Plain English Meaning

The student can recite or recognize the material exactly as it was taught, but doesn't really understand it yet. It's memorization without comprehension.

Full Definition

The lowest of the four levels of learning, at which a student can repeat back information that has been memorized, without necessarily understanding what it means or being able to apply it. At this level the student recognizes facts, definitions, or procedures in the form they were learned, but cannot explain them in their own words, connect them to other ideas, or use them to solve a problem.

Context Anchor

Used in flight instruction when an instructor asks questions to find out whether a student has only memorized an answer or actually understands it.

Derivation

Rote' comes from Middle English and originally meant a fixed routine or set way of doing something. Saying something 'by rote' has long meant repeating it from memory without thought. That captures exactly what this is: repeating without understanding.