Lynch , Smith , Howarth
The Type and Nature of Knowledge to be Taught
Teachers teach knowledge to students . Normally , the syllabus prescribes a series of learning outcomeswhich signal the knowledge to be learnt . These outcomes are supported by ‘ foundation statements ’ and ‘ indicators ’ of achievement . Syllabus documents usually provide program resources to support the teacher . In teaching a specific syllabus-learning outcome the teacher selects specific knowledge that the student is supposed to learn . This knowledge will always be either declarative or procedural in nature . 16 . Each is taught differently ( see Marzano and Pickering , 2006 , for more specific details ). Putting procedural and declarative knowledge up front for you at this point is important on four fronts ( see Table 3.2 for an account of what these knowledge types include ).
Table 3.2 Declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge detailed 17
Declarative Knowledge : Knowledge that is based on what one knows and understands . This knowledge type is organised as :
� Organising Ideas : concepts , generalisations , principles � Details : Cause / effect sequences , time sequences
� Vocabulary Terms and Phrases : Facts , terms . Procedural Knowledge : Knowledge that is based on what one is able to do . This type of knowledge is organised as :
� Processes : procedures that involve the execution of interrelated component parts that have subcomponents
� Skills : A set of steps that may or not have to be performed in a set order .
First , a syllabus-learning outcome is often developed as an amalgam of knowledge and skills that are to be achieved , in some cases , over an extended period like two years . For term or lesson based instructional purposes , these syllabus learning outcome statements are too broad . They need to be broken down into instructional bits or what is termed ‘ instructional learning outcomes ’. While perhaps a cumbersome process for the novice teacher , the process is fundamental if the teacher is to understand and appreciate what they are actually , having to teach and thus achieve in each student .
Second , when a teacher aims to achieve a learning outcome in their students they are focused on teaching ‘ knowledge ’. Note , ‘ knowledge ” ( See Table 3.2 ) can be facts , propositions , principles , algorithms , performance skills , time frames , attitudes , thinking processes such as historical investigation , deductive thinking , comparing and contrasting and so on . The teacher therefore has to work out which knowledge is to be learned first , second and so forth , to fulfil the learning outcome ( s ) and at the prescribed level .
Third , the importance of the declarative and procedural distinction is that the teaching strategies for each are different . For example , skills need to be demonstrated , shaped and practised , and take time to be established . Conceptual knowledge , in contrast , needs to be linked to previous knowledge , elaborated and applied to be meaningful . Fourth , conceptual knowledge must have background knowledge sets on which
16
There are many different ways of identifying knowledge . We choose this one for its simplicity and the fact that it is strongly supported by the documentation of Dimensions of Learning .
17
Taken from Marzano and Pickering ( 1997 ) 49