What is learning?

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A few months ago, as a part of a course that I was undertaking, the facilitator posed a simple question in the online discussion forum: What is learning? 
I have been working in the learning and performance industry for the last 20 years; surely, I can answer this question, I thought. But as I was formulating my answer, I realized how deceptively complex the question was. What does learning mean? generally? specifically? academically? theoretically? socially? personally?

When you think of learning, what comes to your mind?

Is it the formal education that happens in schools and universities?

Is it the structured activity that happens inside of training rooms?

Is it the informal process that happens at homes, workplaces and within the community?

Is it the unstructured activity that happens online in collaboration with others?

The fact is that this simple question has many layers. Learning is complicated and learning is messy.

An idea that adds to the challenge of defining learning is that learning is understood both as a process and a product. As a process, when I think of learning, I imagine several aspects such as if learning is driven by self or others, if the context is work or life, if it is an event or something ongoing, if it results in a change in behaviour or not, etc. When learning is treated like a product, I hear terms like classroom learning, online learning, elearning, digital learning, blended learning, social learning, mobile learning, micro learning, etc.

Furthermore, learning tends to be implicit but the output of learning may be explicit. But even when the output may indicate a change in behaviour, attitude or skills, one can't be certain that these changes happened because of or only due to learning.

Finally, each learning theory including behaviourism, cognitivism and constructivism has its own set of assumptions about learning which makes defining learning even more challenging. Perhaps this is why most textbooks and papers hesitate from defining learning and rather describe the subtexts around learning or discuss the 'types of learning'.

In all of this I have realized that instead of focusing on trying to come up with a universally acceptable definition of learning, the goal should be to develop a shared understanding of what learning means to each of us within our current contexts. 

In my work context and for me personally, learning is an active process and is situated within a real-life context. It leverages the prior knowledge and experience of people and engages them in cognitive, constructive and reflective activities. Learning may happen at an individual level but may also be collaborative and social. And it is definitely not a single, isolated event but more like an ongoing, continuous process. 

Perhaps the best way for me to summarize what learning means to me is how Bransford, Brown, and Cocking (2000) highlight that "Learning involves ongoing, active processes of inquiry, engagement and participation in the world around us."

What is your personal take on learning? What does learning mean to you?

If you need some ideas, here is a curation of 10 Definitions of Learning by Connie Malamed @elearningcoach