Researchers
and Theorists
One way that current multiage programs differ from earlier models is the research on which they are based. The development of the current model is grounded in a wide body of research on learning. Brain research supports constructivist teaching and learning models and the constructivist view of learning that are applied in multiage classrooms (Caine & Caine, 1991). It also provides critical input on how children learn and store information, and the environmental factors that impact the learning process. The theory of multiple intelligences provides a framework for thinking about the provision of both active learning and assessment experiences within the multiage classroom. Work by Vygotsky, Piaget, and Bruner supports the mixed-age grouping strategy by emphasizing the importance of social context to learning (Stone, 1995; McClellan, 1993; Bruner, 1966). Finally, multiage education draws on a body of research regarding the negative impact that retention can have on learning. The research is clearly supportive of the continuous progress attribute of the multiage model.
