Knowledge is a very broad concept that has several definitions, different forms, levels and characteristics. What is the distinguishing feature of school knowledge? What areas do they cover? And why do you need to check knowledge? Let's start with a fundamental concept.
Knowledge
Here are four basic definitions:
- Knowledge is the form in which there are results of human activity aimed at cognition.
- In a broad, general sense, knowledge is a personal, subjective representation of an individual about the surrounding reality, enclosed in the form of concepts and definitions.
- In a specific, narrow sense, knowledge is verified information that helps solve a given problem.
- Knowledge of a subject is a system of information about it that helps to use this subject to achieve the desired results.
Knowledge does not necessarily refer to science, something difficult to assimilate and perceive. You know how comfortable you are to hold a spoon.
Forms of Knowledge
There are three basic shapesknowledge: conceptual, symbolic and artistic exemplary.
The game knowledge of a person is considered the first in the history of knowledge. It has a teaching and developing character, it makes it possible to reveal the personal qualities of a person.
There are also several types of knowledge:
- scientific knowledge;
- unscientific knowledge;
- common sense (ordinary knowledge);
- intuitive;
- religious knowledge.
Scientific knowledge seeks to comprehend the truth, describe, explain, understand various facts, processes and phenomena. Their main characteristics are universality, objectivity, general validity.
Unscientific knowledge exists in any society, obeys its principles, laws, bears the stereotypes of this group of people. Otherwise they are called esotericism.
Ordinary knowledge is basic for a person, it determines how a person behaves, what actions he performs, helps him navigate reality. This kind of knowledge was already in the early stages of human development.
The nature of knowledge
Knowledge can be both procedural and declarative in nature.
The first ones are active, they give an idea of the means for obtaining new knowledge, these are methods, algorithms, systems. For example, the brainstorming method.
Second - so to speak, passive, it is a system of ideas about something, facts, formulations, concepts. For example, a traffic light has three colors: red, yellow and green.
Knowledge is also divided into scientific and non-scientific. Scientific knowledge isempirical, empirical or theoretical - abstract theories, assumptions.
Extrascientific field of knowledge includes such knowledge as:
- parascientific (incompatible with the existing epistemological standard);
- pseudo-scientific (developing the area of speculation, myths, prejudices);
- quasi-scientific (developing during periods of rigid ideology, totalitarianism, relying on violent methods);
- anti-scientific (knowingly distorting existing knowledge, striving for utopia, developing during periods of social instability);
- pseudo-scientific (based on well-known theories and legends);
- ordinary-everyday (basic knowledge of the individual about the surrounding reality, replenished constantly);
- personal (depending on the abilities of the individual).
School knowledge
During the learning process, the child acquires knowledge, learns to put it into practice (skills) and automates this process (skills).
The knowledge base received by the student is a system, a set of knowledge, skills and abilities acquired in the course of training.
In the framework of school education, knowledge is a system of patterns of some part of the real world (subject area), which allows the student to solve specific tasks assigned to him. That is, knowledge includes such terms and concepts as:
- fact;
- concept;
- judgment;
- image;
- relationship;
- evaluation;
- rule;
- algorithm;
- heuristics.
Knowledge is structured - this means that there are connections between them that characterize the degree of understanding of the basic laws and principles for a given subject area.
They are interpretable, that is, they can be explained, proved, substantiated.
Knowledge is interconnected in various blocks by topic, by function, etc.
They are also active - they produce new knowledge.
An individual can save (remember), reproduce, verify, update, transform, interpret knowledge.
Knowledge is needed so that a person can solve a specific problem, cope with a problem that has arisen, that is, he must know what to do in order to get an answer, a result.
Skills
Subject application of knowledge in practice - skills. Otherwise, it is mastering the way of performing actions, which is provided, supported by some kind of knowledge. Their person (student) applies, transforms, generalizes, revises if necessary.
Skills
These are student skills brought to automatism. When actions consciously chosen to solve this kind of problem are repeated again and again, and their result is correct, successful, then a kind of reflex is developed.
The student, analyzing the task, chooses a way to solve it as soon as possible.
Knowledge test
The teacher needs to know how well the children have learned the material, the topic, in order to continue learning further.
This requires regularknowledge check. Its main task is to increase the level of knowledge of the student, not to humiliate him, to catch him on ignorance of the material, lack of skills and abilities. The test should help the teacher to find out how well the children learn school knowledge.
In the history of Russian education, there have been many unsuccessful attempts to establish a process for testing understanding of topics, they were based on humiliation, intimidation, were subjective.
Now we have a five-point system for assessing knowledge.
The general concept of this section is control: revealing, measuring, evaluating knowledge; checking them is only part of the control.
Also in "control" there are the concepts of "assessment" - a means of influence, stimulation of the individual and "assessment" - the process of identifying the level.
Control should be objective, systematic, visual and consist of:
- pre-check at the beginning of the year;
- checks after each completed topic (current);
- repeated, strengthening the amount of knowledge gained;
- checks by course sections (periodic);
- final;
- complex.
Verification should perform three main functions:
- controlling (verification of knowledge before the next stage of training);
- training (implemented when working in a group);
- educational (stimulates self-control, activity, self-confidence).
Foreign languages
Knowledge of languages of other countries,peoples, the carrier of which a person is not, has always been a plus. A person who knows a foreign language well is distinguished from the rest. It helps build a successful career, travel, develop memory, etc.
A person may have different merits, academic degrees, but knowledge of two (five, twelve) languages will always be a separate line in the list of his regalia and cause special respect.
In different eras, knowledge of French, German, English and Chinese (now) was widely welcomed in Russia.
Teaching foreign languages has long been included in the general education system. The child can choose the language(s) he wants to learn at the very beginning of the course and deepen his knowledge optionally.
Private clubs and schools are also developing very actively, in which they study a variety of (from popular to rare and forgotten) languages. In some, classes are taught by native speakers, and during the holidays, traveling schools with "immersion" are created. At such events, it is not customary to speak Russian, they communicate exclusively through the language being studied.
Language level
There is an international gradation that determines the level of knowledge of a foreign language among students.
- The highest - fluency in writing and speaking - Proficient level.
- When a person speaks, reads and writes fluently, making small mistakes, this is the Advanced level.
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Having a large vocabulary, the ability to enter into disputes, read fluently anytexts and understand their content with some inaccuracies, a person has risen to the Upper Intermediate level.
- When the basic vocabulary is mastered, but there is already a good listening comprehension, reading and writing skills are quite high, - Intermediate.
- If a person can understand a speech that is spoken especially for him (slowly and clearly), devotes a lot of time to grammatical construction of phrases, his vocabulary also does not allow him to communicate freely - this is a Pre-Intermediate level.
- When knowledge is basic, only basic grammatical forms, vocabulary is poor, reading and writing skills are not worked out - we have a person with an Elementary level of knowledge.
- When a student is just starting to get acquainted with the language, does not yet have a clear understanding of grammatical forms and knows just a few phrases - Beginner.
Often this classification is attributed exclusively to the English language.