I think learning cannot be a passive process. It's easy to sit there, nod, and think you understand something. But as soon as you're asked to apply what you just "learned" in a slightly different way, you'll fall apart.
I don't "go through information super quickly" - I just think about things and try to understand, do practice problems, or "experiment" (what happens if we do X? What happens if Y is the case?). More often than not, it's necessary to go through information slowly and repeatedly until you can figure out the nuances and really understand what's going on. For memorization I just use spaced repetition flash cards.
So to answer the question... 100% active and conscious process, IMO.