#CUSTOMIZEDU

Mass Customized Learning is functional and available in schools today. If the tools are there why wouldn’t we allow our students to learn in the best way possible for them? Customizedu.net is an excellent source for those considering mass customized learning. Aside from the site being user-friendly, it is providing you with great information. Regardless of where you are with mass customized learning, they will be able to help you. I like that they include the steps needed to implement customized learning in your school. I think that the Customized Learning Classes page was the most useful. This page gives you the tools for creating a flipped classroom. This is an easy way to begin customization even if the other teachers are not on board. I do wonder about the costs of implementing customized learning into a small school. I am curious about the outward perception of what students and teachers are “doing all day” that may be taken by some community members. I am also concerned about what would happen to a student’s schedule. In the MCL scenario, students are signed up for classes/seminars at random times. Theoretically, they could be working anywhere. Unfortunately one of the most important aspects of school is that they are a place where students physically are during the day. We cannot get away from this in any situation. Students always need to be accounted for. I also read a lot about the idea that the 9-month school year is not necessary and is outdated. While that is true for much of the country, it is not true in my school. I work in a rural community. My students live on farms and they are expected to help out. Summers for my many of my students are spent farming. Mass customized learning should only be implemented if there is a need and desire for it. But I also believe that once it is tried you must be willing to give it a fair shot. Once implemented you must commit to a minimum time frame, we should not quit after one year. Sometimes you have to wait to see the benefits and success of a new program.