Ed Weekly, Blog #12, 3-17-11

The following is a response to the Ed Weekly article titled, "Navigating the Path to Personalized Education", Volume 30, article #25, 3-17-11.

This article is about personalizing each students educaiton by way of increased use of digital tools and different teaching approaches. In the example classroom, there are 4 computerized white boards that students can use to solve problems as they work at their own pace to complete the current project. Basically, the students are learning the same content delivered in a similar way to each of them. Once the project or assingment is given, the students are free to use any of the technology available (such as laptops)to work at their own pace to complete their work. The teacher in the classroom, walks around and provides individual help for those students who need it. Students will work together and help each other access the technology that will assist them in their work.
I love the idea of personalized education. In a perfect world, each student would have an IEP. This plan would focus on the criterion that each individual student needs to progress. Ideally, we would only have to learn what we don't know in school. But because education is not individualized, often times we are taught things we already know, because the teacher is trying to get the class on the same page. Individualized education would eliminate the need for so much repetition. Education would be much better if students could work on individualized criterion, at their pace and have access to the technology they need.