What is Meaningful Learning?

Posted On December 26, 2022

There are several learning strategies that can be used for educational purposes. Rote learning is a learning strategy base on repeition and memorization. You can read more about rote learning here. Meaningful learning is a learning strategy which aims to have a student fully understand everything taught to them.

A woman with blonde hair has a book covering her face. Meaningful learning is associated with being able to understand what you read.
A woman with black hair is standing in front of a white board which displays a cell. Meaningful learning is associated with being able to understand what you learn.
Two girls in school uniforms are forming a heart with their hands in front of a green chalkboard. Meaningful learning is associated with being able to understand what you learn

According to learningbp, learning is “a natural process,” and a never-ending process where all individuals learn regardless of age. Learning is the process of obtaining knowledge, skills, and behaviors by studying or experiencing. This can happen by using the process of repetition and memorization (rote learning), or by encouraging a learner to connect their knowledge to what exists around them (meaningful learning). The key difference between the two learning strategies is that one requires understanding for it to be effective, while one does not require it.

What Makes Learning Meaningful?

If the meaningful learning strategy is implemented with a learner, they then will understand the knowledge, behavior, or skill that they are acquiring. A learner is can take the knowledge that they learn, and they can connect it to current events around them, such as inflation or poverty. They can also take the knowledge they learn and connect to previous knowledge or events. Learning is meaningful if the learner can demonstrate understanding of the subject, and can make connections.

Ways to Implement

  1. Ensure that the learner is engaged, and is an active participant in the process.
  2. If you are teaching, ensure that you communicate to the learner with your body (ex. make eye contact with them, tilt your body towards them when speaking).
  3. Check-in with the learner by asking questions.
  4. Use multiple strategies to ensure that the information can be remembered long-term (ex. repeating theories multiple times).
  5. Use different learning styles (ex. group activities, manipulatives such as blocks).
  6. Ask learner to make connections.

Overall, meaningful learning can encourage a learner to value the knowledge, skills, or behavior they obtain because they can make connections to previous knowledge, or other real life events around them. Meaningful learning ensures that any person fully understand what they learn so that they can build on their existing knowledge.