How might we Personalise Learning in an Online Environment?

I cannot recall how many times recently I have heard the saying that we are living in an unprecedented time. While not disagreeing with this statement, as I am aware that with the COVID-19 virus a lot of things have changed, another part of me thinks we everyday is unprecedented as our students do not learn the same way we do any more than their hobbies, interests, or personalities are the same as ours. 

So keeping this in mind, the understanding is learning is about movement and growth, regardless of the starting point. Whilst there are some attributes and dispositions in common between us and our students this difference makes us individuals therefore as educators providing equitable education we ought to personalise it to allow the greatest access to learning outcomes.

In the online learning world, it is beneficial to consider ways to support all students access the information and learning. Therefore, differentiation can be created based on 

1. Content - what is being taught 
2. Process - How it is being taught
3. Product - what is being produced

Content - When considering the methods for differentiating the learning content, it is important to focus on the desired outcome and identify the essential elements we desire the students to Know, Understand and Do. Ways that we can provide this type differentiation include

• Creating a summary
• Removing the unessential information
• Assigning tasks to selected groups of students
• Colour coding and leveling questions
• Removing the clutter from websites students are reading by using extensions such as Mercury Reader
• Substituting lesson materials with physical activities, videos, multimedia, concrete material
• Reducing the content by addressing verbs within the outcome

Process - When considering the avenues for adapting the learning we all can think of the student who struggles, in that moment we can see the need for an alternate way for them to demonstrate their learning; however, many of us then become stuck. Offering choice to all students often presents all students with the chance to show what they know and gather their understanding. Some of the systems that we can offer this opportunity in are

• Creating small groups using video conferencing so that students can demonstrate their learning, seek help or discuss ideas
• Setting time limits so that students focus and keep to task
• Using visual prompts such as pictures, t-charts, tables and graphic organisers
• Providing clear structures such as due date, task title and prompting instructions
• Using visible thinking routines such as those suggested by Harvard Universities Project Zero

Product - As we consider plans to modify the products created throughout the learning process our aim for all students is that they will be able to understand the big ideas and key concepts. This does not require them to recall everything they have been taught in detail, but exhibit they grasp the key ideas about a topic. Routines we can utilise to support students acquire and display what they can do include

• Using graphic organisers allow students to display their thinking. 
• Collaborating in small groups of students on docs or websites such as padlet or jamboard
• Allowing open ended inquiry and research on passion area
• Supporting students to present information in a table or in dot points or finding images to represent the information
• Encouraging student to mix up their ways of they present their working by creating a variety of samples, this can be online, writing in their books and photograph their work, creating flashcards or multimedia to show their understanding such as teach me videos

Feedback - is imperative to allow students to understand what they need to do to improve. Providing effective feedback helps students realise where they need to go to improve. Therefore, when we are creating tasks it is important to think about the ways we are going to provide feedback. These can incorporate

• Tasks that peers can provide feedback on
• Personal student reflection where they identify how they have met the learning intention and to addressed areas for improvement
• Audible feedback on groups of students work can be provided through video conferencing or to provide audible feedback on individual students work, audio comments extensions such as Mote.
• When providing written feedback consider 2 Stars and a wish, creating digital sticker and encouraging the future focused application

To finish, the goal for each student is growth or progress in learning. Many of us get caught up in the nuances and details of individual learning activity but to differentiate well we need to keep clear in our minds what are the big objectives for student learning. At the base we want to have a coherent picture of the learning intentions we want most students to know and have mastered as a result of their learning and an idea of what achieving this would look like. As we focus on this core, the essential elements for student learning will be identified and understood. 

This piece has been inspired by an article written by my Director of Teaching and Learning, Karen Easton and many high quality examples of differentiation using content, process and product can be found on Google's Teach from Home website.