How to Personalize Learning Part 3: Knowing How a Classroom Learns

Now, it may seem contradictory to state that teachers should create a classroom learner toolkit.  All individuals in our class have their own profile. We can’t simply design on blanket profile for the class.  That is very true.  That’s why Bray and McClaskey take a different approach to what a classroom learning toolkit looks like.  It is a 3-step process

1. Class Learning Snapshot
2. Preferences and Needs
3. Class Learning Toolkit

Class Learning Snapshot

In this model of designing tools for a whole classroom, the authors first recommend the teacher identify 4 learners who are diverse.  The Class Learning Snapshot records the specific strengths, talents, interests, and challenges of those four learners. If a teacher could meet the needs of these diverse learners through UDL, the needs of the other students in the class would probably be met.

Student	Strengths, Talents, and Interests	Challenges
1	It's easier for me to understand content when I am taught by a teacher and then am able to get information that’s written down. A pre-read also helps. It's easiest for me to work when I am able to collaborate with others. It's easiest for me to demonstrate why I've learned when I take a written test or do group projects. I like to draw and play softball	It's difficult for me to understand content when I am given a video and told to teach myself. It's difficult for me to work when there are a lot of distractions. It's difficult for me to demonstrate why I've learned when I have to give a presentation.
2	It's easier for me to understand content when I receive paper handouts and notes. I like listening to lectures in class and adding my own notes from what the teacher says. It's easiest for me to work when there is a deadline because I procrastinate and it motivates me to finish the assignment. It's easiest for me to demonstrate why I've learned when I create and give a presentation or when I take a test because both of those methods force me to learn the information. Soccer, tennis, running, skiing, traveling, service to others, and history/politics	It's difficult for me to understand content when I review a lecture on my own at home and take my own notes, without the teacher going over and reiterating the topics It's difficult for me to work when there are distractions (ie when I am not with my close friends) It's difficult for me to demonstrate why I've learned when I create a video or write-up because while I can successfully create these, I do not fully take in all the information.
3	It's easier for me to understand content when it is explained in pictures It's easiest for me to work when I have access to a computer It's easiest for me to demonstrate why I've learned when I can write about it Working with computers	It's difficult for me to understand content when it is not visually presented or written It's difficult for me to work when in a large group It's difficult for me to demonstrate why I've learned when I have to make videos
4	It's easier for me to understand content when I take or copy notes It's easier for me to understand content when I take or copy notes It's easiest for me to demonstrate why I've learned when I make a presentation gymnastics, golf, track	It's difficult for me to understand content when I watch a video It's difficult for me to work when I procrastinate It's difficult for me to demonstrate why I've learned when I have to write a paper

Preferences and Needs

The next step requires the teacher to look at the preferences and needs for each of these diverse learners. It is important that the teacher records these for all areas of learning access, engagement, and expression. Again, it’s important to consider why learners want to engage with the content you are presenting. Diverse learners have different points of entry to the content.  These should be factored into the document.

Student	Strengths, Talents, and Interests	Challenges
			Access: notes/ outlines are helpful, reading from the textbook is not helpful I just learn better when I am taught by a teacher Engage: working with others is helpful, no class time to work is not helpful Express: presenting is helpful for demonstrating, writing is hard for me to demonstrate
			Access: Paper handouts and notes (can focus on listening during the lecture and I am more motivated to complete it). Watching and listening to the teacher present (how I like to learn the information). Engage: Assignments with definite deadlines that are enforced (motivates me to complete the work and stay on track). Variance in group and individual work (when there are bigger projects spreading the workload is beneficial, however sometimes when I am in groups I do not trust my partners and want to complete the work myself). Express: Creating a presentation and giving it to the class (forces me to review the information and learn it well enough to tell others about it). Taking tests (forces me to study and learn the information).
			Access: I would like there to be at least some visual representation of concepts discussed in class as well as ways to get information outside of class Engage: I would like there to be far more paper worksheets and packets than digital ones, or at least the option to do them on paper instead of online Express: I would like there to be more writing and testing than video creation or presentations
			Access: Outline of notes and reading the book helps Watching videos does not help Engage: Working in groups is helpful No class time to work is not helpful Express: Presenting and taking tests are helpful Writing a paper is not helpful

Class Learning Toolkit

The Class Learning Toolkit is a catalog of the tools and strategies learners will use to access content, engage with content, and express mastery.  Tools could be technology such as apps or organizational frameworks. To start building the toolkit, look at the preferences and needs of those learners in the snapshot. Find tools to fit the needs.  Don’t simply add tools because it is sophisticated.  Tools are designed to fit a need. Don’t complicate students lives by introducing tools they have no need for.

To create the Class Learning Toolkit, the teacher first needs to first divide all resources into the category of access, engage, or express. For each tool, the teacher records how the tool could be used by the teacher as a part of an instruction.  This section is called “Instructional Method”. This section is used to provide examples of how a teacher would use the tool to instruct students.  The second categorization for each tool is “Learning Strategies and Skills”.  In this section, the skills the tool will enhance fot the learner are stated. Below is a sample with three tools that are essential to my learners.

Tools/Apps	Instructional Methods	Learning Strategies and Skills
Access
YouTube	Teacher can find video clips that relate to specific content in order to provide another perspective on a topic.	Learners can learn to analyze media which contains visual and audio information.
Engage
Pear Deck	Teacher can use this as a tool to build practice questions into large groups instruction.	Learners can use this tools to engage in guided practice with instructor.
Express
Explain Everything	Teacher can create audio/video lessons for students to view.	Learners can create multimedia documents with spoken words and images they generate to demonstrate deep understanding of a concept.

The final Class Learning Toolkit is organized  around each of the four diverse learners, the tools, instructional methods, and learning strategies and skills they employ to meet the learner’s needs.

Student	Tools, apps, resources	Instructional Methods	Learning Strategies and Skills
1	Prezi	Create dynamic presentations for large group instruction.	Organize information for presentation of content to demonstrate mastery
2	Pear Deck	Teacher can use this as a tool to build practice questions into large groups instruction.	Learners can use this tools to engage in guided practice with instructor.
3	Phet Simulations	Allows for visual representations through simulations.	Collect and analyze data in experiments.
4	GSuite	Provide easy access to documents online.	Collaborate on document creation with peers.

As teachers learn more about each learner in their class, they will be able to help guide learners to appropriate tools and strategies.  As the teacher identifies new learner needs, tools can be added to the list.  Again, this toolkit is just the start.  Tools that are useful should be added.  But as with every tool, the user needs to know its intended function and when it will be most useful.