Edtech Companies Tap AI For More Personalized Learning — from kidscreen.com by Zeenya Shah
AI is shaping the future of digital learning as parents—daunted by online schooling—turn to tech companies for help. Are they ready?

Excerpt:

A report from research institute The Learning Counsel found that US families spent 25% more on curriculum resources and networks in 2020 than they did in 2019, for a cumulative spend of US$35.8 billion.

It’s a growing market opportunity, and ed-tech companies using AI-assisted adaptive learning technology may be well-poised to make the most out of this heightened demand for personalized education.

 

A Podpourri of Learning Options: Pods, Hubs, and Microschools in the Wake of the Pandemic — from gettingsmart.com by Tom Vander Ark

Excerpts:

The Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) recently published a report, Pandemic Pods and the Future of Education, based on a survey of families and educators who organized or participated in a pandemic pod. While it was challenging to collect representative data on pods, CRPE concluded that pods were an important pandemic response with long-term implications for education.

The CRPE defines pods as an in person or intensive virtual support that meets multiple times per week. While a broad definition, it is more narrowly defined than many of the previous attempts at categorizing small group learning experiences.

Despite the “moment” that pods had during the pandemic, once in-person learning became more available there was a snapback of about 85%, with the numbers of students shifting from pods to classroom attendance. Those students remaining in pods, typically counted as homeschooled, are part of what is likely to be a 1-2% long-term enrollment shift (perhaps 1 million students) away from traditional public schools.

Addendum on 3/2/22:

Along the lines of learning options, see:

 

A new hybrid learning methodology — from chieflearningofficer.com by Robert O. Brinkerhoff, Edward L. Boon
The proliferation of digital learning transfer platforms offers the opportunity for a new and impact-enhancing hybrid: learning programs that are at the same time standardized and personalized.

Excerpt:

Such a program in the context of our example of the global manufacturing company training its shop floor managers might have the following elements, all created with the expertise of a centralized corporate L&D function:

  • Classroom-style presentations on video with breakout room discussion options embedded for local facilitation.
  • Facilitator’s guides (translated into local languages) for leading the classroom breakouts.
  • Coaching tools and resources for managers to conduct one-on-ones.
  • A library of brief videos of good (and bad) examples of managers interacting with direct reports with second-language subtitles.
  • Guidelines for facilitating periodic virtual check-in meetings (schedules weekly, bi-weekly, etc. to be decided locally).
  • Assignments, with associated resources, for learners to complete by requesting coaching sessions with their manager.

We propose that the proliferation of digital learning transfer platforms (also known as learning experience platforms or LXPs) offers the opportunity for a new and impact-enhancing hybrid: Learning programs that are at the same time standardized and personalized.

Along the lines of corporate training / Learning & Development (L&D), see:

 

Technology We Need: Documenting the complete Learner Record — from gettingsmart.com by Nate McClennen and Rebecca Midles

Key Points

  • Most innovative schools and a number of states have built Graduate Profiles/Learner Profiles and a handful have created K12 competency progressions that articulate pathways towards meeting the profile.
  • These learning organizations are using a learning management system (LMS) that does not accommodate comprehensive Learner Records, does not capture or report transparent growth to learners or their families and does not capture out-of-course learning experiences.
  • We issue a challenge to those building and creating solutions.

From DSC:
The above posting reminds me of the following graphic:


 

The Trends Driving Educational Technology’s Expansion and Growth — from realclearmarkets.com by Rick Amato; with thanks to Michael Moe for this resource

Excerpt:

According to the EdTech Market: Global Industry Analysis, Trends, Market Size, and Forecasts up to 2027 report from ResearchAndMarkets.com, the global educational technology market was valued at around $85 Billion in 2021 and is expected to reach approx $218 billion in 2027, growing with a CAGR of around 17% during the forecast period from 2021-2027. When a tech sector is expected to more than double its size over the next few years, it means the rest of us need to pay attention.

 

Skill assessments: The future of personalization in learning — from edyoucated.org by Julian Rasch

The future of personalization in professional online learning lies in detailed, but fast and effective skill assessments. Here’s how we do it at edyoucated.

 

Five Building Blocks in the New Architecture of High Schools — from gettingsmart.com by Tom Vander Ark

Key Points

  • Schools personalizing learning and moving to mastery often use five linked learner experience systems to promote growth on learning goals.
  • Each system has unique learner experiences, feedback protocols, supports and staffing strategies.
  • These systems work independently and together to promote learner-centered growth toward shared outcomes.

Schools personalizing learning and moving to mastery or competency-based learning models often use five linked learner experience systems to promote growth on learning goals: skill-building, projects, immersion, advisory, and out-of-school learning. Each system has unique learner experiences, feedback protocols, supports and staffing strategies. These systems work independently and together to promote learner-centered growth toward shared outcomes (i.e., learner profile or portrait of a graduate).

 

Exemplar of successful implementation of tech in schools — from donaldclarkplanb.blogspot.com by Donald Clark

Excerpts:

It was impressive to find a school network that took technology as seriously as Curro, in South Africa. They had invited me to give a keynote on AI for Learning, based on my book and experience but I hung around as the teacher sessions were so damn good. This is what I learnt, as I think it is a recipe for success.

This was the big surprise. There were glowing testimonials from teachers about the power of adaptive learning, using AI, to personalise learning for students. It was described as a ‘gamechanger’ by the teacher who presented, with clear targeting, so that efficient and relevant, individual interventions could be made for students. It was clear that they knew why they wanted this technology, had implemented it well and were using teacher feedback to spread the word internally.

I was giving a talk as part of that process. The day’s activities were under the banner of ‘Imagining 2022’. It’s hard enough to Imagine what any year will bring these days but it was clear that this was a learning organisation, willing to learn from their mistakes and make the effort to plan forward.

Also see:

 

School in the metaverse: How tech and the pandemic are changing online education — from protocol.com by David Pierce
Coursera’s CEO and chief content officer see a future of learning that’s more on-demand, more personalized and more immersive.

Excerpts:

Maggioncalda and Coursera Chief Content Officer Betty Vandenbosch joined the Source Code podcast to talk about the chaotic state of online education, what’s next for corporate training, how softer skills are becoming part of the work curriculum, how learning might work in the metaverse and much more.

“We know, broadly, that learning will become more available, it’ll be more online, and there’ll be a lot more people learning for a lot more of their lives,” said Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda.

 

Resource via @ernperez
at this article/page.

From DSC:

Cloud-based learner profiles are a likely element of our future learning ecosystems

 

14 Predictions for Higher Education in 2022 [Schaffhauser]

14 Predictions for Higher Education in 2022

14 Predictions for Higher Education in 2022 — from campustechnology.com by Dian Schaffhauser

Excerpt:

Ask people working in higher education what they expect will happen in the new year, and the outlook is filled with visions that build on what we’ve been experiencing on college and university campuses for the last two years: a major focus on learning formats; continued exploitation of new technology; and the use of new digital models that move users “beyond Zoom.” Here we present the collective predictions of 14 IT leaders, instructional folks and a student about what they anticipate seeing in 2022. As one put it, “Let’s go, 2022! We have work to do!”

From DSC:
I’d like to thank Dian Schaffhauser, Rhea Kelly, and Mary Grush for letting me contribute some thoughts to the various conversations that Campus Technology Magazine hosts and/or initiates. I inserted some reflections into the above article and I hope that you’ll take a moment to read my and others’ thoughts out there.

 

Make your knowledge workers love learning through storytelling, personalization, and immersive learning

Instructional strategies to make your knowledge workers love learning — from blog.commlabindia.com

Excerpt:

As a training manager, you need to step up your game to cater to the corporate training needs of these thinkers. Functional and creative instructional strategies should be used to engage learners and offer sticky learning, in the classroom and online. The strategies need to involve learners emotionally, offer an experiential set up, and appeal to their creative side.

 
 

3 Tips for Making Passion-Based Learning Work Successfully — from thejournal.com by Dennis Pierce

Excerpt:

Passion-based learning, a form of self-directed learning in which students pursue projects of interest to them, is becoming more popular in schools — and for good reason: Educators who have set aside time for passion-based learning have discovered that students become highly engaged and motivated when learning about topics that intrigue them, while taking their learning much deeper than they would in a traditional lesson.

 
 
© 2025 | Daniel Christian