Meaningful learning requires three conditions: 
- The material to be learned must be conceptually clear and presented with language and examples relatable to the learner’s prior knowledge. 
- The learner must possess relevant prior knowledge. 
- The learner must choose to learn meaningfully.

Instructional strategies that emphasize relating new knowledge to the learner’s existing knowledge foster meaningful learning, as do evaluation strategies that encourage learners to use ideas they possess for solution of novel problems.

Meaningful Learning 

The process of memorizing new information 

Examples:
- Memorizing concept definitions or propositional statements or computational procedures.
- Typical objective tests 
- Short-answer tests 

Rote Learning

- Believed that learning takes place by the assimilation of new concepts and propositions into existing concept and propositional frameworks held by the learner
- This knowledge structure as held by a learner is also referred to as the individual’s cognitive structure. 
- Distinguished between rote learning and meaningful learning

Syracuse University

- Concept maps were developed in 1972 in the course of Novak’s research program at Cornell University where he sought to follow and understand changes in children’s knowledge of science. 
- Out of the necessity to find a better way to represent children’s conceptual understanding emerged the idea of representing children’s knowledge in the form of a concept map. 
- The program was based on the learning psychology of David Ausubel 

Origins of Concept Maps

Novak, Joseph & Cañas, Alberto. (2007). Theoretical origins of concept maps, how to construct them, and uses in education. Reflecting Education. 3. 

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