Learner Variability Navigator

Schema last updated January 28, 2025.

About

The Learner Variability Navigator dataset (LVN) helps scale the impact of learning science by making connections between student context and learning goals to recommend instructional practices likely to help a given student reach a specific goal. We’ve included 3 core concepts from the Learner Variability Tool from Digital Promise ↗.

Concept	Definition
Learner models	Grade- and subject-specific models (e.g., math for grades 3–6 or literacy for grades 4–6) Each learner model connects student context and learning goals with instructional strategies. They help identify what supports student success for specific subjects and grade bands.
Factors	Research-backed elements that influence learning across different learner models: Learner background (including physical well-being) Self-management and interpersonal skills (such as self-regulation) Cognitive processes (like long-term memory) Subject-specific skills (like geometric reasoning)
Strategies	Instructional practices that support learning across these factors Each strategy is supported by research and applies to multiple factors and learner models. For example, the peer teaching strategy supports factors like math communication and long-term memory.

Data relationship diagram

Data model diagram: Learner Variability Navigator (LVN)
entities—LearnerModel, Factor, Strategy—and their connections for linking
student context and learning goals to instructional
practices

Diagram description

The diagram shows the Learner Variability Navigator (LVN) dataset only. relevantToStandard links to StandardsFrameworkItem, which is defined in Academic Standards.Example (Math 3–6): A LearnerModel is a grade-and-subject profile—e.g. Math 3-6. It hasFactor (e.g. Working memory, Long-term memory, Math communication) and hasStrategy (e.g. Peer teaching, Visual aids). A Factor can interactWithFactor another (e.g. working memory ↔ attention). A Strategy can targetsFactor one or more factors (e.g. Peer teaching targetsFactor Math communication and Long-term memory). A Factor can be relevantToStandard a StandardsFrameworkItem (e.g. Algebraic reasoning relevant to 6.EE.A.2). So the diagram connects learner context and standards to instructional strategies.Edge list (source → relationship → target):

LearnerModel → hasFactor → Factor (e.g. Math 3-6 → Working memory)
LearnerModel → hasStrategy → Strategy (e.g. Math 3-6 → Peer teaching)
Factor → interactsWithFactor → Factor (e.g. Working memory ↔ Attention)
Strategy → targetsFactor → Factor (e.g. Peer teaching → Math
Factor → relevantToStandard → StandardsFrameworkItem (e.g. Algebraic

See Entities and Relationships for full property and edge definitions.

Entities

`LearnerModel`

Learner models are pairs of grades and academic subjects (e.g., math for grades 3-6, literacy for grades 4-6). For each learner model, there’s a subset of relevant factors and strategies. As such, they help contextualize what’s important for student success tied to specific grade bands and subjects. We have the following LearnerModels in the Knowledge Graph:

Math PK-2
Math 3-6
Math 7-10
Literacy PK-3
Literacy 4-6
Literacy 7-12
Portrait of a Learner PK-3
Portrait of a Learner 4-8
Portrait of a Learner 9-12

These entities have the following metadata:

Property	Description	Type	Cardinality
`academicSubject`	Academic subject	`AcademicSubjectENUM`	1
`attributionStatement`	Textual credit that acknowledges the source or creator of a work, included when required by the content’s license (e.g., Creative Commons BY); the statement specifies how the creator should be attributed in accordance with the license terms.	`String`	1
`author`	Author of content	`String`	1
`content`	Materials that make up a learner model along with additional information (if available)	`String`	0..1
`description`	Description of the item	`String`	0..1
`gradeLevel`	Specifies the educational grade for which the curriculum component is intended	`Array of GradeLevelENUM`	0..n
`identifier`	Identifier of the item, either as textual strings or as URL (URI) links	`String`	1
`license`	License document that applies to this content, typically indicated by URL	`String`	1
`name`	Name of the item	`String`	0..1
`provider`	Service provider, service operator, or service performer	`String`	1

`Factor`

A factor is a characteristic that influences learning or performance. Factors span two categories: Context (e.g., background, environment, access to resources, attention, working memory) and Skills (e.g., decoding, fluency, algebraic reasoning). Factors may connect to other factors and can be linked to instructional strategies. These entities have the following metadata:

Property	Description	Type	Cardinality
`academicSubject`	Academic subject	`AcademicSubjectENUM`	1
`attributionStatement`	Textual credit that acknowledges the source or creator of a work, included when required by the content’s license (e.g., Creative Commons BY); the statement specifies how the creator should be attributed in accordance with the license terms.	`String`	1
`author`	Author of content	`String`	1
`category`	Grouping for factors within a LearnerModel	`String`	0..1
`citations`	References to research that supports the factor	`Array`	0..n
`content`	Materials that make up a factor along with additional information (if available)	`String`	0..1
`description`	Description of the item	`String`	0..1
`gradeLevel`	Specifies the educational grade for which the curriculum component is intended	`Array of GradeLevelENUM`	0..n
`identifier`	Identifier of the item, either as textual strings or as URL (URI) links	`String`	1
`license`	License document that applies to this content, typically indicated by URL	`String`	1
`name`	Name of the item	`String`	0..1
`provider`	Service provider, service operator, or service performer	`String`	1

`Strategy`

The specific instructional best practices that support learning across the whole child framework. Each of the research-backed approaches supports a variety of factors and learner models (e.g., the ‘peer teaching’ strategy supports factors like math communication and long-term memory). These entities have the following metadata:

Property	Description	Type	Cardinality
`academicSubject`	Academic subject	`AcademicSubjectENUM`	1
`attributionStatement`	Textual credit that acknowledges the source or creator of a work, included when required by the content’s license (e.g., Creative Commons BY); the statement specifies how the creator should be attributed in accordance with the license terms.	`String`	1
`author`	Author of content	`String`	1
`category`	Grouping for strategies within a LearnerModel	`String`	0..1
`citations`	References to research that supports the strategy	`Array`	0..n
`content`	Materials that make up a strategy along with additional information (if available)	`String`	0..1
`description`	Description of the item	`String`	0..1
`gradeLevel`	Specifies the educational grade for which the curriculum component is intended	`Array of GradeLevelENUM`	0..n
`identifier`	Identifier of the item, either as textual strings or as URL (URI) links	`String`	1
`license`	License document that applies to this content, typically indicated by URL	`String`	1
`name`	Name of the item	`String`	0..1
`provider`	Service provider, service operator, or service performer	`String`	1

Relationships

`hasFactor`

A hasFactor relationship connects a LearnerModel to one or more Factors included in that model’s profile; one-to-many (:LearnerModel)-[:hasFactor]->(:Factor)

`hasStrategy`

A hasStrategy relationship connects a LearnerModel to one or more Strategies recommended or available within that model; one-to-many (:LearnerModel)-[:hasStrategy]->(:Strategy)

`interactsWithFactor`

An interactsWithFactor relationship is a bidirectional association between two Factors representing mutual interplay. (:Factor)-[:interactsWithFactor]->(:Factor)

`targetsFactor`

A targetsFactor relationship indicates that a strategy is intended to build or directly influence a Factor; many-to-many (:Strategy)-[:targetsFactor]-(:Factor)

`relevantToStandard`

A relevantToStandard relationship links a Factor to a StandardFrameworkItem to indicate relevance to the expectations expressed in that StandardFrameworkItem; many-to-many. (:Factor)-[:relevantToStandard]->(:StandardFrameworkItem)

Schema release history

Date	Changed
January 28, 2026	Added `relevantToStandard` relationship.
December 8, 2025	First release.

Understanding Knowledge Graph

Getting Started

Using Knowledge Graph

Graph Reference

Resources

About

Data relationship diagram

Entities

`LearnerModel`

`Factor`

`Strategy`

Relationships

`hasFactor`

`hasStrategy`

`interactsWithFactor`

`targetsFactor`

`relevantToStandard`

Schema release history

​About

​Data relationship diagram

​Entities

​LearnerModel

​Factor

​Strategy

​Relationships

​hasFactor

​hasStrategy

​interactsWithFactor

​targetsFactor

​relevantToStandard

​Schema release history

About

Data relationship diagram

Entities

`LearnerModel`

`Factor`

`Strategy`

Relationships

`hasFactor`

`hasStrategy`

`interactsWithFactor`

`targetsFactor`

`relevantToStandard`

Schema release history