Supporting Personalized Learning through Creating a Community Around It

Water balloons aren’t the only thing that make summer exciting. This summer marks a thrilling new chapter in the way Education Elements supports schools and districts in launching and sustaining successful Personalized Learning initiatives.

Last year we launched national Blended Learning Leadership Academies (BLLAs), hosting five events throughout the country. This year BLLA has evolved into multi-leveled Personalized Learning Academies (PLAs), with customized tracks for superintendents, district leaders, school leaders, and teachers, which we will host in dozens of locations, from New York to Colorado, Alabama to California.

We see the PLAs as a crucial step in getting schools and districts ready to launch and support personalized learning. Sessions include a review of national promising practices, an opportunity to set instructional expectations, and time to plan summer and fall professional development calendars. As one instructional coach from Uinta County School District #1 attested, “It was beneficial to talk about the logistics of sharing information and the blended learning experiences of our teachers throughout the year. The calendaring was very beneficial because it made us feel as if we were able to walk away with a solid plan that will provide teachers with information without overwhelming the system.”

In addition to our Personalized Learning Academies, Education Elements has also developed a new Personalized Learning Portal, which includes more than self-paced 30 modules for teachers and leaders on topics ranging from Digital Ethics to Differentiation to Personalized Learning Lesson Planning. Contact us if you want to learn more.

Finally, we were inspired by the awesome work ofBen Wilkoff and Denver Public Schools and have moved our Personalized Learning Community, onto Google+. The community is a way for leaders from around the country to connect on Personalized Learning best practices and post photos of what’s working well at their school sites. Please join our community, and engage in a national conversation with Personalized Learning leaders.