Technology has made differentiating instruction and personalizing learning easier than it’s ever been. But technology is just the delivery mechanism. Effective personalized learning takes more than technology; it requires:
- A unified vision for use and expected results
- A well-defined implementation strategy
- Professional learning for teachers
- Effective digital curriculum
Most districts undertake personalized learning initiatives with the goal of improving student outcomes and ensuring that every student receives the instruction and support he or she needs to be successful. By articulating your district’s specific vision and goals for personalized learning, you’ll be able to more easily create a roadmap to get you there. Your roadmap will include the policies, instructional strategies, and resources needed to achieve your goals.
Curriculum often takes a back seat when districts are evaluating technology-aided personalized learning solutions. We get distracted by the technology: Is it compatible with our devices? Does it integrate with our SIS and LMS systems? How much training will it take for teachers and students to begin using it fully? And while those questions are important, making sure the curriculum being delivered will actually enable teachers to design a variety of rich learning experiences that meet the individual learning needs of all students should also be a priority.
The Center for Digital Education (CDE) recommends that digital curriculum include the following:
- Learning paths
- Interactive elements
- Assessment items
- Adaptive, personalized learning paths
- Data collection and reporting
- Self-paced learning structure
Ensuring that digital curriculum undergoes the same rigorous curriculum adoption process as traditional print curriculum is essential to providing teachers and students with quality resources to advance learning. Developing a digital curriculum evaluation process generally starts by modifying your existing evaluation process for instructional materials to include criteria specific to digital delivery. Our Digital Curriculum Quality Checklist, based on iNACOL next-generation learning models for personalized learning, will help your team evaluate digital curriculum solutions and select those with the greatest potential to accelerate and deepen learning for all students.
For more information about selecting effective digital curriculum and the role it plays in personalized learning, download the “More Learning Happens With High-Quality Digital Curriculum” white paper. The white paper includes the Digital Curriculum Quality Checklist.
Learn more about Apex Learning’s digital curriculum, and the proven results from districts using Comprehensive Courses and Tutorials.