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Steps Towards Personalized Learning Using Online Asynchronous Technology: A Study Of 7th, 10th And 12th Graders At A Small Rural School In Massachusetts, Michael Raymond Farmer

Educational Studies Dissertations

Adolescents’ use of technology is an integral part of their lives. They use it for communicating, archiving, socialization, identity exploration, and a range of other purposes. As a tool for adolescent academic learning, contemporary technologies target the brain’s recognition, strategic, and affective networks. Synthesizing adolescents’ affinity for technology with proven educational practices, knowledge of the brain’s workings, and an understanding of contemporary technologies’ capabilities, leads to the conclusion that technology-enabled personalized learning approaches can result in successful outcomes for students. This dissertation outlines findings from a 6-week mixed-methods study of 7th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students attending a small rural school …