Experience and Perceived Impact of Personalization in Higher Education: Evidence from a University in South Africa

Abstract

In the educational setting, personalization continues to gain popularity as a pedagogical approach in recent times. This approach recognizes that each student has unique features in terms of strengths, weaknesses, learning styles, and backgrounds, and institutions aim to provide them with personalized learning pathways to enhance their success and satisfaction in their academic journey. This study, therefore, aims to (i) assess students’ experience and challenges of personalized education, and (ii) examine the impact of personalization pedagogy on the students learning experience. This study is premised on social support and constructive theories, and uses qualitative research methods to obtain data from semi-structured interviews conducted among a sample of 20 first-year students. Data was collected and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the students expressed positive experiences with personalized education and personalized learning interventions, highlighting its effectiveness in addressing their individual learning needs and preferences. Specifically, the study found that personalized learning enables outcomes in terms of self-efficacy, self-regulation, confidence, and self-awareness. However, challenges such as difficulty in keeping pace with curriculum even within the PL framework are observed among some students. The study concludes that though personalization in higher education has its own challenges, it however presents unlimited opportunities for student-centered and innovative assessment practices that will improve students’ experiences and learning outcomes.