At the first or primary level the meaning is a holistic, experiential remembering of what it is we are learning.
We construct meaning from our experience. We test the quality of this meaning using self-evaluation criteria arising out of our purposes and the circumstances in which we are operating. If we are not good at this, our learning suffers.
At this primary level a fully functioning multi-sensory Memory is what we are aiming at. This has many advantages, the most important of which is to build a whole person experiential base against which to intuitively test any concepts, conclusions and explanations generated by our conscious mind. But as Luria (1973) has shown a photographic memory alone can be totally disabling.
Studies of children's learning (Piaget, 1954) illustrated what might be designated a second level of meaning. Instead of seeking a photographic memory we seek for internal coherence in our systems of meaning. By comparing and contrasting part with part we build up patterns, or systems of categorisation which enable us to see relationships and further explore inconsistencies.
Logic, analogy, categorisation, de-construction, humour, metaphor story-telling, myth, are some of the terms which shed light on what we are doing at this level. We are sorting out our meanings in order to see them in relation to one another. This is one requirement of reflective learning and of science.
The third level of meaning which it is useful to consider directly relates to Performance. We have designated this the explanatory or modelling level. Meanings at this level enable us to act on the outside world. We construct meanings which not only enable us to behave in certain ways but these same meanings lead us to expect certain consequences. The meanings we construct are anticipatory and they enable us better to achieve our Purposes. Here are further seeds of science.
But the self-organised learner (SOLer) (and science) needs to do more. They can re-construct and elaborate their meanings thus continually revising, reforming and expanding their understanding and/or performance in the light of their ongoing experience; including, but not restricted to that offered by the teacher or the expert.
Here is the essence of SOL. **The SOLer accepts Responsibility for this reconstruction and development activity. It does not happen to them. They make it happen.**
At the fifth level the SOLer becomes creative. Creative meaning involves serious shifts in the whole nature of a meaning system. We have all experienced some of this. We call it having an insight or ah-ha experience. In science Kuhn (1962) called it a Paradigm Shift. Creativity is the process of personal paradigm shifting.
creative meaning ⇅ re-construct and elaborate meaning ⇅ explanatory or modelling meaning ⇅ internally coherent meaning ⇅ whole person experiential remembering
~
THOMAS, Laurie and HARRI-AUGSTEIN, Sheila, 2001. Conversational science and advanced learning technologies (ALT): Tools for conversational pedagogy. Kybernetes. 2001.