Human Variability and Learning.

This publication is a collection of papers and reports presented at the Fifth Curriculum Research Institute. The articles included reflect the Institute's position which recognizes that a teacher must know the child whom he is to teach; knowing the children's experiential background enables the teacher to alter the sequence of curriculum content and the pace of presentation. In addition, being aware of aspirations and self-conceptions of children suggests appropriate, effective methods of evaluation. Papers on anxiety and motivation by Seymour Sarason and Richard Alpert indicate ways in which certain psychological variables influence learning. Group relationships and individual uniqueness are explored in papers by Herbert Thelen and Ronald Lippitt. Calvin Taylor, a consultant to the Institute, discusses how creativity is apparent in the behavior of individuals. The publication not only identifies selected aspects of human variability but it also explores their relationship to learning. (Author/SES)