Learning Theory: Cognitive Flexibility: Interactive Learning: Personalized Learning Environments

Personalized Learning Environments

• Overview: The Web offers the perfect technology and environment for personalized learning where learners can be uniquely identified, content can be specifically presented, and progress can be individually monitored, supported, and assessed. 

Technologically, researchers are making rapid progress towards personalized learning on the Web using object architecture and adaptive technology. However, missing still is a whole-person understanding of how individuals learn online (more than just how they process, build, and store knowledge). 

Primarily cognitive solutions originally designed for the classroom solutions (and facilitated by instructors) are often not enough to meet the individual, sophisticated needs of Web learners. Specifically, (a) sources for individual learning differences, (b) reasons why some learners may be more self-directed or self-motivated than others, and (c) design guidelines that tap into the dominant influence of emotions, intentions, and social aspects on learning. 

Research show that conative (desires, intentions) and affective (emotions, feelings) attributes of persons are more stable over different online learning situations.  Consequently, many Web learning designers are discovering the need to increase their focus on the conative and affective factors that influence learning.

More..............................  Foundations for Personalized Web Learning Environments