Plain English Meaning
Taking new information and rearranging it in your head into chunks or patterns that make sense, so your brain can hold onto it long enough to actually learn it.
Full Definition
In learning theory, the mental process of reorganizing or grouping incoming information into meaningful patterns so it can be held in short-term memory and prepared for transfer into long-term memory.
Context Anchor
Seen in aviation instruction discussions about how students hold and use new information during training.
Derivation
From the prefix re- (again) and code (a system for organizing information). Recoding literally means re-organizing information into a new form. The everyday meaning fits well here: the brain takes raw input and re-packages it into something more useful.
Why Pilots Care
Instructors who understand recoding can present material in chunks and patterns that help students actually retain it, rather than overwhelming short-term memory with disconnected facts. Students who recognize the process can deliberately group new information to learn it faster.