This review provides a critical assessment of Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) and personalized learning within formal education by juxtaposing their beneficial effects against the potential issues that could impede their effective use. Through meticulous screening and reviewing procedures, 53 articles were thematically analyzed and the main…

Personalized learning is gaining popularity among educational leaders due to reexamining teaching and learning the pedagogy by increasing student ownership. However, the implementation of personalized learning is limited, even after professional development opportunities. The problem addressed in this study was the inconsistency in the content and…

We present findings from a randomized controlled trial of "Descubriendo la Lectura" (DLL), an intervention designed to improve the literacy skills of Spanish-speaking first graders, who are struggling with reading. DLL offers one-on-one native language literacy instruction for 12 to 20 weeks to each school's lowest performing…

The Teaching Resources Center (TRC) was developed at the university as an integrated project funded by the Ministry of Education. The focus of the TRC is not only on enhancing students' motivation in self-access study and written English, but also on providing the resources for research and information to develop lifelong learners and independent…

A carefully designed independent study program is a quick, efficient way to fill gaps, redeem mistakes, and create solutions for seemingly impossible problems. Success depends on understanding students' different situations, using proper supervision, requiring a paper trail, juggling multiple options, getting teacher support, and guaranteeing…

This article reviews the history of self-directed learning for the gifted and describes the Autonomous Learner Model (Betts, 1985) which includes a strong affective component, career development, and guidelines for a process-based scope and sequence. Guidelines are provided for developing independent study programs for gifted learners. (Author/CB)

Lindvall's observation system has been designed to assess elementary school students' behaviors in an Individually Prescribed Instruction (IPI) project. It measures the self-directiveness of the student by determining how pupils use their classroom time when they are not actively being guided by a teacher. The system focuses on student behaviors,…

This study investigated the constraints students in an alternative education program encountered when attempting to implement their individualized curricula in the Independent Study Program (ISP) at the University of Illinois. The study used in-depth interviews with an informant sample of 10 ISP students to gather data about curriculum…

A junior high school English teacher explains how she managed to teach gifted and talented students in a mixed-ability classroom. She discovered the importance of taking "baby steps" (allowing independent study), varying learning activities, raising the bar for everyone, and discovering her students' passions. (MLH)

This publication is a detailed guide for both adult basic education program managers and practitioners to the concept of adult literacy provision within an open learning model. It has three major sections. Section 1 investigates the aims and directions common to both open learning and adult basic education. It provides reviews of programs that…

This booklet provides an overview of IST (Individualized Study by Technology) programs at small, isolated rural high schools in Alaska, which use individualized microcomputer-based courses to provide a more complete curriculum. First, a general description is given of the IST program, which utilizes teachers, traditional texts, and printed…

Project REDEAL (Research and Evaluation of Distance Education for the Adult Learner) has designed a three-semester system for distance education. Design features have been recommended to maximize personal learner success as well as to have an impact on indicators of success. The individualized instructional environment recommended is a specific…

This dissertation examines various characteristics of 79 Iowa public high schools reporting success or failure in the use of flexible modular scheduling (FMS), based on questionnaire responses. FMS schools were defined as having a daily schedule of more than 14 modules and using either variable class times, large group, small group, or independent…

This book, which is intended for practitioners working with adult learners at the postsecondary level, describes a wide range of lifelong learning program models and educational strategies that have proved successful with adult learners across the nation. Data gathered by the Commission for a Nation of Lifelong Learners in a national study of…

This book, which is intended primarily for specialists in the field of adult education (AE) who wish to improve their performance, presents a systematic plan for designing, establishing, and evaluating successful programs for adult learners. The following topics are among those discussed in the book's six chapters: credos and systems (growth of…