Learner Variability

Is the Rule, Not

the Exception
Barbara Pape

lvp.digitalpromiseglobal.org
Learner Variability Is the Rule,
Not the Exception
School systems that use a one-size-fits-all model continue
to under-serve nearly all of their students. These schools
prepare young people for an industrial world that no longer
exists. Rigid class structures are the norm.
Little, if any, attention is given to the
social and emotional skills that even
the business community has listed
as top priorities for its workforce.
For decades, policy discussions
have focused on the shortcomings
of these factory-model schools that
do not prepare students for current and future work,
personalize their opportunities for learning, nor do they
nurture them to reach their potential. While there are
shining examples, gains have been slow to come in schools
nationwide to make learning relevant, productive, and
fulfilling for each learner.
One reason we are stuck way. Each of us go to
in outdated classrooms school with a backpack
is that too many school
Learner filled with very different
systems are frozen in variability, as defined experiences that we draw
sameness – the same from to master content,
here, embraces both
books, the same create meaning,
lessons, the same students who struggle work in groups,
pace, the same and those who thrive. Why? share our voice, and
treatment of each achieve our potential.
learner. Yet, if there is Because of the natural Understanding
one takeaway from the variability found in each and addressing
burgeoning learning our differences will,
sciences research, it is
person, in school and in fact, help us be
that no two of us learn beyond. confident learners in
in exactly the same school and beyond.

Learner Variability Is the Rule, Not the Exception | 2

Edging into the conversation now is the devastated socially and emotionally in school.
term “learner variability.” It is a recognition
that all students differ, and learning sciences Todd Rose, director of the Mind, Brain, &
research shows that these differences matter Education Program at the Harvard Graduate
for learning. In some cases, the term is tightly School of Education, and cofounder of
defined to mean any student struggling with Populace, a social impact organization,
a learning difference that rubs up against the is leading path-breaking research on the
expectations of the sameness of school. But, “science of the individual1,” providing
learner variability, as defined here, embraces guideposts to broker an understanding of
both students who the depth and breadth of learner variability.
struggle and those who He and his colleagues
argue that for those
thrive. Why? Because According to Rose, the context seeking to address the
of the natural variability
found in each person,
principle of individuality “asserts needs of the individual,
two notions exist: 1)
in school and beyond. that individual behavior cannot
the object of interest is
Learner variability be explained or predicted apart the individual, not the
is the young person from a particular situation, and statistical average; and,
who lives in poverty, 2) human individuals
or is learning to speak the influence of a situation are remarkably variable.
English and may not yet cannot be specified without The science of the
have the background individual depends,
knowledge to enable
reference to the individual according to Rose, on
comprehension of a experiencing it.” pathways and context.2
reading passage. Or, the For example, initial
student who already thought heralded a
has the skills to excel at a pace beyond the single progression for developing strong
curriculum and is bored because traditional reading skills. Those who did not succeed
methods of instruction do not engage her were thought to have delays. More current
or meet her needs. It is the student who has research, though, shows that multiple
experienced trauma in a single event or on pathways exist to learn to read and that
a day-to-day basis. Learner variability is the those children may not have delays, but
learner whose learning difference, color, were progressing on alternative pathways.
ethnicity, or gender makes
them susceptible to Context also matters in learning. According
stereotype threat and low to Rose, the context principle of individuality
expectations. It’s the “asserts that individual behavior cannot be
learner with working explained or predicted apart from a particular
memory, decoding, or situation, and the influence of a situation
attention challenges cannot be specified without reference to
who retreats into silence the individual experiencing it.”3 In essence,
or acts unruly out of fear an individual’s behavior is the result of an
they will be asked a question they are interaction between their traits and the
not yet ready to answer. It also defines situation at hand, not one or the other. Both
the student who excels at classwork but is pathways and context have implications

1
Rose, T., Rouhani, P., & Fischer, K. (2013) The Science of the Individual. Mind, Brain and Education, 7(3), 152-158.
2
Rose, T. (2016). The End of Average: How to Succeed in a World that Values Sameness. San Francisco, CA: HarperOne.
3
Rose, T. (2013) , p. 106.

Learner Variability Is the Rule, Not the Exception | 3

for classroom learning and the need to of human development in order to build
understand and address learner variability. “increasingly tailored educational experiences,
interventions, and assessments”6 to meet
Another researcher revolutionizing the the needs of each learner. And, while the
way we think about learning is Mary Helen research is growing in this field, Immordino-
Immordino-Yang, Professor of Education, Yang suggests that the more thoroughly
Psychology and Neuroscience at the teachers can appreciate the relationship
University of Southern California, whose work between cognition and emotion, “the better
centers on emotion, learning, and the brain. they may be able to leverage this relationship
For Immordino-Yang, learning is “dynamic, in the design of learning environments.”
social and context dependent because
emotions are, and emotions form a critical Learner variability, then, includes but stretches
piece of how, what, when, and why beyond students with an identified
people think, remember, or unidentified learning
and learn.”4 She argues that difference. Each learner,
if goals of learning include Immordino- driven by emotion and
motivating students, Yang underscores varying over context and
developing deeper pathways, presents a
understanding, and the dynamic relationship unique reservoir of skill
enabling students to between nature and nurture, sets and challenges
transfer what they that can change
learn in school to the
that “children’s experiences among subjects and
world of work and shape their biology as much situations, throughout
life, then “we need to as biology shapes children’s the day and year.
find ways to leverage
the emotional aspects of development.” Why does it matter that
learning in education.”5 we understand learner
variability in this way?
A brief look at the nature It informs design. If we
vs. nurture debate helps to further start with the assumption that
explain learner variability. The old tug-of-war there is a lot of variability among learners
between nature and nurture is being proven in each classroom, different decisions are
outdated, according to current research. made on how to create
Instead, Immordino-Yang underscores the optimal environments
dynamic relationship between nature and to support learning.
nurture, that “children’s experiences shape Burgeoning learning
their biology as much as biology shapes sciences research,
children’s development.” Once it is recognized coupled with
that the brain is a “dynamic, plastic, the flexibility and
experience-dependent, social, and affective precision of digital
organ,” it becomes clear that learner variability technology, present a
is found in each student. It also is apparent new opportunity to design learning
that given the burgeoning learning sciences, a that is responsive to learner variability.
bond must be formed between neuroscientists When we understand learner variability
and educators to connect over the science in this way, classroom challenges become
4
Immordino-Yang, Mary Helen. (2016). Emotions, Learning, and the Brain: Exploring the Educational Implications of Affective Neuroscience.
New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company. p. 17.
5
Immordino-Yang p. 18.
6
Immordino-Yang p. 80.

Learner Variability Is the Rule, Not the Exception | 4

a design problem, not a student problem. context of a learning goal. Each Factor
includes an explanation of what it is and how
At Digital Promise, we recognize how much it connects with other Factors. A robust list
variability plays in the life of each learner. of research-based strategies complements
Starting from that point, through our Learner the Factors so teachers, product developers,
Variability Project and others interested
(LVP) initiative, we are in learning can see
building systems that
help support teachers
LVP has defined how research may be

and edtech developers four pillars: applied in practice and

product development.
in addressing learner Currently, the LVP’s
variability. We have 1. Content Learner Models
embarked on a
rigorous examination 2. Cognition include: Math pre-K
to 2nd grade; Reading
of the learning
sciences to offer 3. Social and Emotional pre-K to 3rd grade,
and Reading and
Factors and strategies Learning Writing 4th-6th
for how learners
learn in specific 4. Student Background
grade, with others
in development.
content areas. A
goal of LVP is to put Learner variability
insights from research at the fingertips of is a term to describe all students who
educators, as well as developers of learning enter the classroom and bring with them
technologies, so they can more easily infuse a unique constellation of abilities and
their instruction or product with evidence- experiences that matter when it comes to
based resources to support the full diversity of learning. LVP strives to expedite addressing
learners, rather than just a mythical average. each learner’s variability by distilling the
research into a comprehensive yet brief and
LVP has defined four pillars – Content, accessible form, and presenting examples
Cognition, Social and Emotional, and Student of strategies that will improve the classroom
Biographical Background – to provide a and learning technology products that find
framework of Learner Factors for specific their way in. The end goal? For each learner
domains. Given the context principle of to know themselves and be supported and
variability, the Models are situated in the inspired to reach their full potential.

Learner Variability Is the Rule, Not the Exception | 5

Citations
Gray, A. (2016, January). The Ten Skills You Need to Thrive in the Fourth Industrial
Revolution. The World Economic Forum. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/
agenda/2016/01/the-10-skills-you-need-to-thrive-in-the-fourth-industrial-revolution/

Immordino-Yang, M. (2016). Emotions, Learning, and the Brain: Exploring the Educational
Implications of Affective Neuroscience. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.

Pape, B., & Vander Ark, T. (2018). Making learning personal for all: Policies and practices
that meet learners where they are. Washington, DC: Digital Promise Global.

Rose, T. (2016). The End of Average: How to Succeed in a World

that Values Sameness. San Francisco, CA: HarperOne.

Rose, T. Rouhani, P., & Fischer, K. (2013) The Science of the

Individual. Mind, Brain and Education, 7(3), 152-158

Learner Variability Is the Rule, Not the Exception | 6