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On June 22, 2021, we will launch updated strategies for the Math PK-2 model, as well as additional updates to the Navigator that highlight equity, SEL, and culturally responsive teaching. To learn more, visit our Site Updates (available in the "About" menu at the top of any page).

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Learner Variability Navigator
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What’s New at LVP?

We’ve spent summer 2021 refreshing our Learner Variability Navigator (LVN) with an equity lens. The goal is to reflect the latest research and effective practices for learning, as well as further incorporate the perspectives of educators, edtech teams, and diverse stakeholders within our work. We conducted multiple focus groups, tapped the expertise of our Practitioner Advisory Board, and worked with researchers of color to update our Learner Models, focusing on culturally responsive practice and social emotional learning.

Take a look at our new evidence-based factors and strategies designed to reach all learners, especially those who have been historically marginalized:

Sense of Belonging (updated as of December 2021)
Where to go for research and strategies to make your classroom or edtech product welcoming to all students.
  • added research on equity in social emotional learning and development across all learner models
  • developed a Sense of Belonging factor in all learner models
  • developed a Sense of Belonging signature workspace to support educators in designing learning environments where all students feel they belong
  • added a Culturally Responsive Practice Guide
  • conducted the Creating a Sense of Belonging: A Critical Need for Student Engagement and Success webinar with Juliana Urtubey, 2021 National Teacher of the Year
  • rearranged factor categories in the factor map to lead with student background and social and emotional learning
  • renamed the Learning Needs Explorer to the Learner-Centered Design Tool to reinforce centering the whole learner and leading with their strengths.
Culturally Responsive Practice (updated as of December 2021)
Where to go to find ways to ensure your classroom practice or product development values and nurtures cultural diversity.
  • added culturally responsive strategies across PreK-12 models, such as discussing race with students, selecting culturally responsive texts, strengths-based approach, building empathy, and several more
  • added culturally responsive strategies for adult learners, such as building empathy, developing your cultural awareness, strengths-based approach, and discussing race.
Literacy Pre-K-3 Model Update (updated as of August 2021)
Where to look for new research and strategies on writing, which is tightly connected to reading and literacy.
  • expanded the Literacy PK-3 model to include Handwriting Skills and Foundational Writing Skills.
  • early writing skills begin developing in the home through activities such as imagining and drawing.
  • educators can use both explicit instruction and playful literacy activities to encourage learners’ writing skills.
  • writing skills interact with other factors developing in the whole child such as Working Memory and Self-regulation.
We would love to get your feedback on our updates and the Navigator in general. Please complete this survey or email lvp@digitalpromise.org. Thank you!

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This is our homepage. You can access many of the features of the Navigator here, and learn more about how learner variability intersects with topics in education and learning. To start, select a content area – we call them Learner Models – to visit a factor map.

Factor Map pages show factor connections

Factor maps show research-based concepts, "factors," that likely impact learning. They are organized into four categories: Learner Background, Social and Emotional Learning, Cognition, and Content Area. The map is interactive. Move your cursor over a factor to see connected factors. Select any factor to visit its summary page. We'll look at factor summary pages next.

Learn more about factors and research-based strategies that support them

This is a factor summary page. It provides a brief definition and review of the factor, a factor connections diagram, additional resources, and strategies that support this factor. On the strategy card, the multi-colored boxes show all the factors that it supports. Select a strategy to visit its summary page.

Strategy summary pages give more detail about ways to support learner variability

Strategy summary pages have an overview, information about using the strategy in different learning environments, resources of interest, the factors this strategy supports, and related strategies you can explore. To view all the strategies in a content area, use the strategies tab at the top of the page. We'll look at all the Strategies for this learner model next.

Learner model strategy pages let you filter all strategies for that model

The strategy page shows ALL of the strategies for that learner model. You can select factors of interest for you or your learners, and it will narrow the strategies to only those that match all of the factors selected. This makes it easy to find key strategies to better design for learner variability. Again, select the strategy name to visit its summary page. Use the plus signs on each strategy card to add a strategy to a workspace. We'll explore those next.

Find individual workspaces you've created on your Workspaces Landing Page

The “Tools & Workspaces” tab on the navigation bar or the “My Workspaces” button on the account menu takes you to a page that shows your workspaces. There are two tabs on the My Workspaces page: a Workspaces tab and a Reports tab. The Workspaces tab lists workspaces you can personalize and update. You can create new sections, move cards between sections, add annotations, share with collaborators, and write reflections. The second tab, "Reports", are a kind of workspace created through the Instructional Design Tool or the Product Assessment Tool and have fewer personalization options.

The Learner Centered Design Tool is a guided experience to creates workspaces

There are three, step-by-step tools you can access on the Navigator to help make workspace or a workspace report. The Learner Centered Design Tool has four steps and helps you create a workspace. First, enter basic information and select a content area of interest. Second, select a few factors that you want to focus on. Third, review connected factors you may not have considered. Note – you don't have to select any extra factors on this step if you don’t want to. The fourth and final step, review and select strategies that you want to use, and save them to a workspace.

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Explore strategies related to all selected factors

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Remove Workspace

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Share Workspace

Enter the email address of the person you want to share with. This person will be granted access to this workspace and will be able to view and edit it.

Permissions

Adjust the permissions of your Workspace.

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This Workspace's Reflection Area is .

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The ideal title length is no more then 100 characters.

A short summary of your Workspace's purpose.

The ideal summary length is 1-2 sentences and 160 characters.

Optionally provide more information about your Workspace.

Help other people understand the thinking behind your Workspace with a short explanatory video.

Upload your video to either Vimeo or YouTube and paste in the URL.

Use this field to show an image instead of a video in your Workspace introduction. The ideal image size is 1040px by 585px. To add an image:

  1. Upload your image to imgbb.com.
  2. Once the upload is complete, click the thumbnail image.
  3. Right-click the full-size image to open it in a new tab and get the full URL to the image.
  4. Paste the full URL into this field.

Note: If you have filled out the Featured Video or Featured Video with Audio Descriptions field, this image will not appear.

If your video contains critical imagery that can only be perceived visually (for example, a title screen or text that isn’t read aloud), provide a second video with audio descriptions. Learn more about audio descriptions.

Learn more about basic and descriptive transcripts.

Select this option to enable a wider paragraph width for the introduction field.

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What Is Learner Variability?

Learner variability is the recognition that each learner is a unique constellation of strengths and challenges that are interconnected across the whole child. Understanding these connections and how they vary according to context is essential for meeting the needs of each learner.

It disrupts the notion of a one-size-fits all education. Understanding learner variability helps educators embrace both students’ struggles and strengths as we connect practice to uplifting the whole learner.

Throughout the site, we talk about "factors" and "strategies." Factors are concepts research suggests have an impact on how people learn. Strategies are the approaches to teaching and learning that can be used to support people in how they learn best.

Edit Workspace Notes

Use this space to add a description or notes for this workspace Markdown supported.

Add Workspace

Use the Learner Centered Design Tool to build a workspace. Go to Learner Centered Design Tool.


Or, create a new blank workspace for your product or project.

Use one of the guided tools to build a workspace.

  • Learner Centered Design Tool
  • Instructional Design Tool
  • Product Assessment Tool

Or, create a new blank workspace for your product or project.

Duplicate Workspace

Make a copy of this workspace.

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Finding new features

On this page, using your heatmap, you will be asked to select factors to further explore, and then select new strategies you might incorporate into upcoming instruction. Once done, click “Show Summary" to view your Design Summary Report.

Finding new strategies

On this page, using your heatmap, you will be asked to select factors to further explore, and then select new strategies you might incorporate into upcoming instruction. Once done, click “Show Report” to view your Design Summary Report.

Generate your report

By selecting "Show Report" you will be taken to the Assessment Summary Page. Once created, you will not be able to edit your report. If you select cancel below, you can continue to edit your factor and strategy selections.

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What Is Learner Variability?

Learner variability is the recognition that each learner is a unique constellation of strengths and challenges that are interconnected across the whole child. Understanding these connections and how they vary according to context is essential for meeting the needs of each learner. It embraces both students’ struggles and strengths. It considers the whole child.

Throughout the site, we talk about "factors" and "strategies." Factors are concepts research suggests have an impact on how people learn. Strategies are the approaches to teaching and learning that can be used to support people in how they learn best.

The Learner Variability Navigator is a free, online tool that translates the science of learner variability into factor maps and strategies that highlight connections across the whole learner. This puts the science of learning at teachers' fingertips,  empowering them to understand their own practice and support each learner.