How Personalization is Transforming the Higher Education Landscape
Just as 21st century education is facing a complete reformation in the face of continuing technological advancements, higher education is undergoing its own transformation. With adaptive learning platforms moving with increasing speed into the instructional field, personalization is beginning to reveal its innovative abilities to drive dynamic and adaptive instruction. With a personalized learning environment for every student, adaptive systems place the focus on meeting the skill requirements of an overcrowded graduate pool. Tailoring the learning experience to each student’s specific learning criteria, personalization engines support every single student towards mastery of core skills and competencies. With more emphasis on collaboration and innovation, adaptive platforms are taking the expectations of the 21st century workforce and applying them to higher education, adequately preparing every graduate for the demanding and competitive surroundings that await them beyond the university gates.
One-to-One Instruction, Any Time, Any Pace
Mobile learning has facilitated the movement of instruction outside the lecture hall or classroom to a more flexible environment that works around student and faculty. Adaptive learning platforms have combined mobile capabilities with cloud-based and real-time solutions to make learning conditions as flexible and intuitive as possible. Providing more effective solutions, personalization ensures every student receives tailored resources and learning paths that correspond to their needs, while instructors are afforded quick and easy solutions to track student progress, intervene, and provide instant feedback.
Virtual Classrooms and Collaboration
With the rising popularity of virtual classrooms and MOOC’s, cloud-based and real-time systems are quickly becoming the most effective instructional solutions for higher education. Making lessons, resources and assessments easily accessible on any device, from any location, adaptive platforms like Fishtree that incorporate these features make the learning environment as flexible as possible for both students and instructors. With the added social media facility that allows class members and instructors to interact instantly, sharing resources, lessons, notes and feedback in real-time, open collaboration is quick, and effective.
Competency-Based Paths to Mastery
Paved with personalized resources that reflect a student’s Learning DNA, the path to mastery is more aligned and supported than ever before. With adaptive systems like Fishtree providing scaffolding solutions, students can benefit from competency-based progression in an open environment that’s collaborative, and personalized, supporting their every move towards mastery. Equipped with a real-time view of student progress along each learning path, instructors are given the most in-depth insights, along with instant support options to intervene at any time.
Real-Time Insights, Support and Feedback
Ensuring students are achieving the results that reflect 21st century skill requirements is a challenge for all higher educational bodies. For this reason, institutions are increasingly relying on data to drive better insights and, in turn, learning outcomes. Adaptive platforms that incorporate real-time analytics ensure the most in-depth insights at all times into competency-based progression, delivering detailed reports on how each student is advancing, including instant support options for instructors to intervene, or for students to request feedback.
With more efficient solutions on the horizon for higher education, institutions are equipped with the tools to support their students all the way to graduation and beyond. Taking a more outcomes-focused approach, personalization guarantees a tailored learning experience for every student to suit their specific career focus, with innovation and collaboration taking a lead role in preparing and training them for 21st century success.
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About the author:
Lorna Keane specializes in language teaching and has taught in second and third-level institutions in several countries. She holds a B.A in languages and cultural studies and an M.A in French literature, theory and visual culture. Follow her on Twitter or connect on LinkedIn.
Image credits: markus spiske / CC BY 2.0
