What is adaptive learning and why is it important?

Adaptive learning or adaptive teaching is the delivery of customized learning experiences rather than providing a unified learning experience that addresses an individual's unique needs through just-in-time feedback, pathways, and resources. The concept of adaptive learning is the provision of education or training that leverages technology and data to deliver customized content to students. It intelligently adapts to the unique needs and preferences of learners.

Interest in the idea of adaptive learning has increased in recent years with the development of new products, the forging of partnerships between e-learning software providers and content publishers, and the significant investment by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in the field, education and training. 

The basic premise of adaptive learning is to enhance teaching and training by using technology to provide students with customized programs based on data collected before and during the learning process. The best adaptive learning platforms use some form of data mining to compile educational and training content optimized for the individual needs of students. This platform uses data that is continuously collected as students interact with learning content. Such platforms can determine which learning activities, through which mediums and in what order, will help students improve their learning. 

Each student goes through a highly individualized teaching or training experience that can significantly improve their learning outcomes. Careful preparation and execution are key to a successful implementation of adaptive and personalized learning. Learning institutions should work closely with platform providers to create learning environments that achieve their intended outcomes. Even for introductory courses, this form of learning has limited benefits and is difficult to scale.

With new digital learning providers entering the market, AI processing increasingly faster data, and the continued formation of partnerships between platform providers and learning organizations, the adaptive and personalized learning experience will continue to sustain and evolve.