Integrating Digital Personalised Learning into Early-Grade Classroom Practice: A Teacher–Researcher Design-Based Research Partnership in Kenya
Although growing evidence suggests that digital personalised learning (DPL) has the potential to enhance learning outcomes, there is little research about the effective implementation and integration of DPL into the classroom. The aim of this study is to investigate the pedagogical implications of i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/6/698 |
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| author | Rebecca Daltry Jessica Hinks Chen Sun Louis Major Mary Otieno Kevin Otieno |
| author_facet | Rebecca Daltry Jessica Hinks Chen Sun Louis Major Mary Otieno Kevin Otieno |
| author_sort | Rebecca Daltry |
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| description | Although growing evidence suggests that digital personalised learning (DPL) has the potential to enhance learning outcomes, there is little research about the effective implementation and integration of DPL into the classroom. The aim of this study is to investigate the pedagogical implications of integrating a DPL tool into Kenyan early-grade classrooms to bridge the gap between theory and practice. This paper reports on systematic, design-based research conducted over three years, featuring five phases, each testing iterations to specific aspects of DPL implementation. The findings demonstrate that the pedagogic dimensions of classroom-integrated DPL are pivotal to its effective uptake and implementation. A key research contribution is the identification of a distinct gap between theoretical and practical conceptualisations of DPL, with teachers focused primarily on curriculum alignment and classroom management. The analysis also identified teachers’ central role in the process of personalisation, nuancing existing DPL frameworks by exploring interactions between the digital and classroom environments, as well as highlighting important considerations around access and equality. Recommendations include the co-design of DPL with teachers, drawing on their pedagogical perspectives to enhance integrative approaches. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1c338c3fe9314790ba2ec61ca48144ec |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-1c338c3fe9314790ba2ec61ca48144ec2025-08-20T02:24:30ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022025-06-0115669810.3390/educsci15060698Integrating Digital Personalised Learning into Early-Grade Classroom Practice: A Teacher–Researcher Design-Based Research Partnership in KenyaRebecca Daltry0Jessica Hinks1Chen Sun2Louis Major3Mary Otieno4Kevin Otieno5EdTech Hub and Jigsaw, London NW10 4LL, UKEdTech Hub and Jigsaw, London NW10 4LL, UKManchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UKManchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UKSchool of Education, Kenyatta University, Nairobi P.O. Box 43844-00100, KenyaWomen Educational Researchers of Kenya, Nairobi 00100, KenyaAlthough growing evidence suggests that digital personalised learning (DPL) has the potential to enhance learning outcomes, there is little research about the effective implementation and integration of DPL into the classroom. The aim of this study is to investigate the pedagogical implications of integrating a DPL tool into Kenyan early-grade classrooms to bridge the gap between theory and practice. This paper reports on systematic, design-based research conducted over three years, featuring five phases, each testing iterations to specific aspects of DPL implementation. The findings demonstrate that the pedagogic dimensions of classroom-integrated DPL are pivotal to its effective uptake and implementation. A key research contribution is the identification of a distinct gap between theoretical and practical conceptualisations of DPL, with teachers focused primarily on curriculum alignment and classroom management. The analysis also identified teachers’ central role in the process of personalisation, nuancing existing DPL frameworks by exploring interactions between the digital and classroom environments, as well as highlighting important considerations around access and equality. Recommendations include the co-design of DPL with teachers, drawing on their pedagogical perspectives to enhance integrative approaches.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/6/698digital personalised learningclassroom implementationdesign-based researchteacherspedagogy |
| spellingShingle | Rebecca Daltry Jessica Hinks Chen Sun Louis Major Mary Otieno Kevin Otieno Integrating Digital Personalised Learning into Early-Grade Classroom Practice: A Teacher–Researcher Design-Based Research Partnership in Kenya Education Sciences digital personalised learning classroom implementation design-based research teachers pedagogy |
| title | Integrating Digital Personalised Learning into Early-Grade Classroom Practice: A Teacher–Researcher Design-Based Research Partnership in Kenya |
| title_full | Integrating Digital Personalised Learning into Early-Grade Classroom Practice: A Teacher–Researcher Design-Based Research Partnership in Kenya |
| title_fullStr | Integrating Digital Personalised Learning into Early-Grade Classroom Practice: A Teacher–Researcher Design-Based Research Partnership in Kenya |
| title_full_unstemmed | Integrating Digital Personalised Learning into Early-Grade Classroom Practice: A Teacher–Researcher Design-Based Research Partnership in Kenya |
| title_short | Integrating Digital Personalised Learning into Early-Grade Classroom Practice: A Teacher–Researcher Design-Based Research Partnership in Kenya |
| title_sort | integrating digital personalised learning into early grade classroom practice a teacher researcher design based research partnership in kenya |
| topic | digital personalised learning classroom implementation design-based research teachers pedagogy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/6/698 |
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