MEANINGFUL LEARNING PROPOSED BY DAVID AUSUBEL AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO EPT

Abstract

This article presents a literature review that addresses the conceptual foundations of the Theory of Meaningful Learning (TML), developed by David Paul Ausubel. The objective of the review is to understand the theory and analyze its contributions to the integral development of the individual within the context of Professional and Technological Education (PTE). In this regard, we aim to detail principles of TML that enhance teaching and learning processes by relating them to PTE. Most of the theoretical assumptions used are based on the research of David Paul Ausubel, Joseph Donald Novak, Marco Antonio Moreira, Gaudêncio Frigotto, Antonio Gramsci, and Marise Ramos. Additionally, the studies developed by Silva and Corrêa; Silva, Castilho, and Homem; and Pereira, Marcelino, and Alvim contribute to the analysis of TML in the context of PTE. Ausubel’s learning theory emphasizes the importance of students’ prior knowledge, enabling the creation of mental structures through concept maps that facilitate the discovery and revisiting of other knowledge, thus fostering enjoyable and effective learning. Regarding the structure, the article is divided into four parts. The first presents relevant aspects of Ausubel’s biography, aiming to place him in the sociocultural and historical context in which he developed the Theory of Meaningful Learning. The second section introduces the Theory of Meaningful Learning itself. Next, the article discusses the history of PTE in Brazil, while the final section explores the contributions of Ausubel’s theory to Professional and Technological Education, focusing on the teaching-learning process from the perspective of meaningful learning.