I'm blown away by how important our *existing knowledge* is for how and what we learn.
Here's my attempt to sum it up. 3 things…🧵
Here's my attempt to sum it up. 3 things…🧵
Let's start with the person who said it the best:
"The most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach him accordingly." (Ausubel, 1968, vi).
In what ways does existing knowledge influence learning?
"The most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach him accordingly." (Ausubel, 1968, vi).
In what ways does existing knowledge influence learning?
(1) Our existing knowledge determines what we actually *attend to*.
Let's take a second to think about that…
Let's take a second to think about that…
Our brains are prediction machines and want to stay one step ahead.
They use what we already know to predict what is about to happen...
They use what we already know to predict what is about to happen...
They seem to lay down neural scaffolds that resemble patterns of thought related to our prior knowledge (Sadeh et al., 2018).
This could be seen as us interpreting the world in light of what we already know.
Here's an example about teachers...
This could be seen as us interpreting the world in light of what we already know.
Here's an example about teachers...
An experiment compared what a more novice and more expert teacher saw in the *same* classroom scene.
They found the teachers focused on different things (Wolff et al., 2016).
Why?
Because their existing knowledge is different.
They found the teachers focused on different things (Wolff et al., 2016).
Why?
Because their existing knowledge is different.
What does this mean?
We can't assume students are going to take away what we intend them to from explanations/texts etc.
If we want students to attend to what we intend them to, we need to explicitly point it out.
We can't assume students are going to take away what we intend them to from explanations/texts etc.
If we want students to attend to what we intend them to, we need to explicitly point it out.
(2) Our existing knowledge determines how quickly we can learn new, related things.
New memories usually start out fragile.
This may be because the brain doesn't want them to disrupt our stabilised networks of knowledge (Kroes et al., 2012; McClelland et al., 1995).
Why?
New memories usually start out fragile.
This may be because the brain doesn't want them to disrupt our stabilised networks of knowledge (Kroes et al., 2012; McClelland et al., 1995).
Why?
New memories might be one offs or not very useful.
The brain doesn't want to update its stable networks of knowledge with new stuff if it turns out not to be very useful for making predictions.
But there's an exception -
The brain doesn't want to update its stable networks of knowledge with new stuff if it turns out not to be very useful for making predictions.
But there's an exception -
New memories that *strongly relate* to what we already know.
Why?
Our brains know these are worth stabilising quickly because similar memories have proved useful in the past (hence why they are stored).
And so...
Why?
Our brains know these are worth stabilising quickly because similar memories have proved useful in the past (hence why they are stored).
And so...
The brain gives them privileged access to their relevant schemas (networks of knowledge) and stabilises them (van Kesteren et al., 2012).
In other words, we learn ideas *faster* when they relate to our existing knowledge.
In other words, we learn ideas *faster* when they relate to our existing knowledge.
What does this mean?
Students need to *know* that the new idea you're teaching them relates to their existing knowledge.
They must understand the links.
Don't leave it to chance and assume they will spot the links themselves.
Students need to *know* that the new idea you're teaching them relates to their existing knowledge.
They must understand the links.
Don't leave it to chance and assume they will spot the links themselves.
(3) The quality of our existing knowledge determines what and how we learn.
What do I mean by *quality* of existing knowledge?
How stable, well-organised and clear it is.
Let's focused on *well-organised*.
What do I mean by *quality* of existing knowledge?
How stable, well-organised and clear it is.
Let's focused on *well-organised*.
To understand well-organised, we need to think about the type of learning we want for our students.
Our students *aren't* entering memory competitions.
They don't need to store strangely contrived associations between thousands of random numbers or ideas.
Instead…
Our students *aren't* entering memory competitions.
They don't need to store strangely contrived associations between thousands of random numbers or ideas.
Instead…
They need to be able to store vast bodies of connected knowledge in the subjects they learn (Ausubel, 1968).
This is easier if their existing knowledge is well organised.
Why?
It's like putting things into a tidy cupboard: they are easily to access and use in future.
This is easier if their existing knowledge is well organised.
Why?
It's like putting things into a tidy cupboard: they are easily to access and use in future.
What does well-organised existing knowledge look like?
It may mean understanding the *more general concepts* in the subjects they are learning before being taught the detail.
These more general concepts can then assimilate & organise more detailed knowledge underneath them.
It may mean understanding the *more general concepts* in the subjects they are learning before being taught the detail.
These more general concepts can then assimilate & organise more detailed knowledge underneath them.
For example, students who grasp the ideas 'vertebrates' and 'invertebrates' can better assimilate & organise their knowledge of different types of animals underneath these more general concepts...
Without these more general ideas to organise the detail, the detail is more disconnected, disorganised, less accessible and therefore less easy to think with and build on!
What does this mean?
I used to just teach ideas without thinking about the more general, organising concepts it linked to
Map out what you're teaching
Be clear on the more general ideas the detail links to
Support students to understand general ideas to organise the detail.
I used to just teach ideas without thinking about the more general, organising concepts it linked to
Map out what you're teaching
Be clear on the more general ideas the detail links to
Support students to understand general ideas to organise the detail.
If you got this far, thank you for reading!
I'm a bit obsessed with this and write about it in a couple of blogs:
overpractised.wordpress.com/2022/02/26/sch…
overpractised.wordpress.com/2022/01/02/cat…
I'm a bit obsessed with this and write about it in a couple of blogs:
overpractised.wordpress.com/2022/02/26/sch…
overpractised.wordpress.com/2022/01/02/cat…
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