Students bring different experiences, strengths, and interests to their learning. Personalised learning pathways provide purposeful choices in how students engage with learning and prepare for assessment, while ensuring all students work towards the same learning outcomes and assessment standards.
What are personalised learning pathways?
Personalised learning pathways give students limited, purposeful choices in how they engage with learning and prepare for assessment.
These choices might include:
- Different practice contexts
- Different ways to explore and apply learning
- Flexible sequencing of tasks
All students are still assessed against the same criteria.
Personalisation in assessment design
Personalisation means designing learning activities that help students reach assessment expectations in ways that suit their learning needs, without changing assessment expectations.
Examples and strategies aligned to assessment
Example 1: Social Work – Choice of practice context
Students complete an assessment analysing practice approaches and ethical considerations in social work.
Strategy:
- Students choose one practice context to focus on during learning activities, such as:
- Child and family services
- Community social work
- Mental health support
- All contexts align with the same assessment rubric
How this supports assessment:
- Makes assessment preparation more relevant
- Encourages deeper engagement with theory and practice
- Maintains consistent assessment standards
Example 2: Social Work – Flexible learning pathways for assessment preparation
An assessment requires students to analyse a case and reflect on professional decision‑making.
Strategy:
- Learning activities are grouped into a pathway:
- Understanding the case
- Applying relevant frameworks
- Reflecting on ethical issues
- Students choose the order in which they complete pathway activities
How this supports assessment:
- Supports different learning preferences
- Allows students to focus on areas they find challenging
- Encourages self‑directed learning
Example 3: Education – Choice of classroom scenario
Context: Students complete an assessment planning learning activity for diverse learners.
Strategy:
- Students select one classroom scenario to work with during learning activities, such as:
- Primary classroom
- Secondary classroom
- Inclusive or diverse learning environment
- All scenarios link to the same learning outcomes and assessment criteria
How this supports assessment:
- Supports contextualised learning
- Helps students practise applying theory to teaching practice
- Prepares students for assessment tasks more effectively
Personalised learning pathways provide students with meaningful choices while maintaining consistent assessment expectations. By allowing students to engage with learning in ways that are relevant to their experiences and interests, lecturers can support engagement, confidence, and assessment readiness without compromising academic standards.
For more:
Designing Assessments That Support Student Engagement
Using Interactive Learning to Support Assessment
Story-Based and Scenario-Based Learning in Assessment Design
Designing Flexible Pathways for Assessment Success