In this post, I describe four types of personalized learning, each is quite different, and each is valuable for different purposes. These methods do engage students with your curriculum in ways that allow for deeper learning, but a clearer description of each will guide you know what you can accomplish with each one.
We can differentiate between types of personalized learning by considering two key questions: “Who decides the product?” and “Who decides the content?”. The answer to each of these is either “Student” or “Teacher”. Based on this framework, we differentiate four distinct types of personalized learning. I have labeled each with practices that I have encountered during my decades in education.
The first type is “Critical Explorations.” In this model, teachers introduce a topic or idea, often using an artifact or observation, and the students select the product. The nature of the topic can vary; it may be an idea like freedom, it could be a thing, it could be a practice. I once observed an excellent critical exploration focused on the Aswan High Dam in the Nile River. Through a teacher-led process, students then find their own point of interest in the topic, then develop their own inquiry and performance. The final outcome is a unique product that demonstrates their learning from their individual perspective.
Next, we have “Personal Performance Projects.” Here, students take the lead in defining both the topic and the final product of their work. These projects often aim to create something of interest and value to professionals in a related field and can extend over several months. Personal performance projects are typically focused by the content, and the teacher gives advice and guidance, but the students chooses the specific focus of the content and often the product will be very similar to what is created in the field by professionals.
The third type is “Alternatives to Tests.” This is the broadest category and includes projects that teachers assign as part of regular classroom activities. These projects serve as a strategy to make the curriculum more engaging and to assess learning through methods other than traditional tests. In community colleges, these types of learning often resemble activities students will participate in when they enter their field, for example nursing students who prepare patient care plans as part of their studies are engaged in personalized learning, but the instructor plans content and product.
Finally, there are “Research ‘Papers’.” In this form, the teacher defines the nature of the product and the overall process, while the student decides on the specific question to be answered or the organization of their presentation. This method often follows established style guides, such as those used in science writing or journalism, emphasizing writing according to the expectations of the intended audience.
So, as we can see, personalized learning isn’t a monolithic concept. It encompasses a range of approaches, each with different levels of student and teacher agency in determining what is learned and how it is demonstrated. Understanding these different types can help educators move beyond simply labeling existing practices and towards a more intentional and comprehensive approach to meeting the diverse needs of their students.