Receptive learning: characteristics and uses in education

We learn in many ways throughout our lives. This is reflected especially in the school stage, where teachers teach through different techniques and methodologies. In the current educational system, however, a 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 type of more active learning: constructivist or meaningful learning.

• Related article: "The 13 types of learning: what are they?"

Receptive learning: what is it?

Receptive learning is a type or method of learning that consists of the teacher teaches or transmits a certain theme already elaborated and "processed", and the student simply receives it and he memorizes it through repeated exposure to it.

That is, 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 reality the student does not make practically any cognitive effort, since he is limited to "memorizing" or "retaining" the information that he has been provided. That is, receptive learning

It does not focus so much on the student relating previous concepts or drawing their own conclusions, but rather in receiving and remembering the information as it is presented to him.

An insufficient type of learning?

Thus, receptive learning does not require great cognitive effort beyond review and repetition, since it does not allow the student to modify their previous cognitive structures or change other knowledge that they already have. 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 that you obtain through other more active or constructivist methodologies, as we will see more forward.

That is why, although receptive learning has certain benefits and is useful in certain situations or before certain topics, has been criticized as “unique” learning, especially in the last years. In other words, the ideal is for the student to learn through different learning processes, not only through this one. But what alternatives to it are proposed?

Differences with constructivist learning

For all that has been said, receptive learning Every time we try to complement more with other types of learning that require more cognitive effort on the part of the student; Constructivist orientations have especially dealt with this, which promote a type of learning based on the construction of the world by the student.

In this second case we talk about constructivist learning, which provides truly meaningful learning, and where the student creates their own knowledge and conclusions through the contents or keys provided by the teacher.

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

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Education system

Although luckily there are already alternatives and other complementary options to receptive learning, it is quite true that in the current educational system this type of learning continues to be valid and practically the only one that is uses. So, it becomes the basis of the educational system and academic training.

But... What characteristics does receptive learning have in the school context?

Characteristics of receptive learning

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

1. Active role of the teacher

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

2. importance of memory

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

Thus, as through receptive learning the student cannot draw too revealing conclusions, elaborate their own knowledge, modify their previous cognitive structures, etc. (as you could do with constructivist learning). You must limit yourself to repeatedly exposing yourself to knowledge, so that you can end up memorizing it and, in a certain way, internalizing it.

The advantage of this is that can be considered “low cost” learning (at least at the cognitive level); on the contrary, but, it only manages to create rather superficial learning.

3. Possibility of teaching many at the same time

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

In this way, the teacher teaches her lesson or transmits her explanations to several students at once. This makes it the “easiest” methodology to apply and the most economical for the educational system, and for this reason it continues to be the current methodology.

4. Fields of application

receptive learning occurs at all school stages, especially in infant, primary and secondary education. It also exists in universities, but its presence is reduced, since in these higher academic contexts there is an increasing commitment to an education that promotes the critical spirit of students and their ability to decision.

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

Advantages

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

The main one is that receptive learning can occur relatively easily; simply the student must be attentive to the teacher's explanations so that she can understand and retain the information. Another of its advantages is its low cost; that is, a single teacher or teacher can teach many students at the same time.

In addition, in the case of some specific subjects where it is more important to memorize than to understand or reflect, the receptive learning can be a good option, although active learning will always be more enriching for the student. student.

Bibliographic references:

• Moreira, M.A. (2012). In the end, what is meaningful learning? Qurriculum Magazine, 25: 29-56.
• Sampascual, G. (2007). Psychology of the education. 2 Volumes. UNED. Madrid.