is it true that memorising without understanding is not learning?!!!!!!!!!!?

Answer 1

It is extremely true that you can memorize something and not learn it. By memorizing it, you are putting it in your short term memory probably for a test. But do you really understand the material being taught? I would rather learn the material and NOT have it memorized that the other way around. It sticks with you for a much longer time.

Answer 2

Of course it is true.

Most often it is also true that understanding without memorising is not learning. Both are elements of learning and most learning requires some of each.

Here are some examples demonstrating that both are learning:

I can learn my route from home to work without any need to "understand" it - understanding is just not relevant here.

I can learn the concept of Faith without memorising anything.

Answer 3

Personally, I use understanding as an aid to memory. I can recall stuff exactly because I've taken the time and made the intellectual investment to understand it thoroughly. Things get really complicated (stressful) when you're in college, especially if you are a global learner. Time constraints will effectively prevent you from achieving a solid understanding of the fundamentals in many subjects. That's exactly why many students "forget" what they learned in previous semesters. It depends what your goals are, but I consider a lot of the "short-term" learning and memorization to be a waste of time and effort. If you just want to survive the program and land a job, maybe that's okay for you. If you want a good education, maybe not so much. Bias for short-term gain is one of the major problems of our age. It's everywhere; School, Work, Industry, Government, Finance, Food, Environment Issues.

Answer 4

I don't agree with this. Some things have to be memorised before they are fully understood. Understanding often doesn't happen instantly but only comes with experience. As an example take Newton's laws of motion. It's only possible to understand these by applying them to a variety of situations. You have little chance of understanding them unless you memorise them in the first place.
The attitude: "I'm not going to learn this because I don't understand it." is just laziness and shows an unwillingness to learn in the first place.

Answer 5

Not necessarily. But "Romance without Finance is a Nuisance."
Sorry, I wax jazz for a moment....

Sometimes it is important to do what is also called "patterning" so that understanding will be a possibility down the road. There are many things one learns "by rote" and then understanding about those concepts becomes more meaningful later. In a way, it paves the way for those "ah HA" moments that many teenagers (for example) experience.

Answer 6

No, you are still 'learning'. And you are exercising the brain, practicing an important skill. It would be awesome if all learning was meaningful, but it is not necessary for total comprehension as the outcome to have 'learning' occur. It is easier to memorize something if you can apply it to other knowledge you already have and you will retain what you have memorized longer. But either way, you are 'learning'. From the other answers to your question you can see that rote learning is no longer valued. However people want to try to devalue it, it is still learning never theless.

Answer 7

The answer is simple people memorise things shopping lists getting petrol. but its not learning
Learning is when you memorise it and know what its about,
I Think that's the trouble with the government they can give you loads of facts, But they haven't a clue what they are about.
So in this country we must sort out our education starting with the government, They should all stand in a corner with dunces hats on

Answer 8

On many things, yes. For example, you could memorise all of Einsteins theories, but that doesn't mean you understand them. Or you culd memorize a paragraph of French but that doesn't mean you know what it means. Learning IS understanding :)

Answer 9

I would have to say YES.If you don't comprehend it you've only memorized it by sight which is a learned act with a period behind it.Now there are certain things you can learn by memorizing like a phone number but if you don't know you can actually use it to call someone then it's no use.Other examples are the star spangled banner.

Answer 10

You cannot learn without understanding. To memorise something without understanding is to make your life very difficult.

I hear and I forget,
I see and I remember,
I do and I understand.