Lynch , Smith , Howarth
If I was to teach a student to ride a bike , there are a series of steps that are involved and thus a series of knowledges that must be acquired in a set order --- a knowledge hierarchy---for riding a bike competency to be achieved . This series can be understood by this simple knowledge hierarchy :
1 . What a bike is used for ( declarative knowledge ) 2 . The parts of a bike ( declarative knowledge ) 3 . How a bike works ( declarative knowledge ) 4 . Balance , steering and pedalling ( procedural knowledge ) 5 . Road rules of riding conventions ( declarative knowledge ) 6 . Practice , practice , practice ( procedural knowledge )
We return to the issue of ‘ knowledge ’ later in the book .
The knowledge that teachers are employed to ‘ teach ’ is found in Government authorised ‘ subject ’ and a year specific syllabus . 5 Normally , a set of sequential learning outcomes is specified in an attempt to provide a hierarchical approach to knowledge and skill . Teachers are expected to design their own classroom teaching plans on the basis of the required syllabi such as English , Mathematics etc .
From a school teaching standpoint all new knowledge requires the existence of a ‘ prior knowledge ’ and thus the teacher has first to ascertain student readiness for teaching --- the existing knowledge they hold — so that they have a teaching starting point . Once ascertained the teacher then sets about making the required connections to such prior knowledge . That comes to mean teaching according to an informed ( including the profile of the student ) knowledge hierarchy based teaching plan --- in order for the new knowledge to be robustly acquired and retained .
1 . Classify the following as having either a declarative or procedural knowledge base : a . Names of cities in Australia b . Playing a game of soccer c . Singing d . Explaining the concept of democracy e . Finding the area of a square 2 . Outline the knowledge hierarchy inherent in learning to tell the time . 3 . What might the consequences be for a student who fails to learn all aspects of a knowledge hierarchy ?
Returning to our ‘ learning to ride a bike ’ example , our teaching strategy would be to first ascertain what the student already knows in terms of the ‘ learning to ride a bike knowledge hierarchy ’. For most children in western countries , ‘ what a bike is used for ’ would be known , as would , to a certain extent , ‘ the parts of a bike ’: a comment on the pervasiveness of bikes in the lives of children . The point is that you have to design a classroom curriculum based on each individual student as each will in effect have different required teaching starting points . To these ends the teacher conducts some kind of ‘ pre-assessment ’ to confirm where
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In Australia , syllabi are typically developed by committees with wide representation from the teaching profession , Teacher ’ s Unions , the major employers , teacher educators , community representatives and public servants . The relevant Minister approves them . See http :// www . acara . edu . au / curriculum / curriculum _ design _ and _ development . html
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