“Personalized Learning”: The Difference between a Policy and a Strategy
“Personalized learning”–and whatever it means–has been the mantra for policymakers. technology entrepreneurs, and engaged practitioners for the past few years. Mention the phrase and those whose bent is to alter schooling nod in assent as to its apparent value in teaching and learning. Mentions of it cascade through media and research reports as if it is the epitome of the finest policy to install in classrooms.
But it is not a policy, “personalized learning” is a strategy.
What’s the difference?
Read what Yale University historian Beverly Gage writes about the crucial distinction between the two concepts:
A strategy, in politics, can be confused with a policy or a vision, but they’re not quite the same thing. Policies address the “what”; they’re prescriptions for the way things might operate in an ideal world. Strategy is about the “how.” How do you move toward a desired end, despite limited means and huge obstacles? We tend to associate strategy with high-level decision makers — generals, presidents, corporate titans — but the basic challenge of, in [Saul] Alinsky’swords, “doing what you can with what you have” applies just as much when working from the bottom up.
While the two are connected, making the distinction between policy and strategy is essential to not only political leaders but military ones as well. Strategies are instruments to achieve policy goals so, for example, in the 17 year-old war in Afghanistan, ambiguous and changing U.S. goals—get rid of Taliban, make Afghanistan democratic, establish an effective Afghan military and police force–influenced greatly what strategies U.S. presidents–three since 2001–have used such as sending special forces, army, and marines into the country—frontal assaults on Taliban strongholds, counter-insurgency, etc. (see here and here).
Without recognizing this distinction between policy and strategy military and political leaders behave as blind-folded leaders taking one action while devising another plan to implement to achieve ever-changing goals.
Photo illustration by Derek Brahney. Source image of painting: Bridgeman Images.
But the key distinction that Gage draws between policy and strategy does not only apply to politics or the military, it just as well covers continual reform Continue reading: “Personalized Learning”: The Difference between a Policy and a Strategy | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
