“The process through which we acquire new information.” – Psychology Dictionary

“…a relatively lasting change in behavior resulting from observation and experience. It is the acquisition of information, knowledge, and problem-solving skills.” – VeryWellMind

The word learning attaches itself to many different pedagogies. In my career as an educator, I’ve personally engaged with:

• project based learning (PBL)
• passion based learning
• game based learning (GBL)
• 21st century learning (21CLD)
• flipped learning
• constructivist learning
• inquiry-based learning
• experiential learning

In each of these types of learning, I’ve expected students to participate in a variety of activities, using a wide range of skills. The pedagogies range from student-centric to teacher guided, but each has its own way of carefully curating learning experiences to help students acquire skills for their future goals. Sometimes I led the learning journey. Other times, I felt like I was following my students (and trying to keep up!).

With such rich meaning behind the term “learning” in education, I was taken aback by a recent conversation on LinkedIn about its definition. Some participants called for new terminology for their pedagogy of choice: replacing learning with creation, especially when the focus is on students creating their own content.

So why rename learning as creation? Why do some educators feel the need to call out creation as a separate student activity? For me, creation is simply one part of learning – in any pedagogical model.

It disappointed me to read comments that reduced learning to merely teacher-directed, consumption-based practices. After all, the heart of any educational experience lies in how students demonstrate their understanding – whether they’re working toward academic standards or life goals. We see this demonstrated beautifully across different pedagogies: students composing songs in project-based learning, coding games in game-based environments, or designing solutions to community problems. These acts of creation aren’t separate from learning – they’re often where the deepest understanding takes root.

Let’s take a look at the 21st Century Learning Design model, developed by SRI International over 20 years ago, which lists six dimensions of student learning: collaboration, knowledge construction, self-regulation, real-world problem solving and innovation, use of ICT for learning, and skilled communication. In this model, students solve problems, design complex products, apply knowledge to new contexts, complete new tasks without instructions, use ICT to construct knowledge, set learning goals, monitor their own work against success criteria, and improve based on feedback. These skills fall under one category: learning. (Want to learn more? Hang out with me through all 8 courses about this model!)

In the ISTE Standards for Students, we see the word Learner appear in the first standard: Empowered Learner. In standard 1 alone, students customize their learning environment, seek feedback to inform their practice, and thoughtfully explore emerging technologies. This certainly sounds like students are on a path to creation! Further in the standards, designed to “ensure that learning is a student-driven process,” we see verbs like construct, design, create, communicate, and collaborate. As an ISTE Certified Educator, I’ve spent a lot of time in these standards and recognize how they weave together the acts of consuming, creating, and reflecting – all essential components of authentic learning.

In more traditional educational settings, learning can be imagined by some as sit-and-get. Students receive a task (read this text, watch this video, play this game, build this model, follow these directions) and educators assess students based on task completion. Yes, we call that learning. And maybe that’s the issue: a traditional understanding of pedagogy and terminology. A narrow focus that doesn’t attribute the word learning to the idea of what’s possible.

But innovative educators around the world embrace a richer understanding of learning – one where students draft texts, produce videos, design games, create models, and write their own directions. Whether we call it project-based, game-based, or any other pedagogical approach, the core remains the same: learning deepens when students create. In fact, these moments of creation often represent learning at its most powerful and transformative.

As educators, we provide our students with opportunities and experiences to empower them to learn: to design, think, create, build, share, and reflect. It’s all part of learning. Rather than inventing new terms to separate these activities, let’s reclaim the profound meaning of learning itself.

Share your stories of students creating, building, and discovering. Celebrate the moments when learning manifests as invention, design, or expression. Help others see that learning has always been – and will always be – this beautifully complex journey of creating knowledge.