The document discusses adaptive learning and key questions about adaptive learning systems. It defines adaptive learning as "a technology that automatically adapts learning delivery to an audience or an individual." It then lists eight key questions to help define the type of adaptive learning system, including what data drives adaptation, what is adapted (content, sequence, etc.), how recommendations are made (rules-based vs algorithms), applications, scalability, and openness of content and data models. The document then profiles CogBooks as an adaptive learning authoring and delivery platform that intelligently personalizes for each student, is robust and cloud-based, supports open content and data models, and is used widely in higher education and corporations.

1. Adaptive Learning:
Eight Key Questions
Jim Thompson
CogBooks
Putting adaptive learning in the hands of educators since 2005
www.cogbooks.com
www.cogbooks.com/blog.html
#cogbooks

2. Why is adaptive learning so important?
It enables personalized learning at massive scale.
Students …
Improved learning effectiveness through personalized support
Reduced learning times through personalised pathways
Instructors …
Enhanced data and tools for helping students
Increased automation of teaching tasks
University / Organizational Administrators …
Higher completion rates and reduced delivery costs
Increased use of data driven methods
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3. Current on-line learning
Students / Learners
One size fits all
Course Delivery System

4. Personalized
Students / Learners
Tailored for each
learner
Course Delivery System
Individual
Recommendations
Data
Cloud-based Adaptive
Engine

5. Personalized Adaptive Learning
CogBooks delivers learning in the way that we learn …
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6. Personalized Adaptive Learning
By personalizing the learner‟s path at each step,
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7. Personalized Adaptive Learning
By personalizing the learner‟s path at each step,
each individual learns more effectively and more quickly.
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8. High level definition of adaptive learning
used widely in the research literature:
“A technology that automatically adapts
learning delivery to an audience or an
individual”
Here are eight key questions to help you
to define the type of adaptive learning
tool more specifically…

9. Eight key attributes of an adaptive system
1. When are the data gathered and recommendations made?
2. What data drives adaptation?
3. What is adapted?
4. What methods are used to drive adaptation?
5. What end-use applications are supported?
6. How extensive and scalable is the solution?
7. How open is the content development model?
8. How open is the data model?

10. 1. When are the data gathered and recommendations made ?
Pre Course/Module
+
Simple
-
Each Learning
Episode
Continuous
Snapshot only
Application
Self-contained,
Short learning episodes
More data / more up to date
Formative assessment
Full courses and curricula
> 20 mins learning

11. 2. What data are used to drive adaptation?
Other Profile
Psychological profile
Demographic data
Education history
Learning mastery
Activity data
Assessments
Prior learning
User profiling
Instructor input
etc…
+
Existing data
Mastery oriented
Application
Profiling for intervention
Learning / Learning support
Competency-based learning
Large scale curricula

12. 3. What is adapted?
Style / Context
Sequence
High demand
+
Interventions
Research supported
Data driven
-
Lack of research basis
Early stage
Application
Focus on Presentation
Retention / Student
Support
Learning focused

13. 4. What methods drive adaptation?
Rule based / Routine based
Full system algorithmic / AI
+
Simple to understand
High level of control
Flexible
Topic agnostic
Efficient to develop
-
Time consuming to create
Limited to certain topics
Requires expertise
Math / Science
Individual episodes
Test Prep
All topics
Application

14. 5. What end use applications?
Flash cards
Memory retention tools
Exam/test preparation
Simulations / Labs
Full curriculum learning
Stand-alone or blended?
Etc…

15. 6. How extensive and scalable?
Individual study aids or full courses and curricula?
Subject specific or content agnostic?
Web app or scalable architecture?

16. 7. How open is the content model?
Proprietary / publisher system
Expert developers required
Standard content authoring tools for IDs / authors
Open model allows use of content from any source

17. 8. How accessible are the data and architecture?
(Can I extract and reuse both my student profiles and adaptive
designs?)
Closed proprietary system
SCORM / LTI object level integration
Web services level integration
Full access to usage data
Fully standards compliant

18. CogBooks is an Adaptive learning
authoring and delivery platform
Intelligently personalizes to each student at
each step using advanced adaptive technology
Robust, scalable, mature, cloud-based
platform.
Plug & play upgrade to existing systems
Open content model supports self-authored,
open-source and publisher content.
Open data model enables extraction of data
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19. CogBooks in use
‒ Large U.S. higher education institutions
‒ Education publishers
‒ Education and e-learning service providers
‒ Large US and UK corporations
‒ Most highly rated in Gates Foundation report on
Adaptive Learning, of over 70 organizations reviewed.
‒ Part of Gates Foundation „Adaptive Accelerator‟ grant
program with several U.S. universities
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20. Level of advancement of adaptive technology:
Gates Foundation commissioned study
http://edgrowthadvisors.com/gatesfoundation/

21. Maturity of product:
Gates Foundation commissioned study
http://edgrowthadvisors.com/gatesfoundation/

22. If its not personalized,
its not for me.
Visit www.cogbooks.com for more valuable whitepapers and
discussion on adaptive learning.
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