This set of questions asks about Designing for Student Choice
In personalization, the learning pathway is designed around the principle of student choice and agency, rather than around a linear series of assignments or tasks. Designing for choice empowers students to take control of their learning and builds powerful skills of self-efficacy for the future.
How much control do you have as a teacher, to create flexible learning pathways based on students needs and interests?
My school defines the learning standards and activities I must assign to all students.
My school defines the learning standards I must follow, and I have some choice over the learning activities I assign to all students.
My school provides learning standards which I connect to customized learning pathways based on each student’s needs and interests.
My school provides learning standards, and I invite each student to collaboratively develop flexible learning pathways to meet their learning goals.
How do you use learning standards to guide learning pathways?
I don’t routinely use learning standards to guide my teaching.
I use learning standards to design my teaching and develop lesson plans to address the needs of all learners.
I show students the connection between learning standards and their learning activities.
I typically work to help learners choose the activities that will help them meet the standards.
Where do your learning pathways allow for student choice?
Students can choose the order of learning activities from a menu.
Rarely or never.
Monthly.
Weekly.
Daily.
Where do your learning pathways allow for student choice?
Students can choose their learning topics.
Rarely or never.
Monthly.
Weekly.
Daily.
Where do your learning pathways allow for student choice?
Students can design their own learning activities.
Rarely or never.
Monthly.
Weekly.
Daily.
How do your students pace their own learning?
I am expected to implement the school/district curriculum without alterations.
I assign differing levels of work to students based on their ability.
I give my students a menu of leveled choices, for example by using a “must do/can do” system.
I confer with each student to create plans for making progress through learning activities at their own pace.
How do you design instruction to recognize student’s social and cultural identities?
I am expected to implement the school/district curriculum without alterations.
I design special units and activities to celebrate social and cultural diversity.
I invite students to develop projects that draw on their social and cultural identities.
I help students design learning activities that integrate their social and cultural identities.
How often do you help individual students, including those with IEPs, to develop a customized learning plan?
Rarely.
For less than half of learning activities.
For over half of learning activities.
For almost all learning activities.
You can automatically generate a "Base Needs Report" report by clicking this link. You will be taken to the Custom Report page that will show the top needs for your school. On that page you can remove data points by "un-starring" them or you can add data points to that Needs Report in the full report.
