How Adaptive Learning Technology Helps Parents, Teachers, and StudentsThe ZPD is a good place to be for learning, but a teacher looking across a large class of students is faced with a dilemma. Students are often in very different ZPD’s, and it can be difficult to help them all. Effective adaptive learning programs make large amounts of performance data available for the teacher to review and act on. In a well-designed program, the computer supports the teacher by creating the visibility necessary for targeted remediation. Often the teacher can create small groups and work with students that share similar learning roadblocks.Adaptive learning programs will increasingly become the teacher’s best friend. These programs will drive differentiated instruction, provide educators with actionable information, and help teachers ensure students are in the ZPD. Students can progress more independently and are rewarded with success instead of feeling the work is “too hard” or “too easy.”The possibilities are real and significant as adaptive learning models continue to evolve and become more sophisticated. iNACOL (the International Association for K-12 Online Learning) continues to track and describe this progress. At K12 we are excited about using our top quality content in adaptive learning programs. Currently our MARK12 reading remediation program uses adaptive learning to support struggling elementary school students, and we are planning new adaptive programs to prepare students for success in both middle school and high school. We recognize the need to support a student’s individual learning path and the promise of combining high quality materials with adaptive learning to advance each unique learner.