This report and accompanying research brief, written by the RAND Corporation and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, synthesizes findings from a study of the personalized learning (PL) practices at schools in the Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC)’s Breakthrough School Models program. Researchers identified the PL strategies used and implementation challenges faced by these schools in comparison to a larger national group. They also reviewed achievement data. While it reports some positive gains from PL approaches, it also notes some concerns. This EdWeek blog by Benjamin Harold gives an overview of some of the challenges and cautions raised by the report.
Research compiled by SATC indicates that for deeper learning to occur, personalization must include in-person support from educators and many opportunities for authentic student voice, in tandem with the use of technology. The RAND report serves as a reminder that in order to be impactful, PL –and all change in education–must be implemented consistently, and in a way that drives change in practice using education research on what works.
This report is an important read for funders, researchers, educators, and policy-makers at the school, district, and state levels and includes implementation recommendations tailored for each group of stakeholders.
Source Organization: RAND Corporation