Variation Theory

Variation theory is a theory of learning and experience that explains how a learner might come to see, understand, or experience a given phenomenon in a certain way. In variation theory, it is assumed that there are critical aspects of a given phenomenon that learners must simultaneously be aware of and focus on in order to experience that phenomenon in a particular way. Discernment of a critical aspect of a phenomenon results from experiencing variation in dimensions that correspond to that aspect. For example, if a critical aspect of the concept of “ripe banana” is the yellow color of the banana, learners must experience variation in the dimension of color to discern “yellowness” as a critical aspect of the concept “ripe banana.”