The promise and perils of personalized learning : keeping students at the center of the ed tech revolution

Abstract

As access to education technology - high-speed Internet connectivity, lower-cost computers, and online learning programs - has increased over the past five years in K-12 schools in the United States, the debate over technology's place in the classroom, specifically its ability to usher in a new era of education personalized to meet the needs of every individual student, has raged on. Much of the narrative perpetuated by technology companies around educational reform has centered on an idea that outside, tech-driven "disruption" is needed in order for real transformation. However, many school districts have found more success moving towards personalized learning when the disruption is homegrown, scaled carefully, involves all community stakeholders, and is driven by pedagogy, not technology. This thesis examines in depth one school district, Kettle Moraine School District in Wisconsin, and their success in creating personalized learning experiences for their students, as a case study for how other districts might approach homegrown disruptions of their own.