Teachers' perceptions of personalised learning

Abstract

This paper explores personalised learning, which is a ‘new’ teaching and learning style in the Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners launched by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) for England in 2004. The research was based on semi-structured interviews with 13 teachers mainly in charge of Key Stage 3 at two 11–18 comprehensive schools in North East England, combined with consideration of their published documents and those of further schools that have been used by the DfES as exemplars of personalised learning in operation. Personalised learning seems to be the collection of ideal old and new approaches used to promote the creation of ideal classes and schools. Because definitions of personalised learning can be ambiguous, a number of schools and teachers in England have been struggling to understand and make effective use of the new style. Moreover, some teachers appear to be confused between personalised learning and other styles and approaches to school and class organisation. There could be a danger, therefore, that personalised learning becomes an acceptable banner under which very different and even retrograde practices continue to operate. © 2007, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.