WHY "LEArning in perpetual beta"

Always Evolving. Always in Beta.

Learning in Perpetual Beta (LPB) is more than a phrase—it is a philosophy and mindset; a way of moving through the world as a learner and human being. At its core, LPB rejects the idea that we must wait until something is perfect before we share it, use it, or grow from it. Instead, it embraces continuous iteration, curiosity, reflection, and purposeful evolution. It is the belief that we are continuously learning and improving.

LPB represents how real learning actually works: through cycles of exploration, feedback, revision, and growth. It aligns with every approach I teach like design thinking, project-based learning, and authentic STEM integration—because all of these require learners and educators to iterate, make sense of ambiguity, test ideas, and evolve. LPB is the culture that makes these practices possible.

Dyslexic Advantage

But LPB is also deeply personal to me. As someone with dyslexia (I found out when I was 40 years old), I grew up thinking and learning differently. What others labeled as weaknesses—my slower pace with procedural tasks, difficulty with fine details, or challenges with memorization—were actually the trade that enabled my dyslexic advantage: a brain wired for big-picture thinking, pattern recognition, and interdisciplinary connections. Instead of getting lost in the mechanics, I naturally see systems, relationships, and possibilities. LPB didn’t just validate this—it celebrated it: depth over speed, meaning over minutiae, and the ability to navigate ambiguity and evolving ideas with clarity and imagination.

LPB gives language to the way my brain already operated. It allowed me to see my dyslexia not as something to overcome, but as an engine for creativity, innovation, and empathy.

To understand LPB, it helps to break down the three concepts it’s built on: Learning, Perpetual, and Beta.

Breaking Down LPB

Learning

The “Learning” aspect is the recognition that learning is an active verb, not a passive noun. It is not the accumulation of information, but the act of making sense of the world. In this philosophy, learning is…

exploration, not just instruction
questioning, not just answering
reflection and iteration, not just completion

Learning becomes something you do—not something that happens to you. It demands curiosity, humility, courage, and a willingness to change your mind. When we embrace LPB, we see learning as a continuous cycle: try → reflect → refine → try again.

This is exactly how professionals work in the real world. Designers prototype. Engineers test. Scientists revise hypotheses. Artists iterate. Innovators pivot. LPB mirrors the authentic processes of creation and problem-solving that I try to teach students in every classroom I support.

Perpetual

The “Perpetual” aspect is the commitment to staying open to growth throughout our learning journey and life. It is the opposite of stagnation. It means:

you are always evolving
you adjust as the world changes
you revisit ideas, habits, and assumptions
you remain curious, flexible, and adaptable

Perpetual means you never reach a point where you say, “I’m done. I’ve mastered everything.” Instead, you remain in motion—professionally, creatively, and personally.

This is particularly important in modern education. Knowledge shifts. Technology shifts. Pedagogy shifts. The world is changing too quickly for static expertise. What matters is the ability to keep learning, unlearning, and relearning.

Perpetual is what empowers educators and students to thrive in an uncertain world.

Beta

“Beta” comes from the software world, where a beta version is not final—it’s ready enough to test, gather feedback, break, and improve. Beta is powerful because it gives permission:

to be unfinished
to try before you feel ready
to release version 1.0 instead of chasing perfection
to make mistakes without shame
to improve publicly rather than hiding the process

Beta reframes imperfection as a natural and necessary part of creation. Instead of fearing feedback, you welcome it. Instead of thinking failure is a verdict, you see it as data.