Ausubel's Theory of Meaningful learning

David Paul Ausubel was an American

psychologist

whose

most

significant

contribution to the fields of educational

psychology, cognitive science, and science
education.

Ausubel

believed

that

understanding concepts, principles, and

ideas

are

achieved

through

deductive

reasoning. Similarly, he believed in the idea

of meaningful learning as opposed to rote
memorization. The most important single
factorinfluencinglearningiswhatthelearner
already knows. This led Ausubel to develop
an interesting theory of meaningful learning
andadvanceorganizers.

Learning Theory
Ausubel's believes that learning of new knowledge relies on what is already known. That is,
constructionofknowledgebeginswithourobservationandrecognitionofeventsandobjects
through concepts we already have. We learn by constructing a network of concepts and
addingtothem.
Ausubel also stresses the importance of reception rather than
discovery learning, and meaningful rather than rote learning. He
declares that his theory applies only to reception learning in school
settings. He didnt say, however, that discovery learning doesnt
work but rather that it was not efficient. In other words, Ausubel
believed that understanding concepts, principles, and ideas are
achieved through deductive reasoning. Ausubel was influenced by
theteachingsofJeanPiaget.SimilartoPiagetsideasofconceptual
schemes, Ausubel related this to his explanation of how people
acquireknowledge.

Meaningful learning
Ausebels theory also focuses on meaningful learning. According to his theory, to learn

meaningfully,individualsmustrelatenewknowledgetorelevantconceptstheyalreadyknow.
Newknowledgemustinteractwiththelearnersknowledgestructure.
Meaningful learning can be contrasted with rote learning. he believed in the idea of
meaningful learning as opposed to rote memorization. The latter can also incorporate new
information into the preexisting knowledge structure but without interaction. Rote memory
isusedtorecallsequencesofobjects,suchasphonenumbers.However,itisofnousetothe
learnerinunderstandingtherelationshipsbetweentheobjects.
Becausemeaningfullearninginvolvesarecognitionofthelinksbetweenconcepts,ithasthe
privilegeofbeingtransferredtolongtermmemory.Themostcrucialelementinmeaningful
learning is how the new information is integrated into the old knowledge structure.
Accordingly, Ausubel believes that knowledge is hierarchically organized that new
informationismeaningfultotheextentthatitcanberelated(attached,anchored)towhatis
alreadyknown.
The rotemeaningful learning continium showing the requirements of meaningful
learning
AdvanceOrganizers
Ausubeladvocatestheuseofadvanceorganizersasamechanismtohelptolinknewlearning
materialwithexistingrelatedideas.Advanceorganizersarehelpfulinthewaythattheyhelp
the process of learning when difficult and complex material are introduced. This is satisfied
throughtwoconditions:
1. The student must process and understand the information presented in the organizer
thisincreasestheeffectivenessoftheorganizeritself.3
2.Theorganizermustindicatetherelationsamongthebasicconceptsandtermsthatwillbe
used
Ausubelstheoryofadvanceorganizersfallintotwocategories:comparativeandexpository
ComparativeOrganizers
The main goal of comparative organizers is to activate existing schemas and is used as
reminders to bring into the working memory of what you may not realize is relevant. A
comparative Organizer is also used both to integrate as well as discriminate. It integrates
new ideas with basically similar concepts in cognitive structure, as well as increase
discriminabilitybetweennewandexistingideaswhichareessentiallydifferentbutconfusably
similar
ExpositoryOrganizers

In contrast, expository organizers provide new knowledge that students will need to
understand the upcoming information. Expository organizers are often used when the new
learning material is unfamiliar to the learner. They often relate what the learner already
knows with the new and unfamiliar materialthis in turn is aimed to make the unfamiliar
materialmoreplausibletothelearner.

Ausubel Learning Model

Ausubelbelievedthatlearningproceedsinatopdownordeductivemanner.Ausubel'stheory
consistsofofthreephases.Themainelementsofausubelteachingmethodareshownbelow
inthetable
AusubelsModelofMeaningfulLearning

PhaseOne
AdvanceOrganizer
Clarifyaimofthelesson

Presentthelesson

PhaseTwo
PresentationofLearningtaskor

PhaseThree

Material

StrengtheningCognitive
Organization

Maketheorganizationofthenew

Relatenewinformation

materialexplicit

toadvanceorganizer

Makelogicalorderoflearningmaterial

Promoteactivereception

explicit

learning.

Relateorganizerto

Presentmaterialintermsofbasic

studentsprior

similaritiesanddifferencesby

knowledge

using examples,andengage
studentsin meaningfullearning
activities

Concept mapping for meaningful learning :

NovakandGowan(1984)havedevelopedatheoryofinstructionthatisbasedonAusubel's
meaningful learning principles that incorporates "concept maps" to represent meaningful
relationships between concepts and propositions. A cognitive map is a "kind of visual road
map showing some of the pathways we may take to connect meanings of concepts."
AccordingtoNovakandGowanconceptmapsshouldbehierarchicalthemoregeneral,more
inclusive concepts should be at the top of the map, and the more specific, less inclusive
concepts at the bottom of the map. An an example of this hierarchical principle of concept
mapsisshownintheconceptmapofthefoodchain.
TheconceptmapofthefoodchainisdoneinInspirationIsuspect,andIdon'thavetimeto
gohuntforthatprogram,socan'tcopyit.We'llconstructaconceptmapinstatisticsinthe
Fall.SeeifyoucanlocateitatHassard'ssite.jeanne

Theconceptmapisatoolthatscienceteacherscanusetodeterminethenatureofstudents'
existing ideas The map can be used to make evident the key concepts to be learned and
suggest linkages between the new information to be learned and what the student already
knows. Concept maps can precede instruction, and be used by the teacher to generate a
meaningful discussion of student ideas. Following the initial construction and discussion of
concept maps, instructional activities can be designed to explore alternative frameworks,
resultingincognitiveaccommodation.

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