What is Adaptive Learning in School Education?
posted on Jan 03, 2020
Adaptive learning has already been acknowledged worldwide as a 21st-century pedagogical technique. And its definition makes much more sense in helping the students to consume their education and retain the knowledge for a long time.
Adaptive learning has already been acknowledged worldwide as a 21st-century pedagogical technique. And its definition makes much more sense in helping the students to consume their education and retain the knowledge for a long time. It refutes all the traditional beliefs. The method is far more efficient. Adaptive learning makes way for other effective types of learning and thus, the top 10 schools in Greater Noida maintain the method as a part of their core academic ethos. Right now, adaptive learning is mainly associated with EdTech, but a few good schools have found a way to integrate the concept in their classrooms as well.
What is Adaptive Learning?
As always, understanding the definition first will create the foundation for further explanations of the concept and its scope in school education. So, let’s start with that. Adapting simple means to change as per the dominant situation. Adaptive learning thus refers to a pedagogy where the lessons change depending on the response of the students. This stands directly opposite to the conventional method of learning which has long been followed in schools. Every child received the same lessons at the same pace without any consideration of their learning styles or rate. Adaptive learning acknowledges that no two students will learn in the same way and hence, the lessons handed out adapt to the needs of that specific learner.
First, adaptive learning takes into account the previous and existing knowledge of the students. It does not waste time teaching students what they already know. Second, the method evaluates the learning speeds of individual students and designs the lessons based on their pace. Third, it involves a constant assessment to evaluate the students’ progress. And fourth, depending on all the previous three parameters, adaptive learning decides the next set of lessons that the students will need to move forward.
At first glance, adaptive learning may present itself as a highly technical and cumbersome concept. And it is thus being implemented worldwide with the help of educational technology. But the top CBSE affiliated schools in Greater Noida are already applying the core concepts in their classrooms, with obvious assistance from technology, and enabling their students to learn better in this progressive world.
How are schools implementing adaptive learning?
The underlying principles are the same as discussed in the previous section. Just as any computer algorithm follows around the world. Good schools deploy the concept of adaptive learning by:
- Collecting information on the students’ present knowledge
Children are constantly learning today. The sources of deriving information are abundant. Teachers, hence, generally start the school session by asking a set of questions to the class and letting the students learn and revise from each other. The teachers take notes of the general knowledge, and also the performing and struggling students.
- Identifying the learning paces of individual students and the class
Here, the current teachers sit with the previous teachers to exchange notes about the students and the class as a whole. Parents are also involved to pinpoint any specific learning style of disability among the students. Accordingly, lessons are planned and schedules are set to provide the class their deserved personalised attention.
- Assessing the students regularly and frequently
Be it through surprise exams, classroom activities, oral tests, and/or daily engagement levels, the teachers constantly assess the individual students of the class and keep tabs on their response. These data make way for remedial classes where struggling students get extra lessons and performing students receive further assistance.
- Continuous planning about the next step
Teachers also continuously adapt their teaching styles and lesson plans depending on the above three information. If a majority of the students start to struggle, then the teachers slow down their pace. If the class starts to pick the lessons faster, the teacher levels up the lessons. Adapting happens seamlessly, totally based on what the students want.
Adaptive learning is the way forward
The best schools in Greater Noida Extension will acknowledge that. Mere smart classes with a projector are not enough for adaptive learning. Nor are periodic library sessions where the students can indulge in watching educational videos. Adaptive learning is a continuous process and BGS Vijnatham maintains it in the perfect way. This school believes that learning has to be adaptive. Students will have diverse learning styles and lessons have to be planned based on their prior knowledge and pace of learning. Thus, BGS follows the core methodologies of adaptive learning in its classrooms in the way things are meant to and maintains it as one of the principal curriculum pedagogies. As evident, students need to learn through this technique. And there cannot be two ways about it.