There are several requirements in order for real learning to occur. One is that multiple modes  of processing and multiple intelligences are utilized. Several philosophies have included the need to receive information via numerous media in order to absorb it, such as the theory of multiple intelligences. For instance, having the opportunity to listen to, read, and see a new concept is more likely to result in learning than just reading. The idea of multiple intelligences is important because each person may have specific methods of processing that result in learning, which differ from someone else. This is only the first part of learning, however. The second part is that learning occurs when students can then relate and connect what they have learned to their previous knowledge and experiences; in other words, they integrate the old with the new to make sense of how it fits together. Bloom’s taxonomy models how this can occur when there are opportunities to create, evaluate, analyze, and apply based on new learning. The lower levels of this hierarchy (remember and understand) result in superficial learning but true learning occurs when a student is given opportunities to utilize the higher levels of the hierarchy (create, evaluate, and analyze). As Confucius said, “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”

In a learning environment, the role of the teacher is to provide the necessary opportunities for learning. This includes multiple opportunities to interact with material in order to reach all learners (i.e. videos, readings, projects, writing, creating, etc.) and to create assignments and activities that require students to reach those higher levels of thinking on Bloom’s taxonomy. It is also imperative that a teacher creates an atmosphere in which both students and the teacher can interact and build knowledge off of each other. Students need to have the chance to learn from others and teach one another. After all, one learns best when they teach. The teacher also has the role of creating opportunities for frequent, informal assessments and feedback for students. Students need to be able to see their own progress and make improvements based on feedback. On the other hand, learners have the role of taking ownership of their own learning by taking advantage of these opportunities, such as by participating in discussions and asking questions in order to learn from their peers and teachers. They also may need to independently adapt learning activities in order to meet their own needs. For instance, if instructed to take notes on a reading, they might create a graphic organizer or pictures instead based on their own learning style. This individualization of one’s own learning should be facilitated by the teacher but it is also the learner’s role, even when it is not required by the teacher.

Technology also plays a role in learning in that it can provide access to resources and materials that students couldn’t access otherwise, such as virtual simulations and experiments, microscopes, and a plethora of research materials to enable students to become experts and then teach their peers. This enables learning to occur from many sources and people as opposed to just the teacher and course resources. Technology also allows for collaboration among students. For instance, students can simultaneously create a presentation via Google Slides or they can engage in peer review to improve the quality of their work. Technology also opens up the opportunity to use virtual learning platforms such as Google Classroom, an LMS, or other virtual resources in order for students to get immediate feedback on assignments, complete practice assignments at their own pace, conduct virtual labs, or engage in virtual discussions outside of the classroom, which might engage students who are less likely to make contributions in a physical classroom. Technology can also save time in the classroom by facilitating the creation of student products, such as presentations or graphs from an experiment. This can also facilitate the process of assessing students both formally and informally in order to determine if learning is occurring. Frequent formative assessments, such as participation in discussions, the contribution of original ideas to class discussions, brief assignments or quizzes, are useful to assess student learning along the way and that formative assessments that require higher levels of thinking provide concrete indicators of learning. The more that students can demonstrate how they connect and apply concepts to other knowledge or experiences, the more their learning will be evident.