Oct 08, 2016 07:52 AM EDT By Jane Reed, UniversityHerald Reporter

It is clear that Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg have their differences. But they also have a lot in common. For instance, both have net worths that surpasses a lot of tech entrepreneurs. Both also dropped out of Harvard.

But one thing you probably did not know is that both of them support a form of education called "personalized learning."

What is personalized learning? It is the use of personalized technology to tailor lesson plans to specific student needs and goals, according to Business Insider. It is actually considered as the hottest trend in education. And what is interesting, is that it started in a special-ed class more than forty years ago. In 1975, handicapped children were given the opportunity to avail of education with the use of a personalized learning that is catered for the child.

It is only now that it has become popular because techies around the world are making it popular. But it is the teacher that recognized the need for it. Teachers who use this approach do not use a one-size-fits-all approach. As most educators know, a one-size-fits-all approach is not an effective way to teach kids in the classroom.

"We need more differentiated strategies," says Jennifer Carolan, co-founder and senior partner at the education-focused venture capital firm Reach Capital.

Personalized theory is the same theory that Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg use and they promote it. Now, others use it to outline their vision for learning.

Both Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg are huge fans of personalized learning because technology is being used for something important to kids. And because technology is finally allowing teachers to do "for all students what education has always tried to do, and what special-ed teachers have done for decades: teach every individual student effectively."

Gates loves that approach so much that he thinks it is "fantastic to see them getting a head start."

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