Receptive learning: characteristics and uses in education

This type of learning is the foundation of traditional classroom education for many students.

We learn in many ways throughout our lives. This is especially reflected in the school stage, where teachers teach through different techniques and methodologies. In the current educational system, however, one type of learning prevails: receptive learning.

In this article we will know what it consists of; in addition, we will analyze its characteristics, advantages and disadvantages, and we will see how it differs from another more active type of learning: constructivist or meaningful learning.

Receptive learning: what is it?

The receptive learning is a type or method of learning that consists in that the teacher teaches or transmits a certain subject matter already elaborated and "processed", and the student simply receives and memorizes it through repeated exposure to it. and memorizes it through repeated exposure to it.

In other words, the only task that the student must do in this case to learn is to "listen and absorb" the information provided by the teacher (or another person).

Through this type of learning, in fact, the learner makes practically no cognitive effort, since he/she merely "memorizes" or "retains" the information provided to him/her. In other words, receptive learning is not so much focused on the learner relating previous concepts or drawing his or her own conclusions, but rather on the learner receiving and retaining the information provided.Rather, it is about receiving and remembering information as it is presented to them.

An insufficient type of learning?

In this way, receptive learning does not require a great deal of cognitive effort beyond review and repetition.It does not allow the student to modify his or her previous cognitive structures or change other knowledge he or she already has. This makes it become, in a certain way, a limiting or insufficient learning, which does not promote reflection or deeper understanding, but the mere repetition of the contents.

Thus, the learning that the student will end up acquiring through receptive learning will always be more superficial and less lasting than other learning obtained through other more active or constructivist methodologies, as we will see later on.

This is why, although receptive learning has certain benefits and is useful in certain situations or for certain subjects, it has been criticized as "unique" learning, especially in recent years. In other words, the ideal is that the student learns through different learning processes, not only through this one. But what alternatives to it are proposed?

Differences with constructivist learning

For all of the above reasons, receptive learning is increasingly being complemented by other types of learning that require more cognitive effort on the part of the learner, and this is what constructivist orientations have been particularly concerned with.constructivist orientations, which promote a type of learning based on the learner's construction of the world, have been particularly concerned with this.

In this second case we speak of constructivist learning, which provides truly meaningful learning, and where the learner creates his or her ownIn this second case, we speak of constructivist learning, which provides truly meaningful learning, and where the student creates his or her own knowledge and conclusions through the contents or clues provided by the teacher.

This type of learning gives the student an active role in the construction of knowledge, as opposed to receptive learning, where the student has a passive role and the teacher an active role.

Educational system

Although fortunately there are already alternatives and other complementary options to receptive learning, it is true that in the current educational system this type of learning is still in force and practically the only one used. Thus, it becomes the basis of the educational system and of academic training..

But... What are the characteristics of receptive learning in the school context?

Characteristics of receptive learning

The most important characteristics of receptive learning (and which allow us to distinguish it from other types of learning) are the following:

1. Active role of the teacher

In receptive learning, the focus is on the teacher, who plays an active role.. Thus, this type of learning focuses on the teacher, on how he/she explains and transmits the information to his/her students. Instead, the learner himself maintains a passive role as a mere "receiver of information".

Importance of memory

As we have already mentioned, receptive learning is based above all on "memorizing" content and being able to reproduce it later (for example, in an exam). This is why this type of learning is also considered "repetitive" learning, where memory plays a key role.

Thus, since through receptive learning, the learner cannot draw too many cannot draw conclusions that are too revealingThe learner cannot draw too revealing conclusions, elaborate his own knowledge, modify his previous cognitive structures, etc. (as he could do with receptive learning). (as he could do with constructivist learning). He must limit himself to repeated exposure to knowledge, so that he can end up memorizing it and, in a certain way, internalizing it.

The advantage of this is that it can be considered "low-cost" learning. (at least at the cognitive level); on the other hand, however, it only manages to create rather superficial learning.

3. Possibility of teaching many at the same time

Another feature of receptive learning, which is also an advantage of it, is that it is a type of teaching that can be provided to several (even many) learners at the same time.

In this way, the teacher teaches his lesson or conveys his explanations to several learners at once. This makes it the "easiest" methodology to apply and the most economical for the education system, and therefore it remains the current methodology.

4. Areas of application

Receptive learning is used at all school stages, especially in infant, primary and secondary education.. In universities it also exists, but its presence is reduced, since in these higher academic contexts there is a growing commitment to an education that promotes the critical spirit of students and their decision-making capacity.

The more possibilities there are to interact with the teacher, the more possibilities there will be for other types of more active learning to take place, since the student will be able to answer, reflect on the explanations, propose alternatives, etc.

Advantages

Although receptive learning has the disadvantages mentioned throughout the article, it also has some advantages.

The main one is that receptive learning can be produced in a relatively simple way; the learner will simply the learner must be attentive to the teacher's explanations in order to understand and retain the information. Another advantage is its low cost; that is, a single teacher can teach many students at the same time.

Moreover, in the case of some specific subjects where memorization is more important than understanding or reflection, receptive learning can be a good option, although active learning will always be more enriching for the student.

Bibliographical references:

• Moreira, M.A. (2012). in the end, what is meaningful learning? Revista Qurriculum, 25: 29-56.
• Sampascual, G. (2007). Psicología de la Educación. 2 Volumes. UNED. Madrid.