The concept of educational resilience originates in studies of developmental psychology:
its theoretical base and construct emerged from the field of developmental psychopathology and evolved into two branches of research.
The first branch attempts to identify educationally resilient students and then categorize the set of character or personality traits common in individuals who defy the odds.
The second branch of research concentrates on effective learning environments for children at risk of school failure.
(This research is discussed at length in the literature review in Chapter 2.)