Depending on who one is and what experiences one has had in life alters one's definition of learning, possibly making this personal definition very different from a traditional dictionary entry. I believe experience shapes who we are and how/what we learn. We can learn from a book, a teacher, or from our mistakes in life, but in the end, we come away from all three with something that we did not have before- a new perspective.
A more traditional way of looking at learning involves a student taking in information and assimilating that information with what they already know about the world. While learning, one needs to be adaptive. Most people have a good baseline foundation on top of which to continually build knowledge. Ideally, people may also accommodate old ideas that are misguided and make room for more scientifically sound explanations. Change in understanding as well as addition to a knowledge base constitutes as learning. "Ah Ha!" moments are what make the world go around.
My personal opinions on learning are less adept and organized. In my opinion, the ability to learn is a ticket to freedom. Learning is reinforced by estimation and making errors. Learning benefits not from being perfect the first time, but from the formulation of ideas and imagination. I believe that making discoveries, both expected and perplexing, are the roots of learning. Risk-taking and memories are its' subtleties. Feedback and inquiry are the mechanisms by which it grows. Our understanding should never be stationary, but always evolving. Learning is perpetual.
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