PERSONALIZED, ADAPTIVE, AND COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION: DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?

THE TENSIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

EMERGING DISRUPTORS IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

EMERGING DISRUPTORS IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

TODAY’S CONVERSATION

• Review each of the approaches• Adaptive Learning

• Personalized Learning

• Competency-Based Learning

• For each, consider the following:• Definition

• Benefits and challenges

• Key considerations unique to each

• Data and learning• What does this mean for my program?

ADAPTIVE LEARNING DEFINED

Adaptive Learning strategies create a student learning experience that is modified based on a student’s performance and engagement with the course materials.

BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES

STUDENT: • Immediate responsiveness

• The learning experience is specific

• Assessments are purposeful and results-driven

FACULTY:• Scaffolding the learning process is vital

• Successful programs are content/experience-heavy

• Allows targeted intervention for support when needed

ADMINISTRATIVE:• Investments in technologies and data analytics

• Rethinking term/course length and seat time in relation to learning objectives

• Appropriate intervention will ensure student success

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

• Clear indicators• Meaningful assessments• Faculty and mentor insight

COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION DEFINED

Competency-Based Education shifts the focus from grades to mastery, emphasizing frequent, meaningful feedback that empowers students to take core responsibility for learning than in conventional models.

BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES

STUDENT: • Allows for maximization of prior learning

• Most successful students are self-motivated and comfortable working fairly independently

• Can reduce costs and time to credential

FACULTY:• Essential to outcomes/competency definition and devising

assessment tools

• Faculty role as learning and assessment facilitator

• Shift from one-to-many teaching to one-to-one learning

ADMINISTRATIVE:• Developing programs requires a significant investment of time

and effort to launch• No definitive standards for best practices• Successful programs require engagement from faculty and

success coaches/advisors

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

• Immediate• Accurate• Effective

PERSONALIZED LEARNING DEFINED

A Personalized Learning experience provides learners with a custom study plan based on pre-assessment activities to suggest where a learner should focus his or her time to develop advanced skills and knowledge.

BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES

STUDENT: • Allowed multiple paths through a given course or degree plan

• Paths are determined by prior knowledge, personal schedule, and learning preferences/styles

• Focus in on individual student success

FACULTY:• With technology, faculty understand individual student progress

and can support accordingly

• Curriculum requires sufficient content and delivery options to support individual student preferences

ADMINISTRATIVE:• Data provides vital insights and is necessary for the most

successful programs

• Assessment structures and design support are necessary to provide continuous improvement to the curriculum and its delivery

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

• Customization• Results-driven approach• Student-centered experience

DATA AND LEARNING

• Technology becomes the foundational underpinning of the most successful programs

• Systems must be interoperable and data must be exchanged across systems

• Staying current in available technologies is challenging due to ever-changing landscape and costs

• Challenges of data security and privacy continue to emerge with no clear standards or policies, at the moment…but stay tuned

• Know what success should look like before you pick your path

• The pilot project can be your best strategy

• Engage with the full campus community

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR MY PROGRAM?

KICKING OFF THE CONVERSATION

• Do you need technology to successfully deliver adaptive or personalized instructional experiences?

• What are the benefits of engaging technology and/or integrating systems to create this kind of learning experience?

• How might these models be successfully implemented through faculty engagement?

• Can implementation be done without faculty support?

QUESTIONS?Kari KovarVice President of Strategic Partnerships Helix Educationkkovar@helixeducation.com

Join the conversation @HelixEducation