Unit 3: Using it in the classroom
Content:
Unit Learning Methods
Lesson 1: Tailoring Instruction
-Objectives, Reading Links, Instructor Thoughts, Activity
Lesson 2: Empowering Learners: Customizing Activities for Engagement
-Objectives, Reading Links, Instructor Thoughts, Activity
Unit 3: Using it in the classroom
Here you will find both lessons and links to the activities at the end of each lesson for this unit
Unit Learning Methods: Inquiry-Based Learning, Reflective Practice, Flipped Classroom
Lesson 1: Tailoring Instruction
Objective: Identify ways to use personalized learning in the/their current or future classrooms
Introduction:
As educators, we must think about the steps in our personalized instruction to help these students grow. In this lesson, we get more specific into what these strategies look like, what they mean and examples of this in early childhood education.
Read:
LinkedIn’s 10 Strategies to Implement Personalized Learning
PowerPoint presentation by Scribd
Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-strategies-implementing-personalized-learning-alterlearning-vhsrf
Additional Resources:
https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/perspectives/PE300/PE314/RAND_PE314.pdf
Instructor’s Thoughts:
It’s important to keep in mind that personalized learning is an implementation process. There are steps and strategies and while there isn’t one specific way it must be done, there are important key techniques and components that should be included. Taking the time to understand the different parts of personalized learning is how we learn the way to bring it into the classroom. Take the time to dissect the steps in the article from the educational platform on LinkedIn. Think about how each of these steps play a role. Keep these in our toolbelt as we move along! Knowing the learner is a big part as the instructor’s goal is to help them int he way they need and encourage various connections to be built. Focusing on learner profiles will help us gain more of an understanding in this area as we move onto implementing it into activities and then eventually, in the last unit, to full lessons.
Think About This...
While going through this, try to think of other examples you have used or seen to tie your own experiences in.
Examples of Linked In’s 10 Strategies:
| 1. Differentiate Instruction | Giving students advanced work for those who are ready to move forward while giving other students projects and assignment options at their various levels |
| 2. Develop Learner Profiles | Learners highlighting things like their strengths, interests or challenges |
| 3. Formative Assessments | A thumbs up or thumbs down or a think-pair-share |
| 4. Emphasize Social-Emotional Learning | Morning meetings or check-ins |
| 5. Building Relationships | Greeting, interacting and listening |
| 6. Using outside expertise | Community helper lesson: Bring in real-world examples or even parents of students |
| 7. Mastery Learning | Multiple available activities for students as they continue to move forward |
| 8. Flexible Learning Environments | Flexible seating or choice boards |
| 9. Designing for Student Agency | Letting student choose project, how they work on it and monitor their progress (such as for first graders they can choose how they want to design a project with their craft materials) |
| 10. Foster Authentic Learning Opportunities | Life Cycles with a Kindergarten class—caring for caterpillars to butterflies and releasing |
Lesson 1 Activity Guidance and Materials
Lesson 2: Empowering Learners: Customizing Activities for Engagement
Objective: Identify ways to use personalized learning in the/their current or future classrooms
Introduction
We have learned more into personalized learning and have delved into the specifics of how to use it in certain ways or areas in a lesson. Now it is time to start applying it in bigger spots. Instead of looking at a particular student or a particular kind of topic we will take a closer look at a few entire lesson activities from beginning to end and alter it to emphasize a personalized learning style. Taking the thoughts, learning and ideas from previous lessons in this course so far, we want to holistically apply it now. The resources in this lesson can help boost your knowledge before heading into the next major part of growing in instruction personalized learning.
Reading
-Ch. 2 in “Forum Guide to Personalized Learning Data”
-ascd’s “15 Resources for Personalizing Student Learning”
Link(s):
https://nces.ed.gov/forum/pdf/Personalized_Learning_Data.pdf
https://www.ascd.org/blogs/15-resources-for-personalizing-student-learning
Additional Resources:
This video gives you the experience you may have never encountered in a lesson with personalized learning and can help you visualize adapting your activities in this way.
Instructor Thoughts:
We must be careful though, to make sure the purpose in these lesson activity changes. Sometimes more options can be confusing and sometimes it doesn't provide learners with different styles—it's the same choice stated in a different way. Think About This...
While this image is satire in a sense, this is what teachers do during activities when they try to add options. They look for a way to take the same idea slightly different instead of looking at various learning. What we give them should cater for the different needs. This takes an extra step in activity planning. Think about what these extra steps might look like in your experiences.
Lesson 2 Activity Guidance and Materials