Indonesian IT experts or skilled remote talent from Indonesia without the complexity of managing internal resources.

Our end-to-end IT outsourcing solutions cover sourcing, screening, recruitment, salary, benefits, and tax administration, helping you to focus on driving innovation and delivering impactful learning experiences. We provide IT experts of various roles, including Android Developer, iOS Developer, Fullstack Developer, Golang Developer, Mobile Developer, Quality Assurance, DevOps, Business Analyst, Solution Architect, Project Manager, L2 Operation Support, and more. 

Backed by our strong partner network, vast candidate database, and graduates from PhinCon Academy’s IT bootcamp, we deliver the right talent fast, helping you scale efficiently and effectively. Empower your smart education strategy today with PhinCon’s trusted IT outsourcing expertise. For more information, contact us through email sales.sg@phincon.com. 

Editor: Trie Ayu Feminin & Irnadia Fardila