Discussion

 How do people learn?  What is knowledge?  What is understanding?  How do students obtain knowledge and understanding?  What do we mean when we say students should understand new knowledge?

People learn through various ways. Dictionary.com defines through as the continuing in time toward completion of (a process or period). I believe that knowing is to learn and learning is to grow. The growth in learning comes from recalling what has been learned (memory). Brown, Roediger and McDaniel (2014) stated that learning is an acquired skill…. People master new skills through the process of experiences. Ultimately people learn by developing a skill set based on retrieving what the brain has stored from the past. Brown, et al. (2014) defines knowledge as the foundational facts or information that support learning. Most students are less likely to learn information through disconnected facts. Knowledge is vital to the success of understanding. For example, students can display how they “know” a subject by articulating their process of how they comprehend that subject. Without knowledge, which relies on the memory full understanding cannot be achieved. Specific strategies can be used to help students understand, retain, master, and integrate learning. Kipper and Duggan (2006) wrote, “reading and writing are two skills that students will use throughout their lives. Writing to learn engages students, extends thinking, deepens understanding, and energizes the meaning-making process.” Through the practice of writing and reading in the class, teachers are able to review how well students grasp information and where deeper elaboration of key concepts may be needed. Students are able to take small pieces of content and analyze it for relationships and connections. Using a hands-on approach also assists students with becoming more involved in their own education. They gain a sense of responsibility and accountability for their own learning, which is what the Lord has instructed us to do: Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future (Proverbs, 19:20). Creating an opportunity to challenge our students to call on their collective experiences (prior knowledge) is essential. Through this process we move students from memorizing information to meaningful learning and begin the journey of connecting learning events rather than remembering bits and pieces. Prior knowledge is an essential element in this quest for making meaning. When a new content area is introduced in a classroom, one can expect a variety of prior knowledge about the new topic. We all have a responsibility to learn and better our world. If teachers can keep the learning authentic, and can help students make connections in their own lives. Proverbs 9:9 says, instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

Brown, P. C., Roediger III, H. L., & McDaniel, M. A. (2014). Make it stick. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Knipper, K. J., & Duggan, T. J. (2006). Writing to Learn across the Curriculum: Tools for Comprehension in Content Area Classes. Reading Teacher, 59(5), 462-470.

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In the text, Make it Stick, Brown et al. (2014) explains that learning is a lifelong process. Learning requires students to remember the material being taught, master content objectives, and acquired knowledge (Brown et al., 2014). No matter if we are the student or educator, learning is occurring in the classroom. The student learns the content material and the educator is learning how to adapt knowledge for the student learner. As lifelong learners, “From the moment we’re born we start learning about the world around us through experimentation, trial and error, and random encounters with challenges that require us to recall what we did the last time we found ourselves in a similar circumstance” (Brown et al., 2014, p. 217). When learning becomes intentional, students can acquire the knowledge allowing for teacher/student engagement. In the classroom, I mention to my students that studying is like preparing for a marathon. They cannot show up on race day without training. Students in my class also know that there as an end of course state exam that they are required to take to graduate. I intentionally assess my students with application questions through common world problems to allow for critical thinking. Through this process, I find myself learning about my students learning styles.

Concept-based curriculum goals allow students to transfer knowledge into their personal lives and other content areas (Stern et al., 2017). Students can see relationships between concepts and disciplines to apply to real-world problems. The concept-based curriculum is a three-dimensional process that integrates “concepts, principles, and generalizations” (Fannin, 2017, p. 258). Skill-based are more situational depending on how students acquire the factual knowledge through Bloom’s Taxonomy (Stern et al., 2017). Concept-based allows students to develop a deeper understanding of the content and learning becomes more engaging. In my Chemistry and Biology classes, students were able to understand the knowledge through real-world applications of the pandemic. Going beyond the scope of just learning that viruses exist, students could apply how the current virus was affecting them.

Jesus teaches his lessons through conceptual-based lens. Through His parables, He tells a story and shows how it applies to us. It is up to us to apply these parables through our open hearts. He explains to His disciples that He teaches in parables, “Because the knowledge of secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they will be taken from them” (New King James Version, 1982, Matthew 13: 11-12). Jesus fulfilled the prophecy from Old Testament times that as Christians we have the knowledge that has been given to us. As His followers, we hear His teachings and can apply it to live out our lives for Him daily.

References

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Brown, P. C., Roediger, H. L., & McDaniel, M. A. (2014;2015). Learning is misunderstood. Make it stick (pp. 1-22). Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.4159/9780674419377-001

Fannin, K. (2017). Transitioning to concept-based curriculum and instruction. Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue, 19(1), 157- 159,170. http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com %2Fscholarly-journals%2Ftransitioning-concept-based-curriculum%2Fdocview %2F1963925872%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D12085

New King James Version (1982). Bible Gateway. https://www.biblegateway.com

Stern, J., Ferraro, K., & Mohnkern, J. (2017). Chapter 1 what are the essential elements of concept-based curriculum design?. In Tools for teaching conceptual understanding, secondary: Designing lessons and assessments for deep learning (pp. 9-28). Corwin, https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781506355689.n5

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