Episode 06: Personalized Learning with Education Elements
Personalized learning experiences are critical to keeping students engaged. Curated, individualized experiences allow students to take ownership in their learning journeys and influence outcomes.
In the previous episode of Illuminate Higher Education, Drew Schantz, Design Principal at Education Elements, joined host Kiran Kodithala to discuss what personalized learning looks like in K-12 institutions. They explored a variety of ways teachers can implement personalized learning practices in their classrooms on a limited budget while still maintaining adherence to governmental and other educational regulations.
Drew returns to the podcast to take the conversation a step further. In this episode, he and Kiran explore what personalized learning can look like in a post-secondary environment. In order to fully grasp its potential, Drew reminds listeners that personalized learning isn’t reserved for college.
Post-secondary education includes far more than traditional two- or four-year colleges and universities. Rather, the term encompasses every possible path a high school graduate could take. Students could join the military, take on an apprenticeship, study a trade or vocation, enroll in short-term certification programs or “bootcamps,” become an entrepreneur, or join the family business. Many students will opt for some combination of these, depending on which opportunities align best with their goals and interests.
If we understand personalized learning to mean that students are empowered to learn in a way that is best suited to their individual needs, this concept becomes even more important in higher education. As powerful as these principles are in a K-12 environment, the simple fact is by law children must be in school. Parents have a limited amount of choice in which schools their children attend, but one way or another, they will be in school.
After graduation, the obligation disappears. Students who continue to pursue education do so by choice and with a specific outcome in mind: a degree, certificate, license, trade, skill, etc. These outcomes bring value to the student’s life. Institutions that offer these outcomes are competing not just with similar institutions, but with every possible post-secondary opportunity a student may consider. These institutions are also competing with future employers. Employers have a lot of power in determining the value of a certain credential. For example, bachelor’s degrees will always be a priority so long as employers require them, but employers are becoming more and more open-minded about alternative educational pathways. Tech companies like Google are welcoming applicants without degrees, and the trend is only expected to grow.
As it becomes more and more feasible for students to pick and choose a post-secondary experience that will lead to their desired career, Drew believes a student-centered approach to personalized learning will grow in importance in three critical areas.
Professional Development. Similar to Google, many organizations are building the talent they need through on-the-job training and development. Effective professional development programs allow individuals to learn new skills that support individual growth as well as team and organizational success.
Vocational Schools. Students enroll in vocational programs seeking a very specific outcome: a license or certification to practice a specific set of skills. These institutions base their success on whether a student enters the workforce, so the programs offered must be highly relevant to the student and the economy.
Community Colleges. Similar to vocational schools, community colleges achieve success by graduating successful students. Whether those students enter the workforce or continue on to further degree programs, a student-centered approach can help these institutions continue to compete.
Listen to Episode 06 of Illuminate Higher Education to learn more about personalized learning for post-secondary education and Drew’s work with Education Elements. You can find this episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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This episode is brought to you by N2N’s Illuminate App, the iPaaS for Higher Education.
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Founded in 2010, N2N is committed to serving educational institutions and helping them figure out how to serve their students, faculty, and staff using the most innovative technologies and solutions available in the marketplace. Over the last decade, N2N has served over 300 academic institutions and enabled their student success journeys.
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