Week 5-Meaningful Learning: What is Learning?

After studying the theory of Meaningful learning, I would say that this theory supports my original idea of learning. I have always believed that learning is connecting existing knowledge with new knowledge, and I might add to that definition, the idea that learning being able to use these connections in different contexts leads to a higher level of learning such as mastery. To illustate, if a car mechanic knows how to replace a clutch in a car that has five gears, and he is able to connect that knowledge with how to replace a clutch in a truck with six gears, he has learned a new skill that he did not know before. If he takes that new skill in a new context such as replacing the clutch in a big tanker with seven or more gears, he is moving towards mastering the skill of replacing a clutch in any type of vehicle.