the state or property of being connected to one's experience current interests or needs. It is a key concept in the educational theory of John Dewey (1859 - 1952) which argues that to be successful teaching needs to focus on what the learner actually needs and wants what is deemed relevant. Dewey saw learning as an evolutionary process whereby humans develop better ways of adapting to and improving their environment. So what is to be learned must be seen as having this connection if it is to be engaged with.