4myLearn Learning Challenge Model

Level 2: Environmental Stimuli at Each Developmental Stage (External)

Level 2 deals with interaction of the emergence of biologically based individual differences in motor, sensory, cognitive, and affective capabilities and external stimulus which promotes or hinders further development.

Learning opportunities	Sensory and motor experiences, and human interaction drive brain development. Most of the brain development occurs during the critical periods for specific brain function. Sensory and motor complete development first, followed by language, the last to complete development is higher cognitive capabilites. Best development occurs when learning opportunites align with critical period timing and sequence.
Over and Under Stimulation	Brain areas are structurally different, optimized for different types of stimuli, processing, and function. Higher level brain areas are less mature at birth and develop later in life. Motor and sensory are moderately mature at birth. Brain areas for symbolic and executive function are immature. Modules of basic, rudimentary capability exist at birth to be evolved by life experiences. Unclaimed brain areas are organized and wired by activated areas needing its processing type. Under reactive modules and under or over stimulated modules do not recruit new modules. Simple capabilities will exist, but complex capabilities will not develop.
Human Interaction	Caregiving adults' knowledge, interest, and capabilites determine much of the child's physical and emotional enviornment, therefore stimulation, during the critical periods. Needed stimulation varies by individual and time. The fast-paced highly-processed modern enviornment is less kid-friendly than past enviornments. Altering the modern enviornment to give required level and type of stimulation during critical periods is extremely difficult to do without being very intuned to the child and/or having an updated sensory profile of the child. Failure leads to common misunderstandings of derived behaviors.