Meaningful learning: giving meaning to our progress

When we feel motivated, we are able to learn more and better.

We can learn in many ways, but the way that most completely encompasses the emotional, motivational and cognitive dimensions is called meaningful learning.

When this type of learning occurs, the way to associate skills and previous knowledge and to integrate new information into them is shaped by the motivational source and the meaning attributed to what is learned. This is important, considering that the key that makes the difference between the different forms of learning lies in the process of knowledge construction..

An approach to the idea of meaningful learning

Meaningful learning is a process in which the person gathers information, selects it, organizes it and establishes relationships with the knowledge he/she already had previously. Thus, this learning occurs when the new content is related to our lived experiences and other knowledge we have acquired over time, and over time, with motivation and personal beliefs about what is important to learn playing a very relevant role. This entails endowing the new knowledge with a unique meaning for each person, since we each have our own life history.

When meaningful learning occurs, the mental models created through time and experience determine how we will see the information and how we will manage it. In a manner of speaking, our way of internalizing what is learned and endowing it with meaning gives us an idea of the "glasses" through which we see reality, and vice versa.

The emotional dimension of learning

The process of attributing a personal meaning to what we learn has a more affective and emotional dimension than the one we usually associate with the "technical" learning of a subject, where it is simply repeated, practiced and memorized.

It is not just a matter of retaining information in memory for a period of time and then releasing it, as it could be in an exam answer: the purpose is to give a personal meaning to the knowledgeThe aim is to be able to explain it in your own words, and even, once the meaningful learning has taken place, to create new knowledge through it.

Thus, the difference between meaningful learning and repetitive learning refers to the relation, or not, of the material to be learned with previous knowledge. Meaningful and non-arbitrary relationships, i.e., if it can be related to previous knowledge, meanings can be attributed, from which a mental map can be built. mental map of knowledge. Thus, the cognitive structure can be modified, something that would not make repetitive learning, since it can only be maintained for a short period of time.

Two factors to take into account

For learning to be meaningful, two conditions must be met. The content must be potentially meaningful from these aspects:

1. Logical significance

At the level of the internal structure of knowledge, it must be Relevant and clearly organized.

Psychological significance

From the capacity to assimilate it, it must exist within the cognitive structure the pertinent and relatable elements related to the learning material. with the learning material. There must therefore be a favorable disposition to learn the new material and relate it to what is already known.

Comprehensive memorization

It is obvious that in order to learn, not only the material has to exist, but also the motivational and emotional components are key to a good disposition to learn and relate concepts. It is not only the individual's capacity to acquire knowledge that is at stake in terms of maturation o cognitive competence.

In order to consolidate this new knowledge thanks to meaningful learning, the following is needed comprehensive memorization. Constructing new meanings implies modifying previous ones and adding new elements to form relationships. Memorization is comprehensive because the constructed meanings modify, add to and enrich cognitive schemas.

Moreover, the modification of cognitive schemas produced by the achievement of meaningful learning is directly related to the functionality of the learning achieved, i.e., to the possibility of using what has been learned to face new situations.

When what is learned has meaning, it is not only more pleasant to expand knowledge, but it also remains well in the learner's mind, it also remains well in the memory. memory and can lead to better solutions..

Bibliographical references:

• Coll, C., Palacios. J, Marchesi, A. (2004). Psychological development and education, (2). Madrid: Alianza