The Meaningful-Integrated Learning Level
Dr. Harvey J. Brightman
Regents Professor Emeritus of Decision Sciences
What learning level(s) do teachers want their students to achieve? Teachers rarely desire that students memorize material. At best, the material is forgotten (at least 50% of the content within ten weeks). Many teachers desire students to think critically. That is the ability to "go beyond what they know without falling apart emotionally." Teachers rarely discuss and may not even know of an intermediate learning level - the meaningful and integrated learning level (M-I). This lesser-know level is the gateway to achieving critical thinking. In this note we discuss the important learning level.
The first component of this learning level is meaningful learning. Meaningful learning occurs when students can translate, interpret, and extrapolate what they have learned. Students must learn to translate material into less technical, but correct, language. They must learn to paraphrase or translate ideas into their own words. Students must also translate among the three languages -- words, pictures, and mathematics. Students must be fluent in at least two of these languages. In summary, students must not merely "speak the words"; they must explain concepts in their own words. At the rote level, students can recall the teacher's definition of a concept. At the meaningful level, students develop their own meaningful and correct definitions using words, pictures, or mathematics.
Meaningful learning involves interpretation. Students must be able to explain ideas and their importance. Suppose a student has "learned" the central limit theorem, cost of capital, and an ethical analysis model. So what are the implications! Students demonstrate meaningful learning by stressing what ideas mean, and by explaining their worth.
Meaningful learning involves extrapolation. This includes making predictions based on understanding ideas. Students must envision the consequences and effects of the ideas they have learned. It is their first small step to going beyond what they have learned. It is their first journey into critical thinking.
The second component of this learning level is integrated learning. This involves connecting newly learned and previously learned materials. Students must learn the art and science of connecting knowledge, not merely regurgitating the teacher's connections. At this level, students find similarities and differences among the ideas and concepts they have already learned.
In summary, M-I learning is the ability to translate ideas into everyday language and among the three business languages, interpret and extrapolate ideas, and integrate and connecting material. The M-I learning level is the gateway to critical thinking.
Typical Verbs at the M-I Learning Level
| Explain in own words: paraphrase, illustrate, restate, draw, interpret, extrapolate, predict, translate, distinguish, construct, differentiate, organize and link |
| Students will be able to: 1. Paraphrase Deming's 14 points on quality. |
| 2. Translate an indifference curve graph into both words and a mathematical equation. |
| 3. Construct a correct diagram, figure, or chart that integrates the several chapters on motivational theories |
| 4. Predict the pattern and frequency of mergers and acquisitions in the year 2010 |
| 5. Differentiate between the Legislative and Executive branches of government. |
Click here for more on the Bloom et. al. taxonomy on cognitive objectives.
