The Learning Variability Network Exchange (LEVANTE) brings together researchers from around the world aiming to capture the richness and diversity of child development and learning.
Only by conducting open-access, cutting-edge research can we enhance our knowledge on learning and developmental variability.
Delve into the science of learning variability, explore cutting-edge research, and discover practical insights to enhance learning for all.
Home » Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
The LEVANTE site at Sapienza University of Rome, co-led by Principal Investigator Laura Di Giunta together with Ana Victoria Ricaurte, investigates why children’s adaptation and learning follow different developmental pathways, with a particular focus on socio-emotional development. The research examines how processes such as emotion regulation and self-efficacy shape children’s responses to challenges and opportunities in school and everyday life.
Using longitudinal research across diverse educational contexts, including digital learning environments in Latin America, the project studies how socio-emotional development and computational thinking evolve over time. Through its collaboration with Arukay, this is the first LEVANTE site to draw on large-scale educational ecosystems across multiple countries, with research conducted in Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, and Costa Rica.
This work combines developmental and educational data to examine how children’s learning pathways unfold across contexts and relationships.
Principal Investigator
Laura Di Giunta leads research on individual differences in children’s socio-emotional development, integrating personality, developmental, and quantitative psychology methods. Her work examines how processes such as emotion regulation and self-efficacy shape children’s responses to challenges across diverse cultural and educational contexts. Using longitudinal designs and advanced statistical models, her research identifies individual and contextual factors that promote adaptive functioning and counteract maladjustment. Within LEVANTE, her expertise contributes to understanding variability in children’s learning and emotional development, while generating evidence that can inform educational practices and policies across Latin American schools, in collaboration with Arukay’s digital learning platforms.
Co-Principal Investigator
Ana Victoria Ricaurte is the Co-founder and CEO of Arukay, with expertise in educational technology and the design of scalable digital learning ecosystems. She specializes in computational thinking, socio-emotional learning competencies, and the applied use of AI in K-12 education. Her work provides LEVANTE with a strong pedagogical and logistical framework, including immediate access to Arukay’s Latin American school network and digital platform. This infrastructure supports the rigorous execution of a three-year longitudinal study, enabling the ethical, scalable collection of high-fidelity digital data. Her expertise strengthens evidence-based pedagogical development and the implementation of innovative learning interventions.