Adapting courseware to accommodate individual differences

Although it has been promoted and practiced in various forms, there is little consensus regarding exactly what constitutes individualized instruction. Terms such as individualized, personalized, and adaptive instruction abound in the educational and psychological literature, suggesting that most educators agree with the premise that individuals differ in ways that affect learning. If and how educators should respond to these differences is unclear however. Perhaps as a consequence of this uncertainty, the only principle that consistently has guided attempts to individualize instruction or accommodate individual differences is that learners be allowed to work at their own pace.