The two-faced process of learning and the importance of Janus-faced solutions

Abstract

Significant developments have been made to our understanding of how children learn, putting essential pieces to the puzzle of what it means to be human. Theories of learning are, however, headed in diverging directions, and this perspective paper argues that this dispersion can recapitulate recurring schisms in developmental and learning sciences about learning as a predominantly individually constructed or socially transferred process. It is argued that this opposition is unnecessary and that an encompassing understanding of learning should consider both directions. This conciliatory approach considers how humans learn from others and what is known while exploring new solutions. This is important for understanding learning in childhood, seeing learning as a simultaneously individual and social process where humans actively explore and exploit knowledge about the world around them. Framing learning by the metaphor of a Janus face, looking back at what is known while exploring new knowledge, becomes illuminating for understanding learning and provides an essential background for designing educational practices based on active learning.