Technical Translation: Usability Strategies for Translating Technical Documentation

Learning 
As we saw in preceding sections, long-term memory is a vast and virtually 
unlimited mechanism for storing information. Just as not all perceptions be-
come memories, not all information is stored in memory; it must first be 
learned. What is more, we cannot “force” information to be stored in long-
term memory. Learning can be defined as a relatively permanent change in 
behaviour as a result of experience. Novak (1998:19ff) distinguishes be-
tween two principal types of learning: 
rote learning 
and 
meaningful learn-
ing
. Rote learning is, according to Novak, not true learning and is not ideal 
because it is an arbitrary, verbatim and non-substantive incorporation of 
new knowledge into a person’s cognitive structure. Rather than learning 
new information and integrating it with existing concepts and relating it to 
existing experiences, rote learning involves memorising information in a 
“word-for-word” fashion. And because the information is not related to 
existing knowledge, it is very difficult if not impossible to become profi-
cient enough to use the information independently and creatively. All that 
is remembered is the literal message and not the knowledge or meaning be-
hind it (Novak 1998:20). 
Meaningful learning, on the other hand, is a “process in which new in-
formation is related to an existing relevant aspect of an individual’s knowl-
edge structure” (Novak 1998:51). This type of learning is the best type of 
learning because it is a non-arbitrary, non-verbatim and substantive incor-
poration of new knowledge into a person’s cognitive structure. This means 
that information learned is linked with existing knowledge and concepts 
and with higher order concepts. Essentially, the learner understands the in-
formation, how it relates to existing knowledge and ultimately the learner 
understands how to use the newly acquired information. Meaningful learn-
ing, however, requires a conscious decision on the part of the learner in or-
der to take place (
ibid.
). It cannot be forced, merely facilitated.