A literature synthesis of personalised technology-enhanced learning: what works and why

Personalised learning, having seen both surges and declines in popularity over the past few decades, is once again enjoying a resurgence. Examples include digital resources tailored to a particular learner’s needs, or individual feedback on a student’s assessed work. In addition, personalised technology-enhanced learning (TEL) now seems to be attracting interest from philanthropists and venture capitalists indicating a new level of enthusiasm for the area and a potential growth industry. However, these industries may be driven by profit rather than pedagogy, and hence it is vital these new developments are informed by relevant, evidence-based research. For many people, personalised learning is an ambiguous and even loaded term that promises much but does not always deliver. This paper provides an in-depth and critical review and synthesis of how personalisation has been represented in the literature since 2000, with a particular focus on TEL. We examine the reasons why personalised learning can be beneficial and examine how TEL can contribute to this. We also unpack how personalisation can contribute to more effective learning. Lastly, we examine the limitations of personalised learning and discuss the potential impacts on wider stakeholders

Leveraging Douyin for Enhanced Learning Motivation: A Study on Educational Strategies and Student Attitudes

This study investigates the integration of Douyin, known globally as TikTok, in educational settings to enhance student learning motivation. The research aims to understand how the use of Douyin, a platform predominantly used for entertainment, can be effectively repurposed for educational purposes. The study is structured around several key areas: student engagement, self-regulation, teacher facilitation, peer collaboration, personalized learning, and student attitudes towards using Douyin in an educational context. A mixed-method approach is employed, involving both quantitative and qualitative data collection through surveys, interviews, and observational studies. The quantitative data assesses the impact of Douyin on various learning motivation factors, while qualitative data provides in-depth insights into student and teacher experiences. The findings suggest that when used strategically, Douyin can significantly enhance student engagement, promote active learning, and foster a positive learning environment. The study also highlights the importance of teachers’ roles in facilitating effective use of Douyin and the influence of student attitudes on learning outcomes.This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on digital technology in education, offering practical implications for educators seeking to integrate social media platforms like Douyin into their teaching practices

Transitioning to a Personalized Learning Environment Leveraging One-to-One Devices

Today’s educational blueprint is evolving from the traditional teacher-directed model into a student-driven curriculum approach. Specifically, education is experiencing a paradigm shift from the long-established one-size-fits-all model to a customized learning process known as personalized learning. Personalized learning aims at engaging students in more relevant and rigorous learning and turns them into co-designers as the curriculum becomes tailored to their individual learning needs, skills, and interests. Additionally, when coupled with educational technology, personalized learning will provide the teacher with the tools to individualize, differentiate, and accommodate multiple student learning styles and preferences. Indeed, as personalized learning increases in popularity the need to effectively implement the new instructional model also increases. Moreover, it is imperative to understand how the roles of teachers and administrators change as schools’ transition from a traditional learning paradigm to a personalized learning approach influenced by one-to-one devices, and how these changes affect implementation. Therefore, the aim of this research was to explore the perceptions of administrators and teachers as they transition from a traditional learning paradigm to a personalized learning model influenced by one-to-one devices

NMC Horizon Report: 2017 Higher Education Edition

The NMC Horizon Report > 2017 Higher Education Edition is a collaborative effort between the NMC and the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI). This 14th edition describes annual findings from the NMC Horizon Project, an ongoing research project designed to identify and describe emerging technologies likely to have an impact on learning, teaching, and creative inquiry in education. Six key trends, six significant challenges, and six important developments in educational technology are placed directly in the context of their likely impact on the core missions of universities and colleges. The three key sections of this report constitute a reference and straightforward technology-planning guide for educators, higher education leaders, administrators, policymakers, and technologists. It is our hope that this research will help to inform the choices that institutions are making about technology to improve, support, or extend teaching, learning, and creative inquiry in higher education across the globe. All of the topics were selected by an expert panel that represented a range of backgrounds and perspectives

Maximizing Competency Education and Blended Learning: Insights from Experts

In May 2014, CompetencyWorks brought together twenty-three technical assistance providers to examine their catalytic role in implementing next generation learning models, share each other's knowledge and expertise about blended learning and competency education, and discuss next steps to move the field forward with a focus on equity and quality. Our strategy maintains that by building the knowledge and networks of technical assistance providers, these groups can play an even more catalytic role in advancing the field. The objective of the convening was to help educate and level set the understanding of competency education and its design elements, as well as to build knowledge about using blended learning modalities within competency-based environments. This paper attempts to draw together the wide-ranging conversations from the convening to provide background knowledge for educators to understand what it will take to transform from traditional to personalized, competency-based systems that take full advantage of blended learning

Innovating Language Education: An NMC Horizon Project Strategic Brief

The NMC is a leading educational technology organization. A main outcome of the collaboration between the Language Flagship Technology Innovation Center and the NMC was this publication, which highlights recommendations that emerged from discussions of major trends, challenges, and technology developments by experts and practitioners in language technologies in higher education. Innovating Language Education identifies main trends and areas of interest and constitutes a rich resource that includes key definitions and proofs of concept

Adaptive and Re-adaptive Pedagogies in Higher Education: A Comparative, Longitudinal Study of Their Impact on Professional Competence Development across Diverse Curricula

This study addresses concerns that traditional, lecture-based teaching methods may not sufficiently develop the integrated competencies demanded by modern professional practice. A disconnect exists between conventional pedagogy and desired learning outcomes, prompting increased interest in innovative, student-centered instructional models tailored to competence growth. Despite this, nuanced differences in competence development across diverse university curricula remain underexplored, with research predominantly relying on students’ self-assessments. To address these gaps, this study employs longitudinal mixed-methods approaches with regard to theory triangulation and investigator triangulation to better understand how professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions evolve across varied curricula and contexts. This research emphasizes adaptive and re-adaptive teaching approaches incorporating technology, individualization, and experiential learning, which may uniquely integrate skill development with contextual conceptual learning. Specific attention is paid to professional education paths like design, media, and communications degrees, where contemporary competence models stress capabilities beyond core conceptual knowledge. Results from this study aim to guide reform efforts to optimize professional competence development across diverse academic areas

Investigating Self-Directed Learning and Adult Learner Readiness Attributes in a Call Center Environment

This study investigated the self-directed learning (SDL) attributes of call center employees and explored the impact of an adaptive learning intervention used within the corporate training program. In order to explore the perception of the learners, the self-rated scale of self-directed learner readiness (SRSSDLR) survey instrument was used to gather participant feedback (Williamson, 2008). Qualitative data was collected from the surveys, completion scores were gathered through the LMS system, and performance data focused on trainee proficiency on the job following training. Quantitative analysis was conducted using the Pearson Correlation Coefficient, and t-tests to determine relationship between the self-directed learning attributes and the outcome on the course completion scores, as well as each business efficiency metric. Results revealed that the participants rated highly in the SDL measures scoring a mean of 235.5 out of a 300 total score, based on the SRSSDLR survey instrument. The majority of learners acknowledged the valuable impact of adaptive learning on their learning experiences. While the researcher initially anticipated lower SDL scores in the participant population, results revealed higher scores. Qualitative feedback revealed that 17% of the learners commented that the heavily scheduled and restrictive learning environment competed with their ability to direct their own learning to deepen knowledge acquisition. The mismatch between teaching technique and the student’s stage for learning was evidenced in alignment with Grow’s (1996) research on choosing the teaching techniques in alignment with the learner’s needs. The theme of constant change competed with the learners’ abilities to keep pace with all the changes while meeting performance demands on the job