Personalized Learning & Career Readiness
Megan Huss
Created February, 2014 (Revised March, 2016)
Education Standards
From edweek.org...
The larger goal of college and career readiness requires schools to enable all students to
How do we prepare them for a career?
We are asking them to “take ownership of their learning and become proficient with a range of learning strategies.” -edweek.org
This is where 21st Century Classrooms and Personalized Learning comes in. Fortunately, most administrators see this vision and encourage teachers to try many new ways of teaching and learning.
21st Century Classroom
Personalized Learning- The US Dept. of Ed. defined personalized instruction in its 2010 Education Technology Plan as “instruction paced to the learning needs, tailored to the learning preferences and tailored to the specific interests of different learners.”
How is this different from differentiation?
Personalized learning is learner centered while differentiation is still teacher centered.
What is the goal?
The ultimate goal is to get students to start thinking independently and become intrinsically motivated in order to take ownership of their learning and become proficient with a range of learning strategies.
“Grades are great extrinsic motivation, but what we really all hope for is someone to say, ‘I want to do this because of what I can achieve.’”- Eugene Rutz, Academic Director, University of Cincinnati College of Engineering
How does taking ownership in learning prepare a student for college or a career?
What does it mean to take ownership of learning and how does this prepare a student for college or a career?
Be Self-Aware
Find out your interests passions, skills and ambitions.
In school... Students are given the opportunity to demonstrate their learning in any way they choose through apps and an online learning platform of some kind such as Edmodo, Google Classroom or iTunes University.
Career...When you find a career that you are passionate about, you take more pride in everything you do.
Set Goals
Know what you need to achieve based on self-awareness.
In grade school...Students have to learn to manage their own time and assignments. They are challenged to pick a project and complete something that makes them proud.
Career… In business you want employees that know how to set goals for themselves based on knowing their own strengths and weaknesses.
Be Motivated
Have the mindset to achieve your goals.
In grade school… Teachers will discuss having the mindset to set a goal and not just achieve it, but be proud of the work you did. It’s not about the grade you get, it’s about setting the goal and achieving it.
Career… Employees that have the ability to set and achieve goals, will not only work hard for your company, but will be a positive influence on those around them as well.
Persist
Don’t give up, especially when something does not come easily to you.
In grade school… This can be a challenge depending on the type of class you are teaching. Teachers have to take a step back and allow them the chance to struggle. Students need to know what it feels like to struggle, work through it and even sometimes fail. They can’t go to the teacher every time they don’t know how to use an app. They have to learn to try different things in order to overcome any obstacles.
Career… You need employees that don’t give up when there are stumbling blocks. A good employee knows how to struggle.
Monitor Performance
Monitor Performance- Know how well you are really doing. Gauge your true skill level.
In grade school… After working on a group project, students do a self-evaluation and a group evaluation. It is important to see if they are aware of their own weaknesses and what they need to work on.
Career...When you evaluate an employee, nothing should come as a shock. If they can self monitor their performance and know where they need work, they will find a way to become better or more knowledgeable in their weaker areas.
Ask for Help
Ask for help- Know when you are stuck, then get help. Don’t view this as a weakness.
In grade school...This is more difficult to learn than you might think. The question is not just when to ask for help, but HOW do you ask for help. Students first tell their teacher what they understand and then they have to ask a question. Sometimes it is a matter of having a conversation instead of a “teaching moment” that will not stay with them for as long as a true conversation will.
Career… An employee that wants to collaborate with you rather than simply following steps or asking for solutions will learn to love your company and will go above and beyond for you and your business.
Show Self-Efficacy
Learn to control the things you can, then control them.
In grade school… In a class that uses technology, we can’t control when an app crashes and we lose work. We can control our attitude and our reactions. Sometimes this means we have to re-do the work. We don’t dwell on what we can’t control.
Career… There will be times at work when you lose what you have worked extremely hard on. That’s when you take a breath and fix what can be fixed.
Challenges
Successes
Teaching Philosophy Video
The question for you...
References
CEO, Educational Improvement Center (EPIC)
http://www.edweek.org/media/conley-23collegeready.pdf
http://www.centerdigitaled.com/reports/q3-2013/