Variation is the norm, not the exception

Variation and individuality are the essential features of human development.

However, the approaches we have taken thus far to learning and measurement haven’t taken into account each individual, the dynamic impact they have on their context—the environment, relationships and experiences in their life—and the impact their context has on them. The education system we have today was developed a century ago absent critical knowledge about the biological, psychological, ecological, relational and cultural forces that shape human life. It’s a one size fits all system and it’s just not working for far too many people.

Consider how you might you answer the following questions:

Learning:
Is it highly variable or does it fall into a bell curve?

Intelligence:
Is it defined by our genes or by the context that drives their expression?

Skills:
Are they malleable or fixed?

Talent:
Is it plentiful or scarce?

Human potential:
Is it limited or can we begin to imagine what any child would be capable of under the right conditions?

Our pathways through life will zig and zag, with bursts and plateaus at different times. Think of your own experiences of learning something, of trying, maybe struggling, then trying again before developing fluency and maybe even mastery.

Today we know that talent is everywhere and there are many pathways to develop it. Knowing that, we could build a system that recognizes that human variation is the norm, not the exception in human development. We can intentionally design all the settings where people are learning to meet them where they are and help them get where they want to go. Learning will be deeply individualized and personalized, with an optimal fit between the learner and their context. Imagine the talent and potential we could unlock and what it would mean for the world.