It takes a person to personalize learning

It takes a
person to
personalize
learning

My early research…
Keller’s Personalized System
of Instruction

Personalization of Learning
Is it:
Computer mediated
assessment and
instruction designed
to increase student
achievement?
Or is it:
Teaching?

Readings
• Delivery Matters: Charter Schools and K-12
Education in Alberta-Parkland Institute
• Rebirth of the Teaching Machine through the
Seduction of Data Analytics: This Time It's
Personal by Phil McRae and Joe Bower
• Myth: Blended learning is the next ed-tech
revolution by Phil McRae

Three Questions
1. Did you ever at any time think your
assignments were graded by a
computer?
2. Would it matter to you if they were?
3. How important is it for you to know
more about your teacher?

#1 Did you ever think your work
was graded by a computer?
That’s ridiculous. Your name and bio was
on the very first email you sent us!

100% of students knew a human
being was marking their work
I never thought that. But now that you
mention it, is it?

It couldn’t possibly be scored by a
computer. No computer would ever
be as opinionated as my teacher

#2 Would it matter to you if a
computer graded your work?
Social issues are complex and people view
them differently. Real people can explain
their answers and feelings about issues
today and in the past

90% of students value feedback
from a person
• I trust my marks more, knowing they came
from a real person who will help me do
better
• I value knowing I’m not getting the same
feedback as everyone else

90% of students said they value
their human connection
• If I thought a machine marked my work, it
would make me feel my ideas were not
important
• Without a teacher you end up feeling
alone while doing the course

#3 How important is it for you to
know more about your teacher?
• I find it hard to write an essay when I don't
know who I'm writing it to, and their story.
Knowing the teacher, I would be able to
either stretch or limit the types of
examples I use.

Knowing my teachers -and knowing they
know me -really helps because the teacher
can better understand my learning needs
and I can better understand my teacher
80% wanted to know more about
their teacher

It’s nice to know where the person’s
thoughts are coming from. A person’s
history influences their thoughts and
dreams and wishes.

It's always better to know teachers and
instructors on a personal level to make
the learning experience warmer and
more powerful.

If I had known more about my teachers
I probably would have asked for more
help through the course.
Then maybe I wouldn’t have failed.

So… how do you personalize
...learning?

Not just by putting a logo on it

Not just by putting a name on it

Not simply by using an algorithm

But by showing students we are
real people

…and we know they are real
people too

Course Design based on…
Understanding of our students’ varied
circumstances

Social 30-1 Snapshot
• 60% adults
• 40 % repeating the
course
• 10 out of country
• 7 with social anxiety
disorders
• 6 homeschoolers with
no prerequisites
• 1 TV actor
• 7 elite athletes
• 2 models
• 1 Journeyman
Mechanic
• 6 single moms
• 5 with brain injuries

Social 10-2 Snapshot
• 20% adults
• 65% male
• 20% Northerners
• 20% ESL
• 25% repeating the
course
• 2 suffer from clinical
depression
• 3 have brain injuries
• 2 eating disorders
• 4 with social anxiety

Understanding our partner schools
• Rural and urban
• Outreach programmes
• Hutterite colonies
• International Schools
• Religious Schools
• Public, Private and Charter Schools

We let them know them who we
are…

Welcome letters and phone calls
I live in Slave Lake and I have taught
online Social Studies for the past 16
years. I have three grown-up kids, a
husband and two super-cute dogs!
My last trip was to Madagascar, one of
the poorest countries in the world
where I was forced to think about many
of the issues we discuss in Social
Studies-globalization, imperialism,
environmental degradation, democratic
decision-making and the role of
government.

Sending MANY emails…
You started my course awhile ago but you have
stalled out for some reason.
If you have a problem completing an assignment,
accessing the course, or you are experiencing
some personal issues that are getting in the way of
completing your work, please email me or phone
me so I know what is going on. No problem is too
big or too small for you to talk to me about!

…and find out who they are too

How do we learn about our kids?
• Introductory Surveys

I can complete the course; I just have a
lot of family problems going on with my
parents being in jail.
Through survey questions

• i am taking this coarse because i want
to finish school, and i want to set a
good example for my baby.

• I took Social 30-2 by distance learning
right after high school, but never
completed the course. I was not in the
proper mind set at the time and was
distracted by the lifestyle I was living.

• I’m currently sitting at 99 credits due to the
fact that I never went in for the diploma
exam. When I decided a couple years later
that I wanted to go take the test, the
curriculum had changed.

• Please provide any information you
would like to share with your teacher.
More survey questions

I do work very late hours, I will try my hardest
to wake up and keep up with this course.
I haven't attend a class in over 9 years so I
might be slightly rusty at studying and writing
exams. I did however get fairly bad test
anxiety

• I'm not good at choosing the best answer
in multiple choice on exams
• I am a slow learner, but I've learned to
make up for that in time and effort.
• I am usually quite a high achiever, but
occasionally struggle with time
management and perfectionism.

I'm not the type of student who will reach
out for help too often, I like to think it's
because I don't need it but in reality I'm
just not always comfortable enough with
an instructor to ask.

…and responding to what we
learn
Hey Jenny! In your survey you mentioned
that you are nervous about calling me for
help because you don’t know anything about
me. I attached my bio and photo. Don’t be
nervous about calling me! Or if it would
make things easier, I can call you once a
week!

Courses designed by and for humans
The voice of the teacher on every page,
sharing real life experiences

We to our best to incorporate
• Universal Design for Learning
• Assessment for Learning
• Text to Speech
• Modifications for individual needs
• Activities that facilitate relationship-
building

Discussions…
• "Ideology invariably leads to
hatred. You hate people who don't
share your ideology. You regard
them as evil and, therefore, worthy
to be crushed...."
• Does following a particular ideology
close the mind to new ideas and
lead to hatred, or does it provide a
sense of belonging and a direction
for society? How much has your
ideology shaped your identity?

Discussion Example
• I don’t really have any traditions. After my parents got
divorced, my dad used to come pick me up on
Christmas Eve and we would just drive around. Does
that count? Britani
• Wow, sorry to hear about your parents divorce. My parents
are divorced too and it sucks. So I am making my own
traditions, I call it turkey slops. Josh
• Turkey slops? What is that? Tell me more! Britani
• It’s hard when your traditions change. The important thing is
that you and your dad are together. In my house our
traditions are always changing. And I would like to know
what these turkey slops are too! Mrs. Bell

Student Choice
Student Photo • Develop a creative
presentation that
shows who you are
and how
globalization has
influenced your
identity.

Multiple Means of Representation

Sharing Exemplary Student Work
It was 1604 when they came to our land,
They took away our culture and everything we had,
They made us change our way of life,
They had guns, all we had was a homemade knife,
They introduced us to a new way of living,
New clothes, new weapons, no more buffalo skinning,
They took our kids away to a new kind of school,
The way they taught was so very cruel,
When that ended, we were living well,
Everyone had nice clothes and even a cell,
New technology everyone had,
The Blackfoot language nobody knew
Kind of sad but it’s what they do…This is the way globalization goes.

Metacognitive Activities
When a teacher comments on my work and not only
points out what I am doing well, but also what I am
failing to do it allows me to grow as a person and learn
from my mistakes.
If I were to never understand what I did wrong, and a
teacher never corrected me, I would never be able to
surpass my current standings and excel in
progressively more aspects of my life.

…and taking away
Dear Kyle:
Due to your previous success in Social 30-2,
please review all the course content in Unit
One and just complete the Unit Review.
After I have assessed your skills in Unit
One, we will decide where to go next.

Feedback
In a classroom, teachers give the whole class feedback on
assignments and quizzes. Sometimes they will re-teach a
concept or review some important points that students
missed. Because ADLC teachers and markers do not see
you face to face, they provide feedback to each individual
student. This feedback will help you understand the
concepts and do better in future. Sometimes you will be
asked to do the assignment again based on the instructions
you have been given.
Think of it as a little mini-lesson your teacher is providing
just to you!

Feedback
You have an amazing skill Dakota, I loved both the
creativity of your drawing as well as the way it portrayed
who you are and your connections to globalization. I
found it particularly neat that you were interested in
calligraphy and other Japanese aspects. I have taken
students to Japan on a couple of occasions, where we
were very fortunate to experience and learn a lot about
the Japanese people and their culture. The Japanese
people generous and respectful of both people and their
environment and we Canadians could learn a lot from
them in those aspects of life.

Feedback
Hello!
Thanks for submitting your assignment. It is a challenging
one! There are a few issues with what you have submitted
and I would like you to complete it again, using my
suggestions. When you are taking a position take some
time to do research. For example why did the federal
government under PM Harper pass this Act? Look at what
the act proposes(EG.money paid to each survivor, a formal
public apology, healing services). Once you have looked at
the policies proposed and some perspectives of the experts
then you can take an informed decision. I have attached a
sample. Please call or email for more help!.

By honouring their experiences
…when a student tells me something big
is happening in their lives I put the event
in my calendar and the day before, I send
a quick note.

By sending encouraging messages…

Through our email signatures…
Dear Students,
1. I believe in you
2. I trust in you
3. You are listened to
4. You are cared for
5. You are important
6. You WILL succeed
Miss McIldoon :-)

By letting them tell their stories…

…and by telling our stories
Sawadee Khrup! Hello from
Bangkok, Thailand; my name is
Wayne and I am will be working
with you in Social Studies this year.
course. I have worked with Alberta
Distance Learning since 2008; and
was living in Calgary until this past
July when my wife and I moved
Bangkok with our two children.
Here we are on day one of the
school year which started in early
August.

Thanks for listening!
nicola.ramsey@adlc.ca

It takes a person to personalize learning

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