New PLC Questions for Personalized Learning

As we have continued the journey of personalized learning for our students, I continue to wonder if the 4 PLC questions are still as relevant as they once were or do we need to start asking different questions?

• What do we want our students to know?
• How will we know if they have learned it?
• What will we do if they don't?
• What will we do if they already know it?

I am convinced the work our staff has done in the area of personalizing would not be possible had it not been for the work around these 4 questions.  That being said, these questions are all from the teacher point of view - personalization must be from the student's perspective.

While Caleb Drexler-Booth (Director of Teaching and Learning for ISD 192) and I were at Personalized Learning Action Network meeting (great group organized through Metro ECSU) we began to "adjust" the 4 PLC questions to give the learner ownership.  He even suggested PLC stand for Personalized Learning Community (I love it!!).  Here is our attempt at modifying the original 4 PLC questions:

• What do students want to know and be able to do?
• How will students know when they have learned it?  What will they produce, perform, and demonstrate?
• What are the learner paths students will create to master the learning?
• What guidance and support along the way do students need from teachers?

I do recognize that the last 4 questions cannot be answered unless staff have answered the first 4 questions, but by using the last 4 with students they begin to take ownership for their own learning.