Table 1 Comparison between Personalized Learning and Adaptive Learning

Personalized learning refers to instruction in which the pace of learning and the instructional approach are optimized for the needs of each learner. Learning objectives, instructional approaches, and instructional content (and its sequencing) may all vary based on learner needs. In addition, learning activities are meaningful and relevant to learners, driven by their interests, and often self-initiated. (U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology 2017)

Adaptive learning refers to the technologies monitoring student progress, using data to modify instruction at any time. (Adams Becker et al. 2017)

The pedagogy of personalising learning is learner-centred. It is an inclusive process which challenges those involved to meet the needs of all learners, particularly those learners who are vulnerable or hard to reach (BECTA 2007)

Adaptive learning technologies dynamically adjust to the level or type of course content based on an individual’s abilities or skill attainment, in ways that accelerate a learner’s performance with both automated and instructor interventions (EDUCAUSE 2016)

Personalized learning refers to a learning paradigm that aims at promoting students’ individual development, emphasizing that the learning process should adopt appropriate teaching methods, techniques, content, starting points, processes, and evaluation methods to meet the individual characteristics and development potential of students, so that all aspects of students could be developed fully, freely and harmoniously (Li 2015)

Adaptive learning strategies create a student experience that is modified based on a student’s performance and engagement with the course materials. At its heart is an approach to instruction that relies on technology and data about student performance to adjust and respond with content and methodologies that develop a pathway to the student’s mastery of a particular learning objective (Waters 2014).

Core Elements: individual differences, personal needs, personal development (vision)

Core Elements: individual differences, individual performance, adaptive adjustment