PROFILE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL LEARNER in the 21st century

Adolescence is the developmental phase between childhood and adulthood. Students in secondary schools (aged 15-19) undergo physical and social changes. "Most physical and mental functions, such as speed, strength, reaction time, and memory, are more fully developed during the teenage years. Also, in adolescence, new, radical, and divergent ideas can have profound impacts on the imagination" (Csikszentmihalyi, n.d.). Adolescents have developed abstract thinking; "though the transition to higher levels of cognitive function varies considerably across individuals. Young adolescents typically progress from concrete logical operations to acquiring the ability to develop and test hypotheses, analyze and synthesize data, grapple with complex concepts, and think reflectively" (Caskey, Anfara, 2007). Teenage learners build upon their prior knowledge and experiences. Experience induces learners to construct meaning based on what they already believe and understand. They search for a social position within their peer group. Caskey and Anfara (ibid) state that the developmental needs of teenagers affect the educational environment and organizational structure of the school.

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