learn

Learn refers to the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, attitudes, or understanding through study, experience, or instruction. It is a central concept in education, psychology, and everyday life. The word originates from Old English leornian, related to the sense of gaining knowledge or skill.

Learning involves perception, encoding, storage, and retrieval. It relies on attention and practice, and is supported by neural plasticity in brain circuits. Repetition and feedback reinforce connections, while motivation and prior knowledge influence what is learned and retained.

Learning can be explicit or implicit. Explicit learning refers to conscious knowledge such as facts or rules (declarative knowledge), while implicit learning concerns skills and patterns learned without conscious awareness (procedural knowledge). These can occur in linguistic, motor, or social domains; memory systems such as episodic and semantic memory support different forms of learning.

Theories of learning include behaviorism (learning as association formation and reinforcement), cognitivism (mental processes underlying understanding), constructivism (knowledge constructed by the learner), and social learning theory (learning through observation and imitation).

Methods to promote learning include practice and feedback, spaced repetition, problem-based or experiential learning, and the use of scaffolding and context. Learning is typically lifelong and context-dependent, influenced by culture, motivation, and opportunity.