Personalized Learning in America

Some key findings of this report by Blackboard include:

·       One-third of district administrators nationwide endorse “individualized education plans for every student” as a key local strategy for improving students’ readiness for college and career expectations. 

·       A majority of administrators see the path to reaching these outcomes as the more effective use of technology within the classroom. 

·       Roughly half of teachers say they are using technology to encourage student self-monitoring of learning, examine student performance trends to differentiate instruction, and providing regular feedback to their students on performance.

·       School principals report that they have seen positive learning outcomes as the result of the use of student data to inform instruction (three fourths) and the implementation of digital content (over half). Underscoring the sea of change that is happening in our nation’s schools, roughly half of principals in 2012 reported positive impacts from the use of student data and digital content within learning.

·       The top challenge reported by principals who have implemented blended learning include: educating parents on their role in supporting blended learning for their child (over half).

·       Among schools that have implemented blended learning as a school initiative, under half of principals say that half or more of instructional materials that students are using are digital. In all schools, only a third of principals can make that same claim.

·       Approximately under half of schools have implemented online classes for students and online professional development for teachers in their districts. In 2013, only a fourth of technology leaders said their district was offering online courses for teacher professional development and only a fourth were providing students with online learning options.  

Blackboard (2016). Trends in digital learning: How K-12 leaders are empowering personalized learning in America’s schools. Washington, D.C.: Blackboard. http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/2016-digital-learning-reports-from-blackboard-and-speak-up.html