The burgeoning field of learning sciences research informs educators that learning can be improved by recognizing learner variability; i.e., that all learners have unique strengths and challenges that can be addressed through personalized learning approaches. These strengths and challenges can be depicted within a framework or set of tools that recognizes a “whole child” approach; i.e., that depicts the ways that the many factors that influence learning are interconnected and vary according to context. This recognition is used in educational practices to address learner variability and personalized learning, especially for learners from pre-Kindergarten through grade 12 in literacy and mathematics, as well as adult learners.

Examples of frameworks/tools that address learner variability:

• Digital Promise’s Learner Variability Navigator: Interactive tool that provides research-based strategies and resources tailored to key factors that influence learning, such as learner background, social and emotional learning, cognition, and content area.
• CAST’s Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines: Provides a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Guidelines support educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and others to apply the framework to practice. The guidelines are applicable to any discipline or domain.
• Common Sense Education: Offers reviews and ratings of digital tools and apps that support personalized learning.
• Khan Academy: Provides a range of free educational resources (practice exercises, instructional videos, personalized learning dashboard) to support individualized learning paths for students and build skill mastery. Resources are available for students, teachers, and parents. Students practice at their own pace.  Subjects cover kindergarten through early college - including math; science; reading; computing; history; art history; economics; financial literacy; national tests such as SAT, MCAT.