We've all come across someone who seems to have a “flair” for mathematics or a natural talent for learning languages. But do these apparent qualities have a decisive influence on the ability to learn and master a particular area of knowledge? If so, it means that we can't all learn whatever we want. That doesn't seem to be the case.
Recent research, published in the scientific journal PNAS, has concluded that, in equivalent and favorable situations, students' learning rates are very similar to each other - even in cases where the starting point is quite different. This conclusion is surprising and contradicts previous research, which pointed in the opposite direction.
Until now, the most recent studies suggested that different students acquired knowledge at different speeds. For this reason, it seemed that not everyone would be able to reach the same level of proficiency in a given subject. But the research group led by Kenneth R. Koedinger observed that students' learning rate remained constant, regardless of variations in prior knowledge and initial results.
The learning rate was calculated by analyzing the performance of around 7,000 students in tasks in different areas of knowledge. Students were considered to learn whenever they reduced their error rate in the successive opportunities presented to them. And it was found that, on average, students needed seven correction opportunities to achieve 80% mastery of the knowledge component to which the tasks related.
According to this study, learning opportunities, structured practice and prior knowledge are the factors that contribute most to students' progress. But it's important to note that for learning to take place, well-designed and adapted tasks are needed, as well as a guarantee of sufficient repetition in a variety of contexts and feedback on students' responses - with explicit instructions when necessary.