Opportunities for personalised learning: enabling or overwhelming?

This paper evaluates the development of a personalised learning approach within a professional distance learning course. The issues arising are of relevance to academics engaged in course development, with an emphasis on fostering independent learning. The course focuses on enabling student teachers to develop their generic skills, attributes and knowledge through refl ective practice. The current course differs from the previous model through its emphasis on a question-led approach in which students are encouraged to identify and respond to their own learning needs in independent ways. Student evaluations and contributions at the course midpoint suggest that, while most are engaged with the notion of being an independent learner, some students are challenged by this expectation. This in turn raises questions about the concept of personalised learning.