Views on Personalised Learning

BBC education correspondent Mike Baker asked whether the future of education lies with "personalised learning". Here is a selection of responses.

As a current student myself (I am taking the new "Diploma in Higher Education"), I can fully understand the need for Personalised Learning - this is where the education system is heading, I be­lieve. For the students it is a much better way of learning as s/he learns at their own pace and in a way that they understand. However, for the teachers/tutors it can be a bit of a nightmare! If this is to be brought in for EVERY student, the amount of consul­tation (with students and/or parents), planning, and implementa­tion involved is going to increase 25 fold at least.

Currently, I believe, only students with some difficulty are taught in this way - and that is only right and proper - and I'm not saying that this should not be the case for all students. However either the classes will need to be smaller or the teaching staff will need a tremendous amount of help, in order to implement this. More thought is needed, I think.

Carolyn Spencer, Newcastle upon Tyne, England

It really annoys me that teachers only seem to be able to teach one way and if a child cannot cope with this way they get sent out or are in trouble for not listening, etc. If you asked the majority of teachers they don't understand the definition of dyspraxia, ADHD or the like and definitely not the uncommon diagnosis of Klinefelter's Syndrome that 1 in 500 males have that generally goes misdiagnosed in childhood. If picked up on this aweness could make a huge difference to so many children's lives hence making the teacher's life easier.

We need more staff that really care not just about the money but the children, especially if the child hasn't got supportive par­ents. I have seen so much since my son started secondary school and, even with my younger one at primary. I am having to tell the teachers about their special learning needs. They are the ones getting paid, not me.

Lisa Bur ridge, Putney, London

One of the things that make it so difficult for (some) teachers to get excited (as I think they should) about this is that it's just going round the same course again. You may feel that the 70's was a period of "anything goes" in education, but that was based on a few publicised extreme cases. What went on then was something called "child centred education". It was hard work, developing the curriculum for the kids in front of you rather than just delivering what's become called "Pizza Box lessons" as pre­scribed centrally - but it certainly felt right.

Of course, then we were all told we'd "dun it rong" and things changed to the current, rather arid and disconnected experience many kids have. What would be good is if society decided what it wanted education to do - what it is for - and then let the service work out the best way of achieving it.

Marshal Anderson, Chesterfield, Derbyshire

Except for the fact that this article was written in English, it was as though I was reading about an issue over which French specialists of education have been debating for so long now... without reaching an agreement yet!

Sandrine Leclerq, future teacher in France, Lescar, France

I would like to fully endorse Mike Baker's article on personalised learning. As Head of ICT in a Secondary School I see that ICT could play a major role in personalised education in the future. However, many other changes would have to take place alongside any attempt to truly tailor learning to every individual.

Firstly, the government needs to ask, "What do we really want our children (our future) to have achieved by the time they emerge from the state education system? What sort of people will our country need in say five, 10 or 15 years' time?" This question should be comprehensibly answered every year whilst even the world is in so rapid a state of change.

Secondly, students should be using similar tools, albeit adapted specifically for learning, to what they will be using in the real world.

Thirdly, with these two foundational things in place, personalised learning could begin to happen. The main role of the teacher would then be one of setting up a learning plan with each individual student and adjusting it with them on a weekly basis. To allow time for this, the "one size fits all" approach where the teacher teaches from the front would need to be substantially reduced. Targets and assessment would still be in the form of self-, peer- and teacher-based types, but would use computer technology and software which already exists, but hitherto has been grossly underused.

Martin Chamberlain, Leicester

Personalised education can be provided by having small-sized classes. Small classrooms would allow teachers to provide more one-to-one instructions and the teacher could make sure no child is left behind. That was my experience when I taught in Australia.

In this modern society, children are constantly exposed to TV, video games and internet-based games and I think it would be counter-productive to use video games to aid students' learning. It would be a great idea to add a bit of nature study to the curricu­lum and it could help students to have a more down-to-earth approach to life.

Aswathaman R, Toronto, Canada

My first reaction to the term "personalised learning" could be summarised as "Oh, no, now they want classroom teachers to negotiate and write Individual Learning Plans with SMART targets for each child they teach". I still suspect this will be the de facto result. The "oh, no" reaction comes from my experience as a Skills for Life tutor in adult education, where we are required to use a model which was developed for special needs learners who are unlikely to take exams at any time and who may make only very slow progress. I understand that the inspectorate are in favour of this model.

In theory this model could work at any level, but in practice it is very time-consuming to administer and I believe that using SMART targets can actually limit the learning of average and more able learners. If, on the other hand, "learning plan" is interpreted to mean the selection of materials, modules, topics for independent study and agreed assessments, and is set for reasonable peri­ods of time, the system could be workable. I note that this model is used by professional IT trainers and in professional development schemes. In some American primary schools, a learning plan indi­cates the choice of options (such as music or sport) and probably reflects parental choice as much as learner choice. Assuming that some kind of written learning plan will be required to monitor any flexible learning system, it will be interesting to see which model is imposed on schools and teachers, the special learning needs model or the professional model.

Cheryl Thornett, Birmingham, UK

/Digest, № 24, 2006/

Set Work

I. Explain what is meant by:

Inspectorate, a current student, to learn at one’s own pace, adult education, to implement, to teach one way, to get sent out, dyspaxia, special learning needs, to pick up on sth., “pizza box lessons”, arid, to endorse, to tailor learning to every individual, albeit, hitherto, to teach from the front, one-to-one instructions, a down-to-earth approach to life, counter-productive.

II. Find in the article the English for:

Болезнь, не распознанная в детстве, оказывающие поддержку родители, так не должно быть со всеми студентами, увеличиться в 25 раз, найти компромисс, еженедельно, разработать индивидуальный план работы, приспособить что-либо к чему-либо, небольшие классы, убедиться, что ни один ребенок не остался в стороне; игры в Интернете; занимающий много времени, действенная система, модуль.

III. Say what is:

IT, ADHD, ICT.

IV. Interpret the idea:

1. If picked up on this aweness could make a huge difference to so many children's lives hence making the teacher's life easier.

2. They are the ones getting paid, not me.

3. One of the things that make it so difficult for some teachers to get excited about this is that it's just going round the same course again.

4. You may feel that the 70's was a period of "anything goes" in education, but that was based on a few publicised extreme cases.

5. …then we were all told we'd "dun it rong" and things changed to the current, rather arid and disconnected experience many kids have.

6. Targets and assessment would still be in the form of self-, peer- and teacher-based types.

7. I still suspect this will be the de facto result.

8. Assuming that some kind of written learning plan will be required to monitor any flexible learning system, it will be interesting to see which model is imposed on schools and teachers, the special learning needs model or the professional model.

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