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What personalization can be in universities
Personalization in education is a multifaceted process that includes various aspects. One of these is the ability for students to independently shape their educational trajectory. This means that they can influence the choice of competencies and skills they seek to develop. Another aspect of personalization is the adaptation of educational materials to the student's interests and abilities. Thus, personalization becomes an important tool for improving the effectiveness of learning, allowing each student to achieve maximum results and develop at their own pace. Personalization of educational trajectories has become a significant trend in Russian education. Many universities, not only leading ones, have incorporated the transition to individualized educational paths into their strategies. Some institutions are truly working on this, while others are merely imitating the change. Nevertheless, all of them recognize the importance of this approach. Students have already become accustomed to the presence of variable components in their curricula. Striking examples of successful personalization of educational trajectories can be seen at universities such as ITMO, MIPT, Tyumen State University, and HSE. It is important to note that the introduction of a personalized approach contributes to improving the quality of education and student satisfaction.
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Individual educational trajectories at the university: implementation mechanisms and future prospects
Individual Educational pathways represent a modern approach to higher education. This method allows students to tailor their learning experience to their interests, professional goals, and educational needs. Universities are given the opportunity to develop individual programs that take into account the unique abilities and preferences of each student. The implementation of individual educational pathways includes the selection of courses, learning formats, and additional activities, such as internships and research. This allows students to delve deeper into their areas of interest, fostering the development of critical thinking and practical skills. The prospects for individual educational pathways are promising. In a rapidly changing labor market, it is important that graduates have not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills that meet current requirements. Individualized trajectories help develop competencies in demand across various fields, thereby enhancing graduates' competitiveness.
Therefore, the introduction of individualized educational trajectories at universities not only improves the quality of education but also develops a more flexible and adaptive educational environment that meets the demands of modern society.
The Sber ecosystem has developed unique approaches to learning. School 21 utilizes an innovative model based on the absence of teachers, allowing for a highly personalized learning experience. Each student has the opportunity to create their own individual educational path. Assignments at the school are structured so that they require teamwork, supporting each other and adapting to the requirements of the curriculum. This approach promotes the development of collaboration and critical thinking skills, an important aspect of modern education.
Currently, there is growing interest among students in the third type of personalization—format-based. This approach involves presenting the same information in different ways, allowing students to choose the format that best suits them. This approach promotes deeper learning and increases the effectiveness of learning, as each student can tailor the learning process to their individual preferences and learning style.
There is less need for content adaptation, as students have difficulty appreciating the differences between materials. However, the need to update formats is significantly greater. Today's students are accustomed to brief, rich, and emotionally charged ways of presenting information. It is important to remember that generations are changing, and learning approaches must evolve with them. Personalizing formats using AI assistants seems like the next logical step, allowing for a more effective and engaging learning experience.
Currently, it is possible to quickly convert videos into text format. Using modern technology, the resulting text can be automatically edited, highlighting key ideas and main points. This allows for the effective creation of a text-based course based on a video course, simplifying the learning process and making it more accessible. Digital avatars are becoming increasingly popular, and their use will only increase. As virtual teachers, they will be able to voice lectures and answer student questions. At SberUniversity, we are testing several courses that can be completed using artificial intelligence—the Telegram assistant Istra. However, similar knowledge is also available in a more traditional format on our educational platform. This allows everyone to choose the most convenient way of learning, combining innovative technologies with classical methods.
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AI assistants in the field of education have made significant progress in recent years. They can support students in their learning process by providing personalized recommendations and assistance with mastering the material. Such technologies allow for tailoring learning to individual student needs, fostering a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
Furthermore, AI assistants help teachers automate routine tasks, such as checking assignments and grading papers. This frees up time for more creative approaches to teaching and interacting with students.
The use of AI in education also facilitates the creation of interactive learning platforms that make the learning process more engaging and effective. Students can receive instant answers to their questions and access resources at any time.
Thus, AI assistants not only improve the quality of education but also make it more accessible and adaptive to student needs.
What Real Personalization in Higher Education Looks Like
Personalization in universities is a significant challenge, as it requires the restructuring of numerous processes, starting with student selection during the admissions campaign. There are several key difficulties in this context. First, current systems and practices must be adapted to meet the individual needs of students. Second, it is important to ensure effective communication between various departments of the university so that each part of the process is aligned and works in unison. Furthermore, universities are responsible for creating and maintaining a platform that will collect and analyze student data, which requires investment in technology and staff training. These aspects make the implementation of personalization in the educational process a complex, but necessary task.
- Administrative and legal difficulties arise from the fact that universities must operate within the methodological framework of federal educational standards, professional standards, and the requirements of founders and employers.
- Financial constraints arise because launching personalization requires significant investments in the reengineering of internal processes, digital transformation, and personnel transformation.
- Personnel issues also arise, although for methodologists and instructional designers, designing individual educational trajectories is an interesting challenge. However, it is difficult to retain such specialists at universities; they often develop creativity and grow professionally in more flexible educational platforms, EdTech companies, corporate universities, and modern business schools.
In modern universities, personalization of education is presented in the form of compromise models. Instead of fully individualized educational trajectories, students choose from predetermined routes within specified profiles. This approach seems justified, as students often lack sufficient understanding to independently create their educational program. Effective personalization requires a balance between freedom of choice and structured direction, which facilitates deeper acquisition of knowledge and skills. By offering students a choice of structured modules, minors, and other discipline units, universities find an optimal solution that meets the demands of modern education. This approach allows students to influence the content of their studies by choosing areas of interest to them, while still following the logic and structure established by the university. This ensures the development of a clear and understandable set of knowledge and skills that will be in demand both in the educational process and in the labor market. Thus, students have the opportunity to develop their individuality while maintaining compliance with the standards and expectations of potential employers. Most Russian universities are implementing a modular learning system, allowing students to choose logically connected educational modules. This approach promotes more individualized and flexible learning, which in turn improves the quality of education and adapts the learning process to student needs.
Modern educational institutions often involve large employers, who share information with students about in-demand skills and current labor market trends. They organize meetings to discuss their expectations and requirements for future specialists. In addition, some companies send their employees to teach courses as part of the curriculum. This approach allows employers to select promising students, and students to make a more informed choice based on real business needs. This contributes to the personalization of the educational process, since at later stages of their studies, students in the same group can gain knowledge and experience with various companies, which expands their career horizons.
What is really preventing universities from personalizing programs
In many educational institutions, personalization of education is often reduced to simple formalities. For example, students may be offered a choice between two courses, one of which is clearly less appealing. This creates the appearance of diversity and an individualized approach, but in reality fails to promote genuine personalization of the educational process. It is important to strive for real variability that truly takes into account the interests and needs of students, ensuring more effective learning.
I have been working in Sber's ecosystem, and before that, I spent almost 20 years in teaching and research at the university. From my position in business, I observe that conservatism within universities remains the main obstacle to progress. This limits their ability to adapt to modern demands and implement innovative approaches.
Research confirms that successful engagement between universities and potential employers is based on a clear understanding of the need for personalized educational processes. When universities understand what specific program adaptations are necessary and for what purposes, this leads to positive results. In such cases, digital tools are developed to facilitate the development of individual educational trajectories, funding is secured, and conditions for the professional growth of faculty are created.
This problem has a solution—there are already leading universities that are successfully implementing personalization into educational trajectories. Other educational institutions can learn from their experience. Personalization, both in terms of learning trajectories and formats, will become an integral part of the work of any reputable educational institution in the next few years. Adaptation of formats using artificial intelligence technologies is an important trend and will undoubtedly occur within the next five years.
The development of technologies and the training of personnel capable of using them effectively are interconnected tasks that must be addressed simultaneously. In the next five years, we will see significant changes in the teaching staff. For example, at Sber, we annually organize a summer digital school, where we provide free professional development for two thousand university teachers in programs related to the latest technologies. This year, the competition was four people per place, demonstrating the high interest among teachers in mastering these technologies. It is also important to note that a generational change is taking place: young teachers, even as students, have already gained experience working with generative models. Sustainable development of education requires supporting this process.
In the past, teachers tried to limit internet use, requiring all essays to be written by hand. Over time, these approaches have changed, and attitudes toward artificial intelligence will change accordingly. It is important to adapt to the latest technologies and use them in the educational process, as AI can become a powerful tool for improving the quality of learning.
What is worth considering conceptually
The important key question of the personalized transformation of education remains. With the development of artificial intelligence, we are adapting educational formats to the needs of students, creating a more human-centered learning experience. Students are given the opportunity to influence their own educational trajectories. However, this raises the question: what will be the consequences? How can we maintain the right values and achieve the necessary educational outcomes in a technologically advanced world?
Science fiction offers various predictions regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on humanity. It is important that, like in the cartoon "WALL-E," we do not end up in a situation where all tasks are delegated to robots. We must find ways for artificial intelligence to support, rather than undermine, students' creative and systematic thinking. Students should use AI as a tool for self-development that will help them unlock their potential and improve the educational process. This requires an understanding of the role of AI in learning and the active involvement of students in using technology to achieve personal and academic goals.
I invite everyone with concerns or optimistic predictions on this issue to join the discussion. Share your opinion. We will also explore this important issue in the session "Universities: Unlocking the Potential of Learners in the Age of Technology" at the "Beyond Learning" conference. Your ideas and perspectives will help deepen the discussion and identify new approaches to developing the educational process in the context of rapid technological change.