The Developmental Basis of Higher Learning

True higher learning, as we defined it earlier — learning that prepares students to think creatively and critically; communicate effectively; and excel in responding to the challenges of life, work, and citizenship — is fundamentally developmental. When learning is developmental, it inspires, reinforces, and reflects the growth and maturation of the learner as a whole human being. Learning that is developmental is not limited to the acquisition of new information; it is centered in the potential for change in the learner as a result of engagement with new knowledge and experiences. It acknowledges challenge and change as essential to growth and maturation. To be transformative, learning must be developmental.1