Learning Sciences Research Necessary to Drive Personalized Learning For All

The second installment in Digital Promise Global’s Making Learning Personal For All series, “Research and The Promise of Personalized Learning” explores advances in the learning sciences that underscore key Learner Factors that must be considered in order to better support students based on their unique learning needs.

The report highlights the areas of inquiry already underway in four categories of factors that influence learner variability: cognitive skills; content area skills; social & emotional skills; and background, environment, & experiences.

Current research shows that while each of these categories individually affects learning, no single factor acts independently. The report promotes the need to understand how these factors affect learning in various combinations to advance personalization approaches, materials and products that can be effective for students in all situations.

To address this need, the paper also outlines the work Digital Promise Global is leading to develop the Learner Variability Project that builds on the emerging research on both the variability of the learner population and technology enhanced innovation.