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24 Jan 2018
Journal Article

Malleability, Plasticity, and Individuality: How Children Learn and Develop in Context

Pamela Cantor, Turnaround for Children; Harvard Graduate School of Education
David Osher, AIR
Juliette Berg, AIR
Lily Steyer, Turnaround for Children
Todd Rose, Harvard Graduate School of Education; The Center for Individual Opportunity

This article was published online on January 24, 2018 in Applied Developmental Science.

There has been an explosion of knowledge over the last few decades about how children develop into whole individuals, how they become learners, and how contextual factors nourish or hinder their development. At the same time, there is a great need to align knowledge on child development from the biology, neuroscience, psychology, and social sciences fields. Developmental systems theories is a general perspective on development, heredity, and evolution.

This article, along with its companion article, Drivers of Human Development: How Relationships and Context Shape Learning and Development, show how developmental systems theories provide a framework for viewing the effects of multiple factors within micro- and macro-environments on the shaping of how children learn, change, and grow throughout their development.

The article references multiple correlational, longitudinal, and causal studies, describes key findings, and integrates deep literature of how human beings develop within the developmental systems theories framework.

Malleability, Plasticity, and Individuality: How Children Learn and Develop in Context

Related Projects

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Image of teacher high-fiving a student
Project

The Potential of Science of Learning and Development (SoLD) to Transform Education Systems

The Science of Learning and Development (SoLD) initiative began in 2016 with a shared commitment to a better and more equitable education for each and every child—and a hypothesis that a synthesis of the knowledge from multiple disciplines could provide critical insights and solutions to persistent and growing inequity and underperformance in the U.S. education system. An overarching goal of all SoLD partnerships, projects, and practices is to support the effective learning, educational attainment, and positive development of all children.

Related Work

24 Jan 2018
Journal Article

Drivers of Human Development: How Relationships and Context Shape Learning and Development

This article uses a relational developmental systems framework, known as Development Systems Theories to synthesize knowledge on the role of relationships and key micro and macro contexts in supporting—or undermining—the development of children and youth. By using a variety of correlational, longitudinal, and causal studies; multiple sources were triangulated to reach the conclusions drawn.
Topic: 
Education, Social and Emotional Learning, Health
1 Jan 2017
Report

Science of Learning and Development: A Synthesis

Human development can be influenced by a myriad of factors that include individual, biological, contextual, cultural, and historical factors. By synthesizing research across multiple disciples, it is possible to develop new approaches aimed at solving chronic learning and social problems experienced by children and youth.
Topic: 
Education, Social and Emotional Learning, Health

Further Reading

  • Drivers of Human Development: How Relationships and Context Shape Learning and Development
  • Science of Learning and Development: A Synthesis
  • The Potential of Science of Learning and Development (SoLD) to Transform Education Systems
  • Spotlight on the Science of Learning and Development
  • Identifying, Defining, and Measuring Social and Emotional Competencies
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David Osher

David Osher

Vice President and Institute Fellow
Juliette Berg

Juliette Berg

Senior Researcher

Topic

Education
Social and Emotional Learning
Health

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