The use of the term "personalized learning" dates back to at least the early 1960s. However, there is still no agreement on the definition of personalized learning. It is an evolving term. In 2005, Dan Buckley defined the personalized learning spectrum: "personalization for the learner", in which the teacher tailors the learning, and "personalization by the learner", in which the learner develops skills to tailor his own learning.

The term personalized learning, or personalization, refers to a variety of educational programs, experiences, instructional approaches, and support strategies that are addressing the learning needs and interests, or cultural backgrounds of the students. Personalized learning is an alternative to so-called “one-size-fits-all” approaches in the education, meaning that all students receive the same instruction or assessments. Personalized learning is basically student-centered learning when the individual learning need are in the foreground.

The term itself become more widely used by online schools and companies focusing on online learning programs. It should be noted that “personalized learning,” is differently designed in the online environment as in the public schools.

What is also important is the changing role of the teacher. Instead of a hierarchical relation, the teacher in the classroom becomes a person with strong cultural competency, and educator with a supportive function. Moreover, the educator builds up relationship to every single student in the classroom and empower students to their learning. Something similar happens in the online environment as well. But the educator is more a sort of moderator of the learning process. In the blended learning classroom for example, the educator is a tutor or a coach, encouraging the students. But the educator also facilitates deep learning, collaboration and discussion. Furthermore, educators in online learning environments coordinate cooperative work, using for example blogs or discussion boards. However, although they personalize materials, the more deep, personal relation to the students are missing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oLNLCO0vfI

Source:

https://www.edglossary.org/personalized-learning/

Fiedler, Sebastian.; Väljataga, Terje (2011). "Personal learning environments: concept or technology?". International Journal of Virtual and Personal Learning Environments 2(4): 1–11.

Dan Buckley: The Personalisation by Pieces Framework: A Framework for the Incremental Transformation of Pedagogy Towards Greater Learner Empowerment in Schools. 2006