Rote Learning vs. Meaningful Learning | Oxford Learning

Rote learning is the memorization of information based on repetition. Examples of rote learning include memorizing the alphabet, numbers, and ... TheDifferenceBetweenRoteLearningandMeaningfulLearning Mar23,2017 • Studying Whilerotelearningandmeaningfullearningarebothwaysoflearning,theyareverydifferent.Doesonetypeoflearningbenefityourchildmoreinthelongrun? Togettothebottomofthisquestion,let’sexaminebothtypesoflearning. WhatIsRoteLearning? Rotelearningisthememorizationofinformationbasedonrepetition.Examplesofrotelearningincludememorizingthealphabet,numbers,andmultiplicationtables.Someconsiderrotelearningtobeanecessarystepinlearningcertainsubjects. Memorizationisn’tthemosteffectivewaytolearn,butit’samethodmanystudentsandteachersstilluse.Acommonrotelearningtechniqueispreparingquicklyforatest,alsoknownascramming. AdvantagesofRoteLearning TherearesomebenefitsofRoteLearning,including: Abilitytoquicklyrecallbasicfacts Helpsdevelopfoundationalknowledge DisadvantagesofRoteLearning Thedrawbacksoflearningbymemorizationinclude: Canberepetitive Easytolosefocus Doesn’tallowforadeeperunderstandingofasubject Doesn’tencouragetheuseofsocialskills Noconnectionbetweennewandpreviousknowledge Mayresultinwrongimpressionorunderstandingaconcept Whilebeingabletoquicklyrecallpiecesofinformationishelpful,tounderstandinformationonadeeperlevelstudentsmustuseadifferentmethodoflearning:meaningfullearning. WhatisMeaningfulLearning? Meaningfullearninginvolvesunderstandinghowallthepiecesofanentireconceptfittogether.Theknowledgegainedthroughmeaningfullearningappliestonewlearningsituations.Thistypeoflearningstayswithstudentsforlife. Meaningfullearningisactive,constructive,andlong-lasting,butmostimportantly,itallowsstudentstobefullyengagedinthelearningprocess. Twoimportantgoalsofalltypesoflearningincluderetentionandtransfer.“Retention”istheabilitytorememberthematerialatalatertime.“Transfer”istheabilitytousepriorknowledgetosolvenewproblems.Studentsachievemeaningfullearningwhenbothofthesegoalsarefulfilled. AdvantagesofMeaningfulLearning Meaningfullearninghelpsstudentsachievesuccessintheclassroomby: Encouragingunderstanding,notmemorization Encouragingactivelearningtechniques Focusingontheoutcomeofthelearningprocess Relatingnewinformationtopriorknowledge DisadvantagesofMeaningfulLearning Thechallengesassociatedwithmeaningfullearninginclude: Takeslongertoachieve Shouldbetailoredfordifferenttypesoflearners Somestudentsmayfacechallengeswithmeaningfullearning,asitrequiresbuildingoffpreviousknowledge.Thisiswherededicatedteachersandtutorscanhelpensurestudentsunderstandconceptssothatmeaningfullearningcancontinuetohappen. RoteLearningvs.MeaningfulLearning Expertsemphasizetheimportanceofdeepunderstandingovertherecallingoffacts.Studentswholearnwithmeaningfullearningareabletoproblemsolvebetterthanthosewholearnbyrote. Meaningfullearningteachesstudentsimportantcognitiveskillstheywillusethroughouttheirlife.Cognitiveskillsarewhatstudentsusetoevaluate,analyze,rememberandmakecomparisons.Inthelongrun,meaningfullearningisthemosteffectivewayforstudentstoengageinlearning. WhyOxfordLearning? WithourCognitiveLearningapproachtoteaching,OxfordLearningemphasizestheimportanceofmeaningfullearning.Ourprogramsdon’tfocusonmemorizationorrepetition—theyteachstudentsthefundamentalsoflifelonglearning.Yourchildwilldeveloplearningskillsandstrategiesthatwillhelphimorheronthewaytobettergradesinschool. Doesyourchildneedhelpmasteringtheartofmeaningfullearning?OxfordLearningteachesstudentstheskillstheyneedtobeamoreeffectivelearner.FindoutmoreabouthowOxfordLearninghelps. RecentPosts Summer 10BenefitsofSummerLearning Jun08,2022 Studying StrongStudySkillsMakeExamsaBreeze Jun03,2022 Reading 4TipstoBeatthe‘This-Book-is-Boring’Blues May27,2022 Studying HowtoMakeYourMemoryWorkforExamStudying May20,2022 Lookingformorelearningresources?JointheOLCmailinglist! Subscribetodaytoreceiveournewsletter.Youcanunsubscribeatanytime. Subscribe Javascriptisrequiredtosubmitthisform. Seeourprivacypolicyorcontactinformation. HowToBeMoreOrganizedInMiddleSchool(forStudents&Parents) Do SATⓇPrepProgramsandACTPrepProgramsWork? RelatedStudyingResources Studying StrongStudySkillsMakeExamsaBreeze Jun03,2022 Studying HowtoMakeYourMemoryWorkforExamStudying May20,2022 Attention&Focus,Enrichment,Studying TeachingYourChildtoPayBetterAttention Feb11,2022 Studying MakeLearningEasierwithStudySkills Feb04,2022 FindanOxfordLearning®LocationNearYou! WeHaveOver100CentresAcrossCanada! ContactALocation