Individual Learning Versus Personal Learning

What is the connection between personal learning and transferable skills like collaboration and groupwork? Since I just taught a class on groupwork and Vermont is working towards more personal learning, I have been getting this question from many educators.  There seems to be a misconception that personal learning is somehow individual learning.  There are many images of “personalized” learning where …

7 Ways to Scaffold Self-Directed Learning

How Self-Directed Can Students Really Be? If I said that students should be in charge of their own learning, I wonder how many would tell me that, while that was a nice thought, students wouldn’t be able to handle it?  I know I certainly considered that myself.  As we planned our first self-directed learning unit last month, I kept responding …

Personalized Learning in Classrooms

For the past several months, I have been part of a team attending a Vermont seminar series on proficiency based graduation and personalized learning.  At times, I have found myself so overwhelmed that I wondered how a transformation so enormous could be possible? I have felt the sinking feeling of doubt that such amazing transformations are simply not possible in …

Personal Learning Plans for Everyone

  As we move towards the use of personal learning plans in Vermont, I have really been wondering what it might look like in our current system. I set out on an individual professional learning path this summer in order to reflect on what it might look like for students. To be honest, I like the structure of classes and …