I will share my experience with dominating Mastery Paths beta in Canvas. I was determined to provide students in any learning environment options to succeed using backwards design based on their performance with assessments. In the process, I learned that adaptive learning can support learning outcomes by design.
This presentation will introduce Mastery Paths, an adaptive learning tool offered in the Canvas Learning Management System. I will explain its potential applications, great features, pitfalls, and known behavior workarounds. More, I will describe *my* experience in creating a functioning Canvas module that uses Mastery Paths, and how the tool’s design forced me to consider backwards design and learning outcomes.
Specifically, Mastery Paths forced me to choose and work from learning outcomes. Its adaptive learning design creates paths built on foundational assessments (quizzes, discussions, and assignments). Additionally, a student’s performance (or choices) as measured by those assessments (by score, completion, or percentage points) guides her or him through paths created to provide support or advancement toward completion of a course module (or section/lesson/unit/week).
However, before I could choose which paths to create, I needed to consider learning outcomes and think backwards. Where did I want students in every path to end up? What content and activities would support students whose performance seemed mediocre? What pages would I need to create for each path, including paths for students who failed assessments? How could I guide low performing students onto paths without “tells” that might make them feel punished if I led them to review material that they had previously seen within a module?
Because Mastery Paths was in beta, I also had to consider a work around for advancing students as they completed their path tasks. The “next” button feature did not yet work correctly. I needed to consider how to explain Mastery Paths to students without creating performance silos or a class system within the course of “Excellent”, “Good,” “Average,” and “Failing” students. My presentation will share my work around and other important design features of the tool, especially as relates to best practices in instructional design.
This presentation will provide a unique perspective about adaptive learning to k-12 and Higher Education educators because I created curriculum in beta and worked from best practices despite challenges with the tool’s nascent status. Further, because this Discovery session will allow participants to engage with the tool, engagement and discussion should flow easily, as well as create numerous learning opportunities, including valuable networking about adaptive learning.
My goals for this Discovery session include:
- Describing and explaining Mastery Paths
- Narrating my experiences with Mastery Paths
- Presenting potential applications of Mastery Paths in various learning environments (face-to-face, hybrid, and online), including performance, competency-based, and content choice differentiated learning paths.
- Explaining how Mastery Paths design forced me to consider and apply learning goals and backwards design
- Discussing adaptive learning with attendees
- Creating an on-the-spot community of professionals who would like to share information and updates about adaptive learning tools, including Mastery Paths