Malleability, plasticity, and individuality: How children learn and develop in context

The desire to simplify can be a dangerous game—especially when it comes to human development. Within the context of education, this game is beginning to be seen for its unwholesome nature.

And, leading researchers are taking the initiative to create something entirely new. Researchers Pamela Cantor, David Osher, Juliette Berg, Lily Steyer Icon, and Todd Rose worked together to not only show how our traditional learning systems ignore the science of learning but also propose transformational ideas that could create an entirely new future for our education system. While reading, consider this insight from the study, “Students are active agents in their own learning, with multiple neural, relational, experiential, and contextual processes converging to produce their unique developmental range and performance. This holistic, dynamic understanding of learning has important implications for the design of personalized teaching and learning environments that can support the development of the whole child.”