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| I know a lot of seemingly useless stuff. The name of Aragorn’s adopted horse? Brego- Old English for “chief or leader.” For a superior French omelet, opt for carbon steel over a non-stick pan. Building a deck? Position the boards so they cup upwards, not down- counterintuitive, isn’t it?
Why is this important? As our friends in psychology will tell you, the more prior knowledge you have, the easier it is to learn. That is the key message in this piece, Effective Learning Strategies Depend on Prior Knowledge, from the learning Scientists. Why should you care? Learners with more prior knowledge on a subject are better equipped to understand and retrieve new information because knowledge is interconnected like a web. The article emphasizes that assessing learners’ prior knowledge is crucial for determining the most effective learning strategies for them. It points out that strategies that work for novices- structured and guided learning- may not suit experts who benefit from more challenging tasks. This is precisely why I adopt a more guided approach in my introductory calculus class and taper off the guidance in my 400-level topology class. Curious to see how this approach might change your teaching methods? Check out the full article and consider how understanding your students’ prior knowledge could enhance your teaching strategies. |