Responsive Learning: Characteristics And Uses In Education
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 learn what it consists of; In addition, we will analyze its characteristics, advantages and disadvantages, and see how it differs from another type of more active learning: constructivist or meaningful learning.
Receptive learning is a type or method of learning that consists of the teacher teaches or transmits a certain topic already elaborated and “processed”, and the student simply receives it and 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 has been provided to him. That is, receptive learning It does not focus so much on the student relating previous concepts or drawing their own conclusions but rather that you receive and remember the information as it is presented to you.
An insufficient type of learning?
In this way, 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 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 rather 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.
That is why, although receptive learning has certain benefits and is useful in certain situations or with certain topics, it has received criticism as “unique” learning, especially in recent years. That is, 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 More and more attempts are made to complement it with other types of learning that require more cognitive effort on the part of the student ; Constructivist orientations have especially taken care of this, which encourages 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 his or her own knowledge and conclusions through the content or keys 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.
Education system
Although luckily 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 valid and practically the only one used. So, It becomes the basis of the educational system and academic training.
But… what characteristics does receptive learning have in the school context?
Features of receptive learning
Its most notable characteristics (which allow us to distinguish it from other types of learning) are the following:
1. Active role of the teacher
In receptive learning the 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 his/her students. On the other hand, the student himself maintains a passive role as a mere “receiver of information.”
2. Importance of memory
As we have mentioned, 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, develop 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 on a cognitive level); On the contrary, however, it only manages to create rather superficial learning.
3. Possibility of teaching many at the same time
Another characteristic of receptive learning, and which is also an advantage of it, is that it is a type of teaching that can be provided to various students at the same time (even many).
In this way, the teacher teaches his lesson or transmits his explanations to several students at once. This makes it the “easiest” methodology to apply and most economical for the educational system, and that is why it continues to be the current methodology.
4. Areas of application
Responsive learning It occurs at all school stages, especially in early childhood, primary and secondary education. It also exists in universities, but its presence is reduced, since in these higher academic contexts there is increasing 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, more active types of learning to occur, since the student will be able to answer, reflect on the explanations, propose alternatives, etc.
Advantages
Although receptive learning has the drawbacks mentioned throughout the article, it also has some advantages.
The main one is that receptive learning can occur relatively easily; simply The student must pay attention to the teacher’s explanations so that they can understand and retain the information. Another of its advantages is its low cost; That is, a single teacher can teach many students at the same time.
Furthermore, in the case of some specific subjects where it is more important to memorize than to understand or reflect, receptive learning can be a good option, although active learning will always be more enriching for the student.
