Interactive visual images are the most powerful. That's the lesson from mnemonics. Basically the more time you spend learning the better the learning. However, the way the time is deployed is highly influential. Distributed practice is the optimum strategy.
Meaning is vital to memory, which is why nonsense phrases are so difficult to learn.
There is no relationship available. Context is important. It provides and overview of what you will learn and facilitates the meaning. A jigsaw is easier to do if you can see the whole picture. Learning by example is better than learning by rote, but the more general the examples the easier it is to apply the knowledge later in a broad set of circumstances.