Chracteristics Of Learning

From the layman,s point of view, learning is the acquistion of knowledge. But this conception is rather too narrow. Actually, it is the 'new experience' that causes learning. Every time an individual gains some new experience' he learning. Every time an individual gains some new experience, he learns something. The process of learning is explained like this. An individual gains some new experience, he learns something. The process of learning is explained like this. An individual reacts to a particular situation. As a result of his reaction, he gains some new experience. This experience causes modification or change in his behaviour. He remembers the situation and its change in his behaviour. He remebvers the situation and its impression is left behind in the mind in the form of engrams. Gates, Jersil and Mc Connell define learning in the following words : "learning may be tought of as the progressive change in behaviour which is associated on the one hand with, successive presentations of a situation and on the other, with repeated efforts of the individual to react to it effectively."

Yoakam and simpson give the following characteristics of learning :

Learning is Growth : Learning leaves behind impressions which are synthesised with the mental structure and  these engrams enrich the personality and effect growth.

Learning is Adjustment : Learning causes acquistion of new experiences which help the individual to make better adjustment with life or new situations.

Learning is Organised Experience : Learnign is not only acquistion of new experience, but also synthesis of the previous experience with the new. The experiences are organised in a synthetic whole to form a complex mental structure.

Learning purposeful : All learning is purposeful in the sense that given a particular situation, every individual will gain new experiences from the same situation in accordance with hiss own interests.

Learnign is Intelligent and Creative : In animals, learning is instinctive ; but in human beings all new experiences leave meaningful impressions which guide future behaviour.

Learning is Active : Learning presupposes activity  than passivity, on the part of the learner, The learner applies his mind, reacts actively to a situation, remember the new experiences and utilises the same in future situation. This is definitely an active behaviour