new learning models: a personalized approach karen johnson, socrates online jon fila, intermediate...

New Learning Models: A Personalized Approach

Karen Johnson, SOCRATES Online

Jon Fila, Intermediate District 287

George Schoenborn, St. Peter Public Schools and SOCRATES Online

TIES 2012Sunday, December 9, 2012

Personalized learning…

is the process of contouring learning to the individuals that you’re dealing with, recognizing that we all have different strengths and weaknesses, different interests [and] different ways of learning.

Sir Kenneth Robinson

Personalized Learning

We need a system that can customize our education.

We need to shift some of learning to digital learning since we have an inherently modular system that can customize for different learning needs. Michael Horn

Michael Horn

Why use new models?

• We all learn at different paces.

• We all bring different background knowledge to a learning experience.

• We all have different aptitudes.

• We have different learning needs at different times in our lives.

Assumptions

Why do we group students by age and move them through in groups?

Industrial model

•Linearity

•Conformity

•Batching

Assumption

Why do we wait for students to fail and then offer remediation?

They form misconceptions about themselves that they need to unlearn before they can learn.

Assumptions

Why do we confine measurement of learning to what is taught in school?

There are many dimensions to learning.

Assumptions

Why do we hold time as the constant and learning as the variable?

Students may need less time or more time. Customize their learning to accommodate.

AssumptionsWhy do we advance students based on credits and time served?

Do we really know what a student in a certain grade or with a total number of credits knows?

Who owns the learning?

Our system is based on compliance.

Can we expect students to be fully committed to learning without involving them?

Innovation and Transformation

• Embed sound instructional practices. Match instruction to readiness and interest.

o Rich interactivities.

o Collaborate.

o Rapid feedback in real time.

o Intrinsically motivating experiences. Engagement remains high.

o Pace is determined by student mastery.

Innovation and Transformation

System Examples: Finland

Students are taught to take charge of their learning. Pasi Sahlberg

•Teaching is highly valued.

•Less facts. No standardized testing.

•More time developing creativity.

•Same teacher for 6 years.

•By 7th grade, students “own” academic plan.

•Goal is “not excellence, it is equity.”

System Examples: CESA 1 Wisconsin

•Comprehensive, data-rich learner profiles

•Customized learning paths

•Proficiency-based systems

https://sites.google.com/a/cesa1.k12.wi.us/instituteorientation/home

System Examples: Kunskapsskolan

http://www.kunskapsskolan.se/foretaget/inenglish.4.1d32e45f86b8ae04c7fff213.html

Personalizing Learning…

Understanding how learners prefer to…

• Access content and information.

• Engage with the information.

• Express what they know and understand.

Models in Practice

Jon Fila and George Schoenborn

Policy and Practice Inhibitors

•Time

•Seat time / attendance.

•Grade advancement based on age.

•Funding

•Membership not competency/performance.

•Entrenched structures

•Local districts.

•Teacher compensation models.

•Prescriptive curriculum.

Contact Information

Karen M Johnson @karenj17kmjohnson@projectsocrates.org

Jon Filajtfila@district287.org

George Schoenborngschoenborn@stpeterschools.org