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 …
Personal or Personalized Learning?
When I wrote my Rowland fellowship proposal a little over a year ago, my main concern was to make sure that mandated personal learning plans didn’t become another superficial piece of paper that had little meaning for students. Over the past year, I have made a lot of discoveries and confirmations. I think the number one issue that has taken …
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 …