Personalized learning has evolved from an academic concept to something all educators now try and adopt. As learner needs bifurcate and become more unique and as education continues to expand outside of the school setting, traditional one-size-fits-all models no longer meet expectations.
While most conversations about personalization focus on K-12 students, the reality is that higher education institutions, associations, healthcare organizations, and continuing education providers are eagerly jumping on the bandwagon to personalize their offerings. For these organizations, personalization is not just a buzzword. It’s a way to increase engagement and learning outcomes.
This guide explores personalization in education from the system and design perspective as well show learning management systems (LMSs), including platforms like OasisLMS, support real-world implementation.
Personalized learning is the ability to cater the education to an individual. Think of it like a student getting their own teacher but in a scalable manner, instead of learning the same concept with their entire class.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, personalized learning emphasizes learner agency, competency-based progression, and flexible learning environments that respond to individual strengths and needs.
At its core, personalized learning considers:
The ideal outcome is education that is hyper targeted to the individuals learning goals and needs and ends with better understanding of the subject matter.
No matter the type of education, personalized learning shares a handful of common characteristics.
Instruction is designer around the learner and not around the classroom, calendar or the courses available.
Progression is tied to demonstrated understanding rather than seat time—a model supported by organizations such as Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN).
Learners’ can move in the direction they would like depending on their interests or desires.
Assessment data and course data drive course recommendations and remediation.
Learning is iterative, with feedback loops that support improvement over time.
Clarifying these distinctions is critical for both instructional and organizational planning.
Personalized learning is different because it takes the best of individualized learning and scales to many students.
Personalized learning has gained in popularity because of:
Organizations such as OECD and EDUCAUSE have identified personalization as a critical driver of future-ready education.
For professional and continuing education providers, personalization also supports:
For Learners
For Educators and Program Teams
For Institutions and Organizations
Common implementations include:
In adult learning environments, personalization often includes:
In regulated professions, like healthcare, the education still needs to align with the requirements to earn continuing education like those established by ACCME.
Personalized learning can not exist without the technology to support the scaling of personalization to many learners.
Contemporary LMS platforms enable personalization by putting all the learner data (especially healthcare related) together and serving the courses to help the learner based on their specific needs.
Key LMS capabilities include:
By using technology, it allows organizations to scale to different audiences, departments or member types.
Automated rules guide learners based on role, performance, or credential requirements.
Assessments identify gaps and direct learners to targeted content.
Program teams gain visibility into learner progress, outcomes, and engagement.
Learners receive timely, relevant next steps without manual oversight.
For CE programs, LMS integrations ensure personalized learning aligns with reporting and accreditation requirements (e.g., PARS, CPE Monitor).
In continuing education, personalization is as much about governance as it is about instruction.
Organizations must manage:
Personalized learning in these environments often includes:
OasisLMS is built for organizations delivering professional, continuing, and credentialed education, where personalization must coexist with scale and oversight.
OasisLMS supports personalized learning through:
This enables organizations to design learner-centered experiences while maintaining the governance, reporting, and compliance required in professional education environments.
Personalization requires upfront planning and pathway mapping.
Organizations must define which metrics matter and why.
Systems should support learning strategy, not dictate it.
Personalization must expand opportunity, not limit it.
Successful programs treat personalized learning as a long-term capability, not a feature toggle.
A strategic approach includes:
The shift to personalized learning in adult education means the days of one size fits all is over.
For institutions, associations, and professional education providers, personalization offers a way to scale education while increasing the effectiveness of the learning outcomes. To accomplish this successfully the company must have the right technology and methodology in place.
With thoughtful design and a capable LMS, personalized learning becomes not just possible, but sustainable.
Whether managing CME for physicians or supporting member growth, Oasis LMS helps deliver high-impact education efficiently and at scale.
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