The Five Areas of Development (Cerebral, Physical, Social, Emotional and Spiritual) framework endeavors to foster the (w)holistic development of all learners to help them actualize their potential and be leaders in their own rights. The creation of New Knowledge from the Learning Experiences include acquisition of essential skills and indispensable watermarks, such as rigour, resourcefulness, choices, etc. allowing a much richer learning journey. This learning framework has received worldwide acclaim and was chosen as one of the global innovations shaping the future of education. Continuing research in the Five Areas of Development will ensure further honing of the learning framework and development of a comprehensive curriculum that is in part universal and in part contextualized to the school setting.

How does one become a person of substance? What does it mean to be one? It is imperative for children to understand that one of the main roles of education is to create Persons of Substance. As educators and adults, we need to help children identify these indispensable traits. At the same time, we need to understand the process of acquiring and mastering them, taking into account the influence of various environments such as one’s home, school and social circle (also social media). Research in this field will entail identifying the common traits that all Persons of Substance have. Concurrently, we will look at differing characteristics of diverse Persons of Substance, based on their background, surrounding and context. At the same time, we will delve into the processes and the factors essential to becoming a Person of Substance. There will be a concerted effort to study how these traits, processes and factors can become a valuable part of the school curriculum.

“A watermark is thought of as a design in a paper that is identified when help up against light. The watermarks are the traits and characteristics we want to instil in our learners so that these attitudes and practices are deeply embedded and stay with the learners as they venture out into the world. Our next step is conducting intensive research to detail out the watermarks and flesh out each traits with working definitions, why we need them, and how we can provide opportunities to acquire and hone them. We need to look at how we can make acquisition of these traits an integral part of our education system. It needs to be emphasized that these traits lead to actions for the good of society.

It refers to the development of leaders who bear the watermarks of rigour, compassion and resilience amongst others. Together with these watermarks, Leadership through Serene Strength requires mastery of core skills of comprehension, collaboration and assessment. Developing the watermarks and core skills to build serene strength is a tough and demanding process, akin to the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly. This process of extending oneself beyond limits leads to a metamorphosis within. It enables one to emerge as a leader who has inner calm and equanimity and create positive change in the world. Ongoing research in this area include understanding the process of inculcating leadership through serene strength and contextualizing the process in diverse education settings. As we forge ahead, you can expect more details to emerge in these and other new areas. If you feel you have the next breakthrough research proposal, do reach out to us at contact@plspvt.com and we will see how we can work with you to actualise your proposal.