[lupin3ken]

I think rote learning is only not applicable when you are learning disparate facts with no relation to the whole.

For example, learning all of the HTTP status codes before you know anything about HTTP could seem like a waste of time.

However, when you are writing a server that makes api calls to a third-party service, when you receive a 400, if you know the codes by rote you won't have to research / reason why you are receiving that code.

I think "learning by doing" usually ends with more self-directed, problem solving learning. This type of learning can show your weaknesses and provide you with holes in your knowledge that you can use rote memorizing to fill.