News & Press Releases

Giving students ownership over their learning

When we think about a definition of a classroom, most of us imagine rows of students’ desks in the front of the teacher. In fact, going back in time, this is the definition of school as we know it: one teacher teaching a large group of students at the same time.

But is this the most effective way to learn? What if each student had more power over what, how, and at what pace they learn? It already exists… is being implemented in several schools around the world, and it is called Personalized Learning!

This state-of-the-art learning method is sensitive to student interests and prioritizes the needs and goals of each student, tailoring the pace and focus of instruction. Students are allowed to choose from multiple versions of assignments and assessments to demonstrate that they already possessed knowledge about a certain topic, which allows them to progress through a curriculum at their own pace.

Teachers, in turn, rather than lecturing to an entire class at the same time, are more focused on understanding the individual needs of the students, giving them instruction and support exactly in the areas where they really need it and investing in getting to know each student’s strengths and challenges.

In this learning environment, technology plays an essential role. One of the best-known examples that is already found in millions of classrooms worldwide is Khan Academy – a giant online library that includes multiple-choice exercises and short videos.

Using this digital tool, students can select their preferred topics and learn the subject matter through short dynamic videos. The student won’t move on until they answer a certain number of questions correctly.

This innovative approach can be a powerful way to positively impact student achievement and engagement. Teachers who are already familiar with this learning method refer that, when compared with textbook-based curricula, students significantly improved their overall grades and are more prepared for the demands of the 21 century – curious, creative, and problem-solving persons.

However, for schools without robust internet infrastructure in the classroom, accessing these resources can be challenging…or impossible.

One way that school systems around the world are enabling the use of these types of resources is by the deployment of micro-clouds for education, which enable easy technology access in any classroom, anywhere in the world, regardless of networking and infrastructure challenges!

The C3 Micro-Cloud is the leading solution to dramatically simplify and manage the delivery of digital content and e-Learning capabilities to schools, regardless of infrastructure challenges or internet connectivity limitations. Khan Academy is an example of the resources that can be accessed through the micro-cloud, but it is not the only one: podcasts, simulations, videos, PDF files, e-books, educational applications, and other resources can be centrally curated in the C3 Cloud, and distributed to any authorized C3 Micro-Cloud in any school whenever a network link is available.

With the C3 Micro-Cloud, any school can use a wide variety of content in the classroom, allowing students access to seek and gather information on their own, under the guidance of their teachers, instead of passively receiving only the hardcopy information available in books!

You can have a personalized learning environment in your classroom, anywhere in the world, regardless of networking and infrastructure challenges.