Connecting Knowledge
Connecting knowledge is a skill that not many have. It enables students to feel more confident about what they’ve acquired. They also become better at using that knowledge to solve real-life problems. In this section, you’ll explore different types of knowledge, what it means to connect information, and how to link new ideas to what you already know.
What does connecting knowledge mean?
It means to learn something new based on what you already know. For instance, when you come across a new topic in one of your subjects, your brain doesn't start learning everything from the beginning. It tries to find previous connections, ideas, or experiences you have had around the topic. This creates a strong and unbreakable link between the two phases of the information and makes learning more meaningful.
Connecting knowledge is all about linking ideas together to form larger and long-term informational patterns. This process frees up space in the working memory, which allows humans to think more deeply or educate themselves on something new. That’s why teachers often help students see how different concepts connect. It encourages them to reflect more and become better at handling new information.
Three main types of knowledge
Before connecting knowledge, it is crucial to understand its different types. Not all knowledge is the same. Some of them help remember facts. Others help show how to do things, and the rest help understand bigger and more complex ideas. Knowing the difference between them is important. It can improve how you study and solve problems. It also allows you to connect better with the subject you are learning.
This section explains the three main types of knowledge. These are connected to form new ideas and help us process information every day. Understanding the kind of knowledge being used makes it easier to apply in real life
Factual knowledge
This insight is something that stays the same without any regular changes. It includes different terms, phrases, or even definitions. For example, knowing the capital of a country, the temperature at which a liquid boils, or even a mathematical formula, is a part of factual knowledge. They are based on prior discoveries by scientists or scholars, which are then followed until somebody else discovers something new that helps them in connecting knowledge from the past to the present.
Procedural knowledge
It is about understanding how to do something correctly using the correct steps. This knowledge includes methods, processes, and skills required. For example, writing an SEO-friendly article, conducting a science experiment, or even following the correct steps to cook a dish. These guidelines are, most of the time, tried and tested, and then declared as the best outcomes for a task. Trying to change any of the steps can lead to a reduction in the quality of the result.
Conceptual knowledge
Conceptual knowledge focuses on the importance of different events, the relationships between various ideas, and how they are connected. It helps kids to make more sense of what they are learning and not simply remember concepts by connecting knowledge in a meaningful way.
For example, children might understand a historical event that happened in the past and how it is still affecting today’s world. Or they explore why a particular species became extinct by analysing the environment and human actions.
How to connect new knowledge to prior knowledge
Connecting knowledge is all about finding similarities between something unknown that you come across and what you already know about the existing topic. These connections make your brain comfortable instead of panicking when it comes to processing any foreign learning. Here are some ways to connect new knowledge to prior knowledge:
- Try to remember or ask yourself - Whenever you come across something new, always ask yourself if you can think of any similarities to what you have learnt before.
- Use your life examples - Try to link new concepts to your own life experiences. It helps you relate and remember the concept better. For instance, if you learn about leadership, then you can connect to the time when you were the leader of the drama society in your high school.
- Always try to compare - Draw comparisons between the old and new knowledge that you acquire. It allows you to think about the drawbacks of what you studied and how the new knowledge can help you fill in the information gaps.
- Visualise concepts - Try to picturise concepts into diagrams or roadmaps. They are very helpful in making concepts clear and depict that one idea can lead to another.
