Personalized and Adaptive Learning

Abstract Personalized and adaptive learning has been touted to be one of the most promising emerging tools for increasing student learning and student success. Yet, the terms are neither precise nor clearly defined at this time, thus making it difficult for institutions of higher education to adopt and implement a learning approach using technology that is in its infancy and not clearly understood by those who will be utilizing it. One goal of this chapter is to define adaptive and personalized learning as it is used at this time in the hopes that as the technology evolves the promise of increased student learning can come to fruition. Adaptive learning personalizes learning by continuously evaluating each student’s performance in real time and creating an ever-changing individualized learning pathway as directed by artificial intelligence and machine learning, thus increasing learning and student satisfaction.