Are we learning, or just understanding and regurgitating information?

Often, when we find ourselves in this phase of “just learning,” we are only absorbing information but not really understanding it or realizing its importance. For one, the lack of context makes isolated information irrelevant. Two, the load of information might lead to cognitive overload. Three, a shallow interpretation is witnessed among those who are more concerned with what they see rather than what is behind the scenes. In addition, inadequate practice and engagement as well as cognitive biases could also make it difficult for students to connect to what they learn or read about. Thus traditional teaching methods and assessment styles may be falling short in fostering deeper understanding during our studies too. Additionally, our previous knowledge and experiences influence our comprehension greatly, while time and patience also facilitate the learning process. It is not until we recognize these barriers and take action towards overcoming them that we move from just learning to knowing profoundly beyond any degree of doubt about anything in the world around us.