Informing the Implementation of Personalized Learning in the Middle Grades through a School-Wide Genius Hour

Abstract

Over the past decade, personalized learning has emerged as a major aim in the contemporary education systems of many countries. This qualitative case study examined middle school educators’ perceptions of how their school’s collective experimentation with Genius Hour supported the broader implementation of personalized learning. Teachers in the study perceived Genius Hour to foster student self-direction and to engage students through relationships and choice provision. Teachers benefited from experiencing a model of personalized learning in practice and participating in its initial success, although logistical, personal, and curricular considerations kept them from integrating the practice into their classrooms more generally. Implications of the collective experiment with school-wide Genius Hour are discussed, including considerations for practice and future research.