Image Retrieved from: ACTNext, Adaptive Learning

Imagine that you could give every learner their own personalized course, made specifically for their strengths, weaknesses, goals, and engagement patterns. Imagine a course that adapted in real-time to their activity and adjusted moment by moment to their performance and interest level (Posner, 2017).

That’s adaptive learning.

Essentially with class sizes continuing to grow, adaptive learning is key when differentiating instruction for all learners. After teaching third grade for nine years, I’ve watched adaptive learning transform the educational community and classroom into personalized learning for many, if not all, students. Throughout my experience I’ve observed and experienced different online platforms that utilize adaptive learning for students, as well as attended conferences and seminars that emphasize the importance of adaptive learning and its benefits. It continues to inspire me to create a differentiated classroom to ensure all students at learning at their independent levels, reaching their personal goals and building their confidence as a learner. In this work I focus on what adaptive learning is, the history behind how it was started, applications and innovations, as well as critiques of the new learning. I want to continue to learn more about it, so I can best help and reach all types of learners I encounter in my third grade classroom in years to come.

Adaptive learning is a popular edtech buzzword, used by curriculum and learning management systems alike. Enthusiasts promise this technology has the ability to make educational experiences more personal, efficient and scalable" (Burrows, 2019). This new buzzword is confusing to many, but is something that more and more people in the educational field are hearing and seeing in educational platforms.

Remembering back to a time where you were testing and you had no idea what the answers to the questions were, maybe you guessed? On the other hand, did you ever have a test where you blew through it because it was so easy? Think of that same test, but when you got a question right, it got a bit more challenging. When you got one wrong, the test slowly changed into questions that you knew the answers to. This is what educational technology games, state tests, and standardized testing are using today to adapt learning and outcomes to figure out where exactly a student is at. It is no longer a 3rd grade test given to all 3rd graders, but a test where they start out at the same point and adjust the questions based on answers. It is no longer that students either know everything on a test or do not know anything.

Ed Tech Update (2016) explains it a bit more clear.

“First, it targets the student’s starting point based on prior knowledge. For example, all students follow the same curricula, but when you test all 4th graders with the same set of questions, they will reveal very different results. They will excel in some parts and fail in others.

So, if you were to start 3rd grade with an adaptive learning program, each student would receive a different task based on what they already mastered. Struggling readers would be assigned reading materials and weak multipliers would be given more exercises to improve that skill. Then, it prevents struggling students from getting frustrated for not being able to keep up with the general pace of the classroom, and gifted students from becoming bored. Last but not least, it customizes presentation, by constantly analyzing the answers the adaptive software selects from the study materials that make the more sense for that particular student.”

The Adaptive Learning flowchart below illustrates how Adaptive Learning can best help individual students differentiate instruction, as well as show the role of the teacher based upon student progress. 

                                       Image Retrieved from: Dreambox, 2019. 

The author goes on to explain a personal experience that they had in school:

“ I remember how bored I used to get in French class in high school because I was a fluent speaker while others could barely say Bonjour. And how lost I felt in elementary school in geometry class, when everyone but me seemed to understand the Theorem of the Three Perpendiculars" (Olivia D., 2016). 

I, too, have witnessed many of my peers growing up and students I have today have similar experiences to the one the author described. It always seems students either really get the concept and become bored with it while they wait for the rest of the class to understand. Or it’s the opposite, they are trying so hard to grasp the concept, but it just isn’t clicking for them. It becomes an overall frustration for both the students and teachers involved as the maximum amount of learning is not yet reached.

Adaptive learning is rooted in cognitive psychology, beginning with the work of B.F. Skinner. in the 1950’s it started and continued through the whole movement of artificial intelligence in the 70’s (Dreambox, 2019).

Not only is adaptive learning used in schools, like stated above, but it can be used within the work force today. Industries are picking up on Adaptive learning, such as Amazon and Nike, to anticipate buying preferences of their customers. In our super high- tech world, just about every platform uses a form of adaptive learning to target their customers and learn more about their product. I am definitely guilty of these adaptive learning practices when it comes to my shopping cart!

Adaptive learning technology is also used by NASA for simulation training and safety models. The U.S. military, including the Army Learning Concept 2015, that trains and educates soldiers for warfare (Dreambox, 2019). Although it is used outside of schools as well, it’s greatest potential lies in education. Not only K-12, but also higher education institutions, like the University of Illinois and colleges around the nation.

Below is a video that provides a brief overview of what adaptive learning is and how it can be utilized: 

               Video Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm3L5awBuy8

Pedagogically and research-based intelligent adaptive learning technology accesses and stays in the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) for each learner. That means it provides the right next lesson at the right level of difficulty at the right time (Dreambox, 2019).

The video below provides a brief overview of ZPD and how it affects educators and students in the classroom: 

                     Video Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du6vqSOj7UU

When work is easy, learners can do the work on their own without any help. It’s in their “comfort zone.” If all the work a learner is asked to do is always in the comfort zone, no real learning will take place and the learner will eventually lose interest. Conversely, when the work is too hard, the learner becomes frustrated and will likely give up.

The area between the comfort zone and the frustration zone is the one where true learning will take place – the optimal learning zone. It’s the area where a learner will need some help or will need to work hard to understand a concept or complete a task.

Referencing the work of B.F. Skinner can also be connected to adaptive learning. Reflecing upon his Theory of Operant Conditioning can be related to how students are engaged and motivated through adaptive learning. Skinner believed that the best way to understand behavior is to look at the causes of an action and its consequences. This was his concept of operant conditioning. Operant conditioning demonstrated the effect of positive and negative reinforcement on behavior (Andrade, 2019). For example, children can receive rewards like money for doing chores which leads them want to keep repeating that behavior to receive the rewards, thus strengthening behavior with positive reinforcement. When students utilize adapative learning and are rewarded instantly for their efforts by getting an answer correct, the more they want to continue. When they have positive reinforcement supporting them, the more they stay engaged an motivated to continue the learning technology. 

By keeping the challenge appropriate, the learner is guided to be a mathematical ‘doer’ — someone who thinks and strategizes in ways they can apply in school and in their real life experience. This is optimal teaching and optimal learning.

Adaptive learning will reach more learners and students than anyone else in the world. One way these students will use Adaptive Learning is in Educational software and game play. As said by Edtechnology (2016), “Educational software and basic technologies alike now serve the needs of both instructors and learners. For example, adaptive learning is linked to video learning where learners are engaging with programs and lessons that take place on the screen and incorporate different feature so as to connect with divergent learning styles. The concept also lends itself to the use of systems that are interactive and provide multidimensional interface with learners.

Teachers now have the ability to design learning plans for all students based upon the data they see through the adaptive learning platforms. This video discusses how this process happens and how educators can best utilize the data they have to help their students reach their full learning potential. 

                             Video Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM4DOLpHoJ0

Such a pedagogical practice moves beyond the confines of passive learning, enabling learners to interact with the educational programs on the topic for which they were designed, play a role in how they learn in addition to what they learn, and ultimately become a part of the teaching devices while simultaneously remaining students or learners.” (edtechnology.co.uk, 2016)

The ATD Research report (2019) outlined myriad uses of adaptive learning: technical training, senior leadership development, high-potential development, new hire onboarding, interpersonal skills training, frontline leader development, sales training, and on-the-job performance support among them. From this you can see adaptive learning is limited only by your own creativity and willingness to experiment.

To design content for adaptive learning systems, Bennett reminds us of core L&D principles: “Determine what is being measured, then develop learning objectives, followed by creating effective assessments.”

Given the growth in AI and the thirst of learners for their own development, it is no wonder that organizations are expecting to grow their adaptive learning portfolio. 

Dreambox Learning Math is an adaptive, online K-8 program that is designed to complement classroom instruction and help students succeed that utilizes adaptive learning practices. It is built to meet students where they are and driven by Intelligent Adaptive Learning technology that will adapt to students' actions, utilizing adaptive learning, to meet students at the right level with personalized instruction that promotes student decision making and strategy development. They organize the skills the student has been assessed on throughout the Dreambox program and determine growth and progress as the student learns more skills and advances through the guided curriculum. Dreambox has a challenging, standards aligned curriculum, available in English and Spanish that is evidence based to promote student growth and deeper conceptual understanding by encouraging different pathways to solving problems (Dreambox, 2019).

The image below portrays individual student data based upon the third grade math skills. From this data I am able to make organized math skill groups or work individually with that child on the math skills they need to continue to work on to achieve growth. 

                     Image Retrieved from: Personal Student Data in my classroom

In another game platform that I use within my own classroom, Freckle, students take a placement test before starting the program. In the placement test, students start out with questions based on the grade level that the teacher decides to put them at in their settings. If teachers do not do this, all students will take a test at the grade level that the teacher fills in when they first sign up. It is really important, especially in the platform Freckle, that the teacher looks at all of the settings before starting with their class. For example, students with Learning Disabilities may not be able to read the 4th grade material to even make an educated guess when taking the placement test. Therefore, I use data to determine what grade level to put them at. Then, when they start their placement test, it is about where they will be at and can be successful and feel successful, even if some questions may be a bit difficult.

The image below is an example of the features that Freckle can illustrate to educators based upon individual student data and how students continue to grow or areas to continue to work on.

                             Image Retrieved from: Personal Student Data in my classroom

All learning games have the same initial intent for learners, but are structured differently depending on the outlook and goal of the program. Here are a few that provide innovative ways to utilize adaptive learning in the classroom:

 

Prodigy

Math Prodigy is another game system that uses adaptive learning to track data of it’s students. You can use Math Prodigy in Grades 1-7. It uses Common Core standards for each grade, and you can assign your students different lessons, based on what they need or what you are teaching. Students get to play in a fantasy environment where they can collaborate and “battle” against one another.

Below is an image that shows how student engagement through Prodigy can determine and outlook specific learning goals for each individual learner as they work through the Prodigy game. 

                               Image Retrived from: https://www.prodigygame.com/

Personally, I have used Math Prodigy as an Adaptive Learning technology within my classroom and the kids absolutely love it! They beg to play it. It is super engaging for them, but you have to monitor how often they are working on designing their world and looking for one another. Often, I see more off task activity for all of the extra fun options than actual Math work. However, as long as you monitor the work, the students can thrive in their learning. I have one student in particular this year who has struggled immensely with three learning disabilities and becomes overwhelmed easily when he looks at a math page in his workbook. However, when he is using a platform like Dreambox or Prodigy, he thrives. He is focused on the problem on the screen and uses his time to solve to find the answer. He also greatly appreciates the instant feedback it provides and allows him to stay motivated and engaged in his work. Based upon his last chapter math test his score was higher than previous tests this year. I believe this contributes to the work he has been doing through Prodigy to practice multiplication skills. Therefore, even though it might not look like he knows what he’s doing on a workbook page during the whole group math lesson, his adaptive learning programs show completely different data as to how he’s learning.

This video goes through the highlights and benefits shown through Prodigy's adaptive learning platform and how it can help all learners and differentiate instruction. 

                            Video Retrieved: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrP5PDr3-9Y

Prospects: 

Just like with everything, there are pros and cons to it. A few of these points, I’ve already alluded to. Let’s take a look at some pros and cons of bringing Adaptive Learning. Starting with the good, adaptive learning has been proven to be successful and used to help raise scores for students. Not only in Math, using the websites discussed above, but with English Language Arts as well. Show below are scores from the Texas STARR test using the platform, Math Prodigy.

Language learners can take part in active learning by engaging in computer-human activities. Here, the learner can communicate with a program, listen to questions and provide responses, and take part in specially designed quizzes, activities, and learning sessions. Additionally, the language-learner example is useful for highlighting the interest and potential for a learner to choose their own learning path (given that there is nothing inherently linear about learning) instead of having it imposed on them. Learning paths and objectives are not rigidly tied together. Whether the same, similar, or entirely different, learning objectives ultimately involve a mix of learning paths.

Despite concern about associated financial costs, involved adaptive learning demands no more attention to development and implementation than traditional forms of instruction. When systems have been designed and created, they can be customized to meet the needs of another learner at relatively little cost. Curriculum as practice can be divided into distinct categories of development over time. Through learner type or style classifications, adaptations can be a rather smooth process. Interactive lessons need not be long, but rather effective in engaging the learner and making the learning objectives clear, concise, and attainable (Romaniuk, 2017).

With the collection of more information and increasing development and collection of course materials, the establishment of a robust pedagogical arsenal would leave an abundance of course content available for instructors. The collection of various material means that instructors will already have a healthy body of go-to resources. Instructors would likely find the application of adaptive learning resource to a larger body of students easier over time.

Adaptive learning merges learning styles and cognitive styles with the availability of (educational) technology, and data/learning analytics. Audio, visual, and kinesthetic or tactile learning types can benefit from this concept of learning because the concept becomes a practice of science. Though all three learning styles can be incorporated into a given curriculum, one or two styles can be emphasized and thus tailored to the specific learning needs of an individual. When you take a course that is designed specifically for that individual, taking into account their strengths and weaknesses or areas of opportunity, their learning style, attention and retention attributes, you have taken a step into the realm of adaptive learning (Romaniuk, 2017).

 

Challenges: 

A word of caution is needed when it comes to the general application of adaptive learning. Adaptive learning may not be suitable or connect cleanly with all disciplines and subject areas. Moreover, the increased use of adaptive learning, especially depending on the type or level of class in question, raises some question marks about the role of instructors and educators in practice.

Classrooms at every level, from primary school to post-secondary education, are increasingly filled with students with diverse learning and knowledge background, coupled with radically divergent interests and goals beyond their years of formal education and training. With this in mind, newer and more innovative teaching and learning methods are and will be required, and instructors can serve as information gatherers on what is required to meet these challenges by identifying them.

These platforms also give teachers a chance to work in small groups while other students are practicing either concepts due to their placement test or what the teacher assigned them to do (Lynch, 2017). Students find learning fun again and actually may see themselves as being “good” at a subject or challenged at a subject that they otherwise may have felt bored in.

As stated before, a game or learning platform needs to be engaging to be effective. Many games are not. To add on, assessments, which I did not hit on, can throw off data if a student does not do their true work. Many students rush through tests to just finish or simply can have a bad day while taking a test and it completely determines their areas of growth from that one test. I know it is not the platform’s fault, but is something that still needs to be monitored by teachers and administration when considering the data. A lot of districts put a lot of emphasis on data from tests, such as the NWEA MAPS test, to place students in Tiered services. If the student does not do well, they may be placed in a group where they really do not need to be. I’ve seen this at my own school. Teachers need to look at all parts of the data and trained at how to look at the data, so they do not put all of their “apples” in one basket.

Unfortunately, when you use technology, there will always be the occasional technology issue. Many of my students who have been using Dreambox independently while I work with math groups struggle and become frustrated and the program glitches when clicking on the screen. As students are rounding and comparing the two numbers they would round to, they number they click on, does not click but clicks elsewhere on the screen. They become frustrated as they worked on the problem and cannot click on the answer they found. While getting in touch with customer service, it says to be due to a needed update, however, when making the update, some did not correct. Therefore, it’s always important not to solely rely on the adaptive learning information when determining student growth, but focusing on all factors centered around the student itself.

Not only is adaptive learning suited for bringing a variety of learning formats to the table, it is able to help instructors and researchers in the field of education understanding how learning is distinctive, differing from one learner to another, what subject areas are most desirable, and what the most fundamental problems associated with them are at a given time.

Many adaptive learning systems and platforms deliver textbook content at variable speeds, but don’t have the ability to tailor learning and seamlessly provide assessment. As you consider various adaptive learning programs, keep these criteria in mind (Romaniuk, 2018): 

• Many different curriculum sequences – When teachers or learning guardians work one-on-one with students, they are able to change the sequencing of a curriculum in a way that makes the student’s learning experience most effective. It’s important that whatever adaptive learning system you choose, it’s able to accomplish the same feat.
• Adjust to the pace of student learning – Research has shown that allowing students to work at their own optimal pace is an effective learning strategy. Students should progress through the system only after they have demonstrated mastery of the concept they are currently learning.
• Take prior knowledge into account – Any adaptive learning program you choose should have the capability to target a student’s starting point based on prior knowledge, and help that student make steady academic progress toward desired learning goals. This strategy prevents students who are struggling from becoming frustrated, and students who are gifted from becoming bored.
• Strategies to increase student engagement – In a digital age when so many students are used to using technology in every aspect of their lives, gaming has been shown to be an important means of engaging students in learning. Adaptive learning programs that emulate strategy games help students see learning as something that is fun, not tedious.
• Interactive support when problem solving – Rather than telling students what they should do next, it’s important that the system emulates a live tutor, prompting students to rethink strategies that may not be working.
• Customized presentation – Adaptive learning systems should customize the presentation of lessons to suit each individual student’s needs. By constantly analyzing students’ responses to and ways of thinking about problems, the presentation of new material is adapted to make sure it makes the most sense to that particular student.
• Analysis of student solutions – An online learning platform that retrieves data based on student answers at the end of the lesson is not helpful for the student or the teacher. IALs interact with students as they solve problems, explore new concepts and make decisions, and they analyze the data in real-time to change their approach to instruction.

Overall, adaptive learning has the ability to enrich, improve and achieve student growth and development through the grade level standardized skills (and beyond) for each individual student. I appreciate how platforms have been developed in order to help differentiate instruction that normally would not have been possible. So many of my students can utilize these programs during a workshop time at school or even at home and continue to practice skills within their areas of growth and not always even realize they’re “learning” through the gaming process.

Advances in adaptive learning systems and platforms with their powerful feedback loops are used in blended learning environments for greater personalization. The ability for students to track their own learning means that they can develop valuable self-monitoring skills, and engage in their personal learning progress (Dreambox, 2019).

These platforms have been created to engage and motivate student learners through the gaming system, instant feedback and motivating factors that have been added into the programs. There are some days when I don’t know what I would do without these platforms, as they truly allow students to be independent and problem solve, while I am able to work with small groups on the skills shown that students can continue to grow within. Nowadays with class sizes growing, it’s imperative for districts to have some forms of adaptive learning present to best utilize and reach all their learners each school day. Although with every new technological advance, there will still be things the platforms are working through, but overall I am one content teacher with how technology continues to evolve and transform adaptive learning into the educational classroom environment.

Andrade, D. (2019). "Behaviorism: B.F. Skinner." Retrieved from: https://dandradebehaviorism.weebly.com/bf-skinner.html

Burrows, P. (2019). “Adaptive learning is all about…” EdSurge. Retrieved from: https://adaptive.edsurge.com/adaptive-learning

D, Olivia. (2016). “Why should schools consider adaptive learning?” EdTech. Retrieved from: https://blog.neolms.com/schools-consider-adaptive-learning/

Dreambox Learning. (2019). “What is Adaptive Learning?” Retrieved from: https://www.dreambox.com/adaptive-learning

Gaul, P. (2019). The ABCs of adaptive learning. Association of Talent Development. Retrieved from: https://www.td.org/insights/the-abcs-of-adaptive-learning

Lynch, M. (2017). “5 Things you should know about adaptive learning.” The Tech Edvocate. Retrieved from: https://www.thetechedvocate.org/5-things-know-adaptive-learning/

Posner, Z. (2017). “What is adaptive learning anyway?” McGraw Hill. Retrieved from: https://www.mheducation.com/ideas/what-is-adaptive-learning.html

Romaniuk, S. (2018). “Adaptive learning in the classroom and beyond.” Retrieved from: https://edtechnology.co.uk/Blog/adaptive-learning-in-the-classroom-and-beyond/