Behind the Scenes of Adaptive Learning: A Scoping Review of Teachers’ Perspectives on the Use of Adaptive Learning Technologies

Adaptive learning technologies are emerging educational tools that personalize instruction and tasks to meet students’ current ability levels. Despite their increasing prevalence, the present discourse on adaptive learning software focuses on the technical aspects of adaptive learning systems withou...

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Main Authors: Patricia D. Simon, Lily Min Zeng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Education Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/12/1413
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author Patricia D. Simon
Lily Min Zeng
author_facet Patricia D. Simon
Lily Min Zeng
author_sort Patricia D. Simon
collection DOAJ
description Adaptive learning technologies are emerging educational tools that personalize instruction and tasks to meet students’ current ability levels. Despite their increasing prevalence, the present discourse on adaptive learning software focuses on the technical aspects of adaptive learning systems without accounting for other factors that impact their use in classrooms. In acknowledgment of the importance of teachers’ roles in the implementation of educational tools, this review examined studies about teachers’ perspectives on the use of adaptive learning technologies in their courses. A systematic search was conducted in four databases (ERIC, Academic Search Complete, Google Scholar, and Taylor Francis Online). Twenty-nine full-text articles were retained for analysis. A hybrid of deductive and inductive approaches was applied to analyze the data, using the factors described in the Technology Acceptance Model and its extensions as a guide. The findings showed that teachers who saw the long-term benefits of using adaptive learning technologies were more willing to invest time and effort to learn and use the tools in their classes. Barriers identified were the scant professional development opportunities for teachers, the programs’ complexities, and the demands on teachers’ time. To make adaptive learning programs work, teachers must be on board as co-designers and content creators, and they require ongoing technical and institutional support and sufficient preparation in teacher education programs.
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spelling doaj-art-3137d6de2fac4ae9ad8f6ca6272edf0f2025-08-20T02:56:06ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022024-12-011412141310.3390/educsci14121413Behind the Scenes of Adaptive Learning: A Scoping Review of Teachers’ Perspectives on the Use of Adaptive Learning TechnologiesPatricia D. Simon0Lily Min Zeng1Department of Education Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaTeaching and Learning Innovation Centre, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaAdaptive learning technologies are emerging educational tools that personalize instruction and tasks to meet students’ current ability levels. Despite their increasing prevalence, the present discourse on adaptive learning software focuses on the technical aspects of adaptive learning systems without accounting for other factors that impact their use in classrooms. In acknowledgment of the importance of teachers’ roles in the implementation of educational tools, this review examined studies about teachers’ perspectives on the use of adaptive learning technologies in their courses. A systematic search was conducted in four databases (ERIC, Academic Search Complete, Google Scholar, and Taylor Francis Online). Twenty-nine full-text articles were retained for analysis. A hybrid of deductive and inductive approaches was applied to analyze the data, using the factors described in the Technology Acceptance Model and its extensions as a guide. The findings showed that teachers who saw the long-term benefits of using adaptive learning technologies were more willing to invest time and effort to learn and use the tools in their classes. Barriers identified were the scant professional development opportunities for teachers, the programs’ complexities, and the demands on teachers’ time. To make adaptive learning programs work, teachers must be on board as co-designers and content creators, and they require ongoing technical and institutional support and sufficient preparation in teacher education programs.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/12/1413adaptive learningpersonalized instructionteacher’s perspectivestechnology acceptance modelvalue-based adoption model
spellingShingle Patricia D. Simon
Lily Min Zeng
Behind the Scenes of Adaptive Learning: A Scoping Review of Teachers’ Perspectives on the Use of Adaptive Learning Technologies
Education Sciences
adaptive learning
personalized instruction
teacher’s perspectives
technology acceptance model
value-based adoption model
title Behind the Scenes of Adaptive Learning: A Scoping Review of Teachers’ Perspectives on the Use of Adaptive Learning Technologies
title_full Behind the Scenes of Adaptive Learning: A Scoping Review of Teachers’ Perspectives on the Use of Adaptive Learning Technologies
title_fullStr Behind the Scenes of Adaptive Learning: A Scoping Review of Teachers’ Perspectives on the Use of Adaptive Learning Technologies
title_full_unstemmed Behind the Scenes of Adaptive Learning: A Scoping Review of Teachers’ Perspectives on the Use of Adaptive Learning Technologies
title_short Behind the Scenes of Adaptive Learning: A Scoping Review of Teachers’ Perspectives on the Use of Adaptive Learning Technologies
title_sort behind the scenes of adaptive learning a scoping review of teachers perspectives on the use of adaptive learning technologies
topic adaptive learning
personalized instruction
teacher’s perspectives
technology acceptance model
value-based adoption model
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/12/1413
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