Disrupting Professional Development: The Case for Customization
(Part 3 in a 5-Part Professional Development Series)
According to dictionary.com, the word “customize” means “to modify or build according to individual or personal specifications or preference.” It is a verb that is used with an object. If you go as far as to look up the definition, you will see the example “to customize an automobile.” This is an easy application for most of us to understand the meaning of the word. As I am not in the automotive industry profession, I would like to use a different object that is more representative of my career in education.
There is a current buzzword that is being used by many educators. That buzzword is “customized learning.” Some may refer to it as mass customized learning, as personalized learning, or as student-centered learning. More than likely, most educators use the terms interchangeably. Although there are differences between all of these terms, the main goal of each is to tailor instructional delivery in a manner that focuses upon students’ academic needs and interests. It takes into consideration student aspirations and backgrounds in order to move beyond an industrial age of mass producing the same educational experience for all students into an information age that uses variation of instructional approaches and strategies, variation of assignments, and variation of assessments.
With the availability of technological tools and resources, it is possible to transition our school entities into a place where individual learning paths can be created to provide a more diverse and rewarding learning experience for all students. Customized learning may be a current reality for some K–12 school entities. It may be a desired reality for others. Regardless of where a school entity is in the continuum between the two realities, educators are still tasked with the responsibility of creating individual learning paths for all students and are diligent in working to attain this goal.
Now, let’s shift focus and change the object (learning) with the word “customized.” Take a moment and think about “customized professional development.” How many of us have given much thought of customized learning for educators? How many of us have given much thought of providing an educator-centered learning experience that addresses the needs, interests, and backgrounds of individual teachers, administrators, and staff? Whether or not you have given much thought to these questions, it is time to start. There are many educational initiatives that lend themselves to customization and would make more sense if they were delivered in that manner to educators.
Now is the perfect time to disrupt the current constructs of professional development and customize the experience. There is a case to build for customization of learning experiences for educators. When doing so, there are three key areas that matter.
- When customizing professional development, framework matters.
In looking at any educational initiative, it is important to deliver the learning concepts in a framework that makes sense to individuals. A comprehensive framework of program development allows for teachers, administrators, and staff to fully comprehend the construct of the initiative in order to effectively implement it within instructional delivery. Effective program development is encompassed within a five-step framework which includes research, planning, implementation, evaluation and feedback, and ongoing support.
- Research is the starting point of transitioning to and implementing an educational initiative. There should be a compilation of the research addressed that includes empirical evidence showing educational gains in a quantitative and/or qualitative manner as it relates to the initiative. This compilation needs to include important terminology, strategies, and techniques that are pertinent to comprehensive understanding of the initiative as well as how to implement it within instructional delivery.
- Planning addresses the necessary components that help to create, to prepare, to implement, and to monitor the educational initiative. It presents the necessary steps for implementation in a logical and sequential manner.
- Implementation is the end result that educators work tirelessly to attain with the educational initiative. It is when the specific initiative comes to life within classroom delivery, resulting in the attainment of student learning and achievement.
- Evaluation and feedback are essential to the study, to the planning, and to the implementation of the educational initiative. Evaluation is summative, and feedback formative, in nature. Both are needed during every step within the five-step framework in order to implement effectively and efficiently as well as make any necessary changes and improvements.
- Ongoing support is crucial for implementing and maintaining the educational initiative with integrity and fidelity. Educators need to keep abreast of new research pertaining to the topic. They need resources that address the learning needs of students. In addition, they need to be able to find answers to any questions that they may have before, during, and/or after implementation.
- When customizing professional development, roles and responsibilities matter.
In order to have customized professional development, you have to take into consideration the specific roles and responsibilities of your intended audience. The learning outcomes of the professional development session may be the same or very similar for an educational initiative, but the delivery of those outcomes may differ greatly depending upon whether you are addressing an administrator, teacher, or staff member. The concepts of training are focused and delivered in a more precise manner when they are addressed to the specific stakeholder as well as their unique professional responsibilities.
3. When customizing professional development, user preferences matter.
We all have different preferences. This is readily seen in what we eat, what we wear, or what movies we watch. Most of us, however, do not think about our preferences in how we want to learn about a new educational initiative. For the most part, this is decided for us. We learn at conferences or workshops. We learn during in-service days. We take online courses and webinars. These types of professional development can satisfy the requisite of learning about an educational initiative, but they may not satisfy a person’s preferences for learning. Some people want to learn at work because important materials are accessible. Some people prefer to sit with their grade level or team members to learn about a new initiative. Some people prefer to be in a coffee shop or out on a walk or on a treadmill while learning. Preferences are as unique as the individual and can change at a moment’s notice depending on what is on the day’s agenda.Whether in a quiet place or on the run, there is an increased need to deliver professional development to educators through an eLearning platform in a way that addresses their professional and personal lives. Mobility is sometimes a necessity. Other times, it is just nice as it provides more options!
The desire for customized learning has never been greater. Isn’t it time to provide a more customized professional development experience for educators in a way that makes their professional and personal lives easier?
Dr. Paula Westerman is founder and chief executive officer of DevelApped, West Educator Applications, LLC, a Pennsylvania-based firm that addresses the professional development needs of educators through a unique platform using disruption innovation. Having served in Pennsylvania public schools for over 25 years, Dr. Westerman brings her extensive educational experience as a central office administrator, secondary and elementary building administrator, and elementary teacher to provide consulting services for educators on current and relevant initiatives that will help school entities transform their programs to improve student learning and achievement.
Sources
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/customize
https://www.edglossary.org/personalized-learning/
https://www.eschoolnews.com/2012/02/21/mass-customized-learning-the-key-to-education-reform/
https://paldc.org/customized-learning/
https://www.towerdata.com/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-personalization-and-customization
