Many companies today tout their ability to offer “personalized learning” for school districts. But what do K-12 administrators and teachers really want from the tools and platforms meant to deliver customized instruction?

On Feb. 21 at 1 p.m. EST, an EdWeek Market Brief webinar will take a deep look at the issue, drawing from data and the insights of school administrators and researchers. We’ll look at how personalized learning can mean very different things in different schools–and what that means for vendors.

My colleague Michele Molnar is hosting the event. She will present data that EdWeek Market Brief has collected through surveys of K-12 officials about what they want from personalized learning products–and where providers often fall short.

She’ll be joined by Elizabeth Steiner, an associate policy researcher at the RAND Corp., an organization which has taken a lead role in researching how well personalized learning is working in school districts, and what we don’t yet know.

We’ll also hear from Patricia Deklotz, the superintendent of the Kettle Moraine school district in Wisconsin, which has experimented with tailoring instruction and scheduling to students’ academic interests, as well as personalizing the professional development process for teachers in innovative ways.

So sign up to join the conversation, and pick up insights on how districts’ personalized learning needs are evolving, and where the barriers and opportunities lie for companies and organizations working in schools.

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Photo:  Fifth grade teacher Elias Hernandez observes 4th grade teacher Jannette Moya at Belmont-Cragin Elementary School in Chicago. The school’s personalized learning approach has given students more say over the path they take through curriculum, but it has required extensive professional development for teachers. —Alyssa Schukar for Education Week

See also:

• 5 Key Insights for Companies Trying to Meet Schools’ Personalized Learning Needs
• Teacher Training Is Top Concern for Districts Implementing Personalized Learning
• The Case(s) Against Personalized Learning
• 6 Key Insights: RAND Corp. Researchers Talk Personalized Learning
• Personalized Learning Case Studies: Lessons From Three Schools