When learning something new, an individual asks himself four basic questions:
Relationship: How is this task connected to me?
Autonomy: How am I going to accomplish this task?
Mastery: How will I know I have mastered this task?
Purpose: What is my purpose for mastering this task?
These questions are the foundation for the learner's mindset. Every learner has a desire to learn but more importantly, they have a desire to make personal connections, to be self-directed, to improve, and to find meaning in what is being learned. Best-practice instruction should be driven by the mindset that good teaching matches the desire of the learning to be done. Personalized Learning, ideally, should match a student's desired learning with the appropriate teaching strategy found on the Learning-Model Spectrum.