Last year, I struggled in my math class and felt quite lost through pretty much the whole semester. While I had some control over how I studied (autonomy) and had friends I studied with (relatedness), I still struggled a lot. I think this goes to show that even when students have control over their learning it does not mean that their learning is automatically personalized. Or at least not personalized in a way that is needed, which can depend on the subject. In Bulger’s article, I found it interesting how modern technology can adjust student’s learning experiences by collected information. Since completing assignments did not mean that I fully understood concepts, I think personalized learning could potentially help by identifying the exact areas that I was struggling with especially since I was unable to do so myself. I understand why grades and completed assignments are important in school but I think having students’ learning personalized to each individual can help to actually feel like they are competence. However, Bulger does bring up the point that relying too much on data and algorithms can be harmful. For example, a system checking a box that I have completed an assignment without recognizing that I am still confused about the material. I think this is where the platform used really makes a big difference. Overall, my experience taught me that motivation depends on more than just having control over how I learn or having friends to support me. Autonomy and relatedness are definitely important aspects of school and learning, my constant lack of competence made it difficult to stay motivated. Personalized learning could have improved my experience by identifying the exact areas/concepts I was struggling with and provided specific support. But, it would need to go beyond tracking grades and assignments. It should recognize student’s progress and track what students are actually learning. 

References

Bulger, M. (2016). Personalized learning: The conversations we’re not having the promise of personalized learning. https://datasociety.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/PersonalizedLearning_primer_2016.pdf