What is a Learning Gap?

A learning gap is a discrepancy between what a student has learned and what a student was expected to
learn by a specific point in their education. While some learning gaps can be minor and relatively easy to
remedy (such as a student missing a single lesson due to illness), others can be significant and cause
major learning losses or academic setbacks.

The 5 Types of Learning Gaps

I’ve identified five core types of learning gaps that students can experience, including:

Knowledge gaps: Students do not know or were not exposed to the correct information.

Skills gaps: Students have not had the practice necessary to develop common skills.

Motivation gaps: Students lack the motivation to advance their knowledge or skills.

Environmental gaps: Students lack an environment conducive to learning.

Communication gaps: Students experience breakdowns in communication.