Adaptive Learning: Is This the Future of Education?

By now, we have all plausibly grown accustomed to personalized experiences. If anything, this is perhaps one of the hallmarks of our most popular sites and software. Think of Netflix or Amazon Prime. These companies are indeed the trendsetters when it comes to the personalization game.

Personalization is essentially the cornerstone of the new educational technology concept – adaptive learning. This model is looking to shift learning from the one-size-fits-all learning environment to a personalized one. The objective is to meet the unique needs of any student that is willing to learn.

What, then, is adaptive learning? This is a digital educational system that evaluates a student’s performance in real-time. Subsequently, the system personalizes the learning and teaching methods to match the specific learner. To put it concisely, each individual student gets a custom learning experience.

Adaptive learning seeks the bridge one of the biggest and oldest gaps of the traditional pedagogical methods of learning. Students have always been handled collectively, paying little attention to the individual characteristics of each student. This new approach seeks to bridge this disconnect by ensuring each student has custom engagement.

A Brief History of Adaptive Learning

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The need to personalize the learning experiences dates back to the ’70s when computers were gaining traction and popularity. The early systems were looking to adapt the learning experience to the learner through artificial intelligence. This built the foundation for the successive learning systems.

The groundwork has now been developed to meet the needs of both instructors and learners. Take, for instance, using video games for educational purposes. Learners are exposed to divergent and engaging learning styles that enhance the experience of learning. This approach is opening up the way for interactive and multidimensional interfaces to augment learning.

Adaptive learning technology, therefore, is a progressive approach away from the bounds of passive and institutionalized education. Learners can now interact proactively with these educational programs. Focusing on how students learn, it follows, cements what they learn.

The future is unequivocally digital and vastly interconnected.  Adaptive learning, plausibly, is the future of education. Students will engage in the process of active-learning, where this human-computer interaction provides the platform for each learner to mold their own learning path. This ought to be a welcome paradigm shift from the traditional linear path. Ultimately, learners will be able to blend different paths of learning to meet their individual objectives.

Benefits of Adaptive Learning

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As with any new technology emerging, there are always benefits to be expected. Adaptive learning, in this regard, makes a compelling case for its adoption into the education system.

  • The core essence of adaptive learning is quite understated. At the moment, some institutions are adopting the technology in some of their courses. Students are then able to learn at their own pace and get feedback consistently while also proactively engaging in practical activities. Learning, then, becomes considerably simpler. Take, for instance, the ease of reaching out to write my essay service when the student is stuck. This has translated to substantial increments in the overall achievement gain for learners.
  • Adaptive learning helps both learners and instructors. Through the available tools and systems, teachers can also assess the data to understand their students more comprehensively. It then takes the teachers less time to determine their students’ strengths and weaknesses. These tools will also help to distinguish which learning styles fit each individual student. Therefore, adaptive learning centers its focus to the student, rightly so.
  • Adaptive learning takes full advantage of the Zone of Proximal Development. This, essentially, is the zone between comfort and frustration, where the students can master what they learn optimally. The technology, hence, ensures that each student has a personalized level of difficulty. Students, consequently, are encouraged to solve problems willingly, both critically and creatively.
  • An advantage to adaptive learning that is usually not mentioned is the freedom of choice. When it comes to selecting a system, there are plenty of tools whose suitability depends on the specific needs. This may also depend on the student, as some may be more inclined to human-human interactions.
  • Adaptive learning also allows students to keep track of their own educational progress. This creates a sense of personal responsibility for their own academic improvements and declines. They can, subsequently, act accordingly as the resources are at their behest.

Adaptive learning technology does more than bring various learning formats to the students. It helps to embrace the distinct differences in learners. It, thus, helps us to deal with the most fundamental problems of our current education system. Personalized learning is the ideal platform to impart knowledge to learners who will make a significant contribution to society.

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