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Ann Parfenova

Course creation, e-learning tools · 7 MIN · 19.11.2024

How can adaptive learning technology improve the learning experience?

Everyone who works with education, whether a teacher or T&D, has at least once considered improving engagement and effectiveness. More and more often, you can read about personalised learning. And there is a reason.
A 2015 study by RAND revealed that 11,000 students across 62 schools implementing personalised learning methods achieved higher improvements in math and reading compared to similar students in more conventional schools.
One of the ways to personalise learning and adapt it to each student’s need is adaptive learning. In this article, we share:

What is adaptive learning?

Adaptive learning is part of interactive learning, which addresses individuals' needs through learning pathways, effective feedback, and supplemental resources rather than a one-size-fits-all curriculum.
(Kurt, 2021)
Simply put, it’s a dynamic learning that changes its content based on learners' behaviour. For those who find courses easy and pass all tests fast, a platform adapts the complexity to keep learners interested and ensure better results. The same goes for those who are struggling. The platform automatically analyses data and adapts the learning paths.

How can adaptive learning help improve a course?

Here are some data. The results of implementing adaptive learning in universities promising:
  • The rate of students passing exams increased by 18%
  • Withdrawals from math courses dropped by 47%
  • In an economics course and researchers, the rate of students passing exams increased by 27%
Basically, they show that adaptive learning helps increase students’ engagement, compilation rate, and overall outcomes. Thanks to a personalised approach, students get information that is complex enough to be interesting to them. This approach is heavily used in the game development industry. Also, you can find the term “productive struggling”. This approach keeps students curious and gives them more satisfaction from solving the tasks.

Sure, adaptive learning is not the answer to all your questions. You need to consider many things while creating education, such as learning transfer, customer satisfaction, and motivation before, during, and after the course. However, it helps when the course targets a wide audience or when the level of learners is different.

How does adaptive learning work?

Adaptive courses adapt the complexity and content to student’s behaviour and needs. A learning platform collects and analyses data of every student and chooses the content they would see next. Let’s look at the learning process:

How to create an adaptive course?

Personalized learning can be expensive. It costs a lot to create a unique learning experience for each student. In the past, the only way to get personalised courses was to hire a private tutor or join tiny groups. This method is hard to implement in schools or workplaces.

Nowadays we have new technologies that help automate this process and make it completely online. We know how to write algorithms for working with big data or use AI-poweres technologies. So, the cost of adaptive learning is low lower than ever. To implement it for your course seems a no-brainer.

Let’s talk about how to create a personalised course. If you need a refresher on how to build a course in general, it’s a good idea to read an introductory article first. Designing personalised courses can be a bit complicated. Here are the key steps to follow:
1. Develop Educational Journeys
You must develop different learning journeys based on how learners behave and what they already know. These paths help guide different groups of learners toward the results you want them to achieve. To do this effectively, it’s important to understand your audience and design a learning plan that fits their needs.
2. Develop customized evaluations and feedback
The learning journey for each student will be shaped by how they are doing in the course. That's why it’s important to have tests and activities that help you see what a student knows and where they might need some extra help. This way, everyone can work towards achieving the goals of the course more effectively.
3. Create short educational content modules
Create short lessons focusing on specific goals related to the main learning objectives. This method helps you create a clear path for learning. Each personalised learning plan will include the lessons students need to reach their desired outcomes.

What does it look like? Let’s explore using my favourite example.
As you can see, every learner now gets only the necessary information. However, you must know your learners and the objectives well to design such learning paths. Adaptive course creation may take more time than traditional ones.
4. Find the right software
You must develop different learning journeys based on how learners behave and what they already know. These paths help guide different groups of learners toward the results you want them to achieve. To do this effectively, it’s important to understand your audience and design a learning plan that fits their needs.

FAQ

  • Ann Parfenova
    Learning experience designer
    With 7 years in Learning Experience Design, I’ve crafted 90+ interactive courses that prove learning can be fun! From gamified simulations to educational games, I’m all about making education exciting and engaging. Let’s make learning an adventure!

    All articles by this author
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