One of the most notable endeavors an individual can undertake is teaching. Despite being proposed as a fundamental pillar for information transmission and cultural continuity, we know very little about how this ability develops throughout life.

This research program aims to generate knowledge in this underexplored area. Can we teach ourselves? From what age can we teach? How do we do it? Can children teach other children? 

To carry out this project, we conduct both behavioral and theoretical studies to understand how we become educators. To contribute not only to the general knowledge of Human Behavior Sciences but also to the study of Education Sciences, enhancing initiatives such as peer tutoring.

The LEVANTE site led by Cecilia Calero at Universidad Torcuato Di Tella in Argentina is conducting the “Little Teachers Project,” a large-scale, school-based study that explores how children learn by teaching others and themselves. This research uniquely combines peer tutoring (PT) and self-regulated learning (SRL) to investigate how these practices shape cognitive development, educational equity, and lifelong learning skills. With a focus on real-world classrooms in resource-constrained settings, the team examines the individual and collective impact of these strategies on both tutors and learners. Supported by economist and Co-PI Victor Volman, the project aims to generate culturally diverse, open-access data that contributes to educational policy and the broader LEVANTE network’s mission of fostering inclusive, effective learning environments across global contexts.