My Journey with HCD & Personalized Learning

The following piece was written by Tonya A. Burgess, M.Ed., a world language teacher at Butler Senior High School, following a year of professional development and coaching with the Consortium, focused on implementing human-centered design (HCD) in her classroom to support personalized learning and the district’s Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Learn more about our year at Butler in our newsletter article, “Straight from the Educators: The Impact of HCD Classroom Implementation at Butler Area School District.”

I began exploring Human-Centered Design and personalized learning last school year after realizing that both my students and I were bored with the material I was teaching. Spanish class had lost its excitement. Grammar had become the primary focus, while real conversation and interaction were minimal. The classroom was mostly quiet, with little engagement between students. Although my students could easily pass a placement test, they struggled to actually communicate in Spanish.

Before school ended last year, I asked my students what they would like to learn to do in Spanish. Many mentioned food, of course, while others were interested in topics like travel, sports, and shopping. I also asked about their preferred methods of assessment, and most said they wanted fewer tests and less homework. Over the summer, I met with my fellow Spanish teachers, and together we created a list of topics that aligned with our curriculum and allowed us to integrate the necessary grammar for each level I teach.

My goal was to design overarching vocabulary units with integrated grammar that would require students to use the language in context, but in a way that felt natural and comfortable for them. I aimed to incorporate reading, writing, listening, speaking, and cultural elements into each unit as much as possible. I wanted my students to learn from one another, and I wanted them to become the central focus of the class. My role would shift to that of a facilitator—providing guidance and information—while the students would take the lead in creating and producing with the language.

I spent the entire school year designing performance-based units and lessons. My students created podcasts, digital family trees, fashion shows, Day of the Dead altars, wellness apps, dating profiles, travel itineraries, art projects, jai alai demonstrations, career cluster posters, and much more. Many of these projects were adaptable and allowed students or groups to customize their work, as long as they met key benchmarks. We also explored AI tools like MagicSchool and used various presentation platforms, including Canva. At times, we collaborated with the rest of the language department on cross-language activities that helped students recognize connections between different languages based on their knowledge of the target language. I didn’t give a single traditional test all year in Spanish 3 and 4. Most of the work was done in groups, though I included a few individual projects throughout the year.

Over the course of the school year, I’ve made several key observations.

• My students are noticeably more engaged and active in class. Many have commented on how fun certain activities are and expressed genuine excitement about starting new projects.
• I’ve already begun taking notes on how I can refine and improve each unit, lesson, and project for next year. Some worked exceptionally well, while others felt slightly off-topic, rushed, or less impactful. None require a complete overhaul, but all could benefit from some thoughtful adjustments.
• ChatGPT has been an invaluable resource throughout this process. It has helped me generate vocabulary lists, suggest activity ideas when I’ve felt creatively drained, and develop rubrics for all of the projects.
• Our school’s Personalized Learning Facilitator has also been instrumental in shaping many of the units and projects. She has provided insightful feedback and has been a great thought partner throughout the year.
• One area I’d like to focus on next year is assessing how deeply students are internalizing the material. While it’s hard to say whether they’ve learned more content than in previous years, I’d like to see more spontaneous use of the language — especially in group interactions — to better gauge their true comprehension beyond reading and writing tasks.
• Lastly, I’ve noticed an over-reliance on translation websites, which has sometimes led to gaps in understanding. While I support the appropriate use of digital tools, I also want students to develop the skills to use them effectively and thoughtfully. I hope to reduce screen time next year and encourage more authentic, in-person language use.

I’m looking forward to engaging more directly with my students next year as they work through each unit. This past year, nearly every spare moment was spent creating materials, which left less time for interaction and real-time feedback. I’m excited to be more present — checking in with students as they work and assessing their understanding more frequently. I also want to create more opportunities for students to speak Spanish in unscripted, authentic ways. I’m eager to explore new tools as they become available, and eventually, I’d like to experiment with cross-disciplinary lessons to demonstrate how Spanish can be integrated with other subjects.

I’ve always wanted my students to feel comfortable in my classroom. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found it more challenging to relate to them, but I make a consistent effort to learn about their lives—their families, sports, jobs, and interests. I strive to create a warm, welcoming environment where students feel seen and valued. I also share parts of my own life—my likes and dislikes, my family, and my experiences—to build trust and connection.

By designing new content and interactive real-world activities, I’ve noticed that students are more willing to engage—with me, with one another, and with the material. I now have more opportunities to connect with them personally because I’m no longer tied to racing through content just to prepare them for the next test or grammar topic. This shift has been incredibly meaningful for me.

I firmly believe that the more students can relate what they’re learning to their own lives, the more deeply they’ll understand and remember it. My advice to other teachers: take a chance and try something new in your classroom. You don’t need to be the center of attention—and you shouldn’t be. Give your students the space to show you what they’re capable of when they’re truly engaged in learning.