Dynamic Learning: Why Do Your Students Need It?

A Brief Introduction to Adaptive Learning

When you think of education, you may think of classes or formal business learning programs. Although these traditional training methods are common, they often fail to address the unique needs of every student. Let’s look at one example.

Consider that you have purchased a leadership course. In your group study are middle-level managers, the CEO of a medium-sized company, and you, an experienced IT director. A standard course is not for everyone; some may find the story boring, while others find it difficult to follow.

This discrepancy can reduce the overall effectiveness of the course and spoil the entire experience. Self-study helps to eliminate these problems.

Important Points

1. What are the personal study tracks?
2. What is the difference between personal tracks and adaptive learning?
3. How does adaptive learning work?
4. What are the benefits?
5. How can you make flexible lessons?
6. Flexible learning software?

What is Personal Learning?

Everyone has unique learning styles, preferences and different learning styles. The concept of personalized learning is built on this principle. Each student has a customized education plan that fits their needs and learning preferences. But does it work?

A 2015 RAND study found that 11,000 students from 62 schools that used personalized learning methods showed greater improvement in math and reading than students from traditional schools. Research has suggested that the more time students spend using these personalized methods, the better their progress.

There are two main methods of personal learning:

1. Personalized education tracks
2. Adaptive learning

What is the Difference Between Personal and Dynamic Courses?

Personalized education tracks are designed by students or education professionals. These tracks contain courses that focus on the subject you wish to study. For example, one course can have three levels of difficulty to accommodate everyone: beginner, intermediate, and expert. This way, students can choose the track that best suits their experience and skill level.

Adaptive learning is different. This is a flexible learning method that is adjusted according to the progress of each student. For those who are quick to grasp things and pass exams, the program increases the difficulty to keep them busy and help them get the best results. Similarly, for those who are struggling, the program identifies their needs and adapts the learning experience to support them. Let’s look at the students’ journey in the practice lesson.

How does Adaptive Learning work?

Adaptive learning is part of collaborative learning, which addresses individual needs through learning methods, effective feedback, and additional resources rather than a one-size-fits-all curriculum (Kurt, 2021).

But let’s keep it simple. Adaptive lessons change their complexity and content based on student behavior and needs. The learning platform collects and analyzes data from all learners to determine what content they will see next. Those types of courses include a flexible sequence of content and assessment. The platform changes what students see next based on their progress during the lesson.

What Are the Benefits?

Let’s look at the numbers first. The results of implementing adaptive learning in higher education institutions are:

1. Pass rate increased by 18%
2. Withdrawals from math courses drop by 47%
3. In the economics course, the rate of students passing the exams increased by 27%.

These findings reveal that adaptive learning helps keep students interested and leads to better learning outcomes. In addition, flexible learning helps create a flow effect: tasks are complex enough to keep students interested and motivated to solve them (Mihály Csíkszentmihályi). This method is widely used in video games to involve players in playing the game.

Adaptive learning is a useful teaching method, but it does not solve all problems. It is also important to consider how you can keep students motivated and ensure they can apply what they have learned. However, this approach can make it easier for students to explore important concepts and focus on what is really important.

How to Create a Flexible Course?

The cost of adaptive learning has always been an issue. Creating a unique learning experience for each student is not cheap. Until recently, the only way to take flexibility lessons was to hire a personal tutor or study in small groups. Organizing this type of education in schools or a business environment is impractical and requires resources.

Fortunately, technological advances are making this process more accessible and affordable to implement. The main difference is that adaptive learning can now be automated and done online. That means 40% to 60% less time learning new skills and millions of dollars saved in startup learning.

Next, I’ll tell you about creating a flexible course. If you need to refresh your knowledge of how to do a tutorial in general, I suggest you read this article first. The reason is that designing adaptive courses can be a bit tricky. Here are the main steps:

1. Create Learning Paths

You need to design different learning methods based on students’ behavior and knowledge levels. These methods show you how different audiences can achieve the results you need. Therefore, you should study your audience and create a learning map.

2. Create Personalized Tests and Feedback

The learning style will be determined by the student’s progress in the course. Therefore, assessment is essential for adaptive learning. You need to create tasks and tests that will show the student’s level of knowledge and the areas they need to improve in order to achieve the overall learning outcomes.

3. Create Small Educational Content Units

Develop objective-based short lessons that are linked to overall learning objectives (Cavanagh et al., 2020, p. 178). This helps you build learning patterns. Every flexible track will include the units students need to achieve the required outcome.

Let’s look at the “pancake example.”

Every student now receives only relevant information. To create these flexible courses, it is important to understand both the students and the goals of the course. This means that designing these courses takes more time than traditional ones.

Using Adaptive Learning Software to Create a Flexible Course

You need software and tools to collect and analyze data to create dynamic learning. Many Learning Management Systems (LMS) can help you create and automate this process. Let’s discuss some general recommendations for choosing the right LMS.

1. Find the Amount of Money You Are Willing to Spend

Budgeting is an important step. Decide how much money you are willing to spend on the LMS. Remember that price and quality are not always correlated.

2. Study Your Audience

Before searching for an LMS, it’s important to define your audience. Explore the ways they often learn. You need to answer a few questions:

1. How much time can students spend studying?
2. Where do they usually study? When you exercise, walk the dog, or take the bus to work?
3. What kind of teaching materials do they like best? Is it books, or videos, or podcasts?

Don’t ask questions about the future, like “Can you do that?” or “What would you like more of?” Ask only questions about the present and past tense. There is often a gap between what people desire and what they actually use.

3. Choose a Course Format

After setting the budget, it’s time to consider the format. What kind of education do you plan? Define your course vision in a way that fits your budget and effectively addresses the needs of your audience.

4. Find the Data You Need to Collect

Start by defining your goals. Each lesson should target a specific goal. Business training, for example, aims to improve business metrics, such as speed of service delivery. Accordingly, English courses in schools are designed to help students achieve better results and increase the reputation of the school. It is important to determine the metrics that should be monitored to assess progress toward these goals.

5. Create a List of Course Requirements

When it comes to creating engaging content like videos, articles, and simulations, choosing the right Learning Management System is essential. Look for an LMS that supports flexible learning and offers valuable tools to improve your experience. Features to consider include an intuitive lesson planner, automated analysis, personalized learning curve adjustments, and a data-responsive platform. Always try the demo and test the product to make sure the LMS is right for you.

Resources:

1. Kurt, S. 2021. Adaptive learning: What is it, its benefits, and how does it work? Educational Technology.
2. Cavanagh, T., B. Chen, RAM Lahcen, and J . Paradiso. 2020. Developing a design framework and pedagogy for adaptive learning in higher education: A professional perspective. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning 21(1): 173-197.
3. Pane, John F., Elizabeth D. Stainer, Matthew D. Baird, and Laura S. Hamilton. Continuing Progress: Promising Evidence in Personalized Learning.

Photo credits:

• Images in the body of the article were created/provided by the author.