Understanding Knowing and Learning

Subject EDUC10050 (2011)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2011.

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 1 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2011:

Semester 2, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable

Parkville Campus

Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 1 1-hour lecture and 1 2-hour seminar each week
Total Time Commitment: 120 hours total commitment
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements: Attendance at all classes (tutorial/seminars/practical classes/lectures/labs) is obligatory. Failure to attend 80% of classes will normally result in failure in the subject.

Coordinator

Dr John Quay

Contact

Education Student Centre
Subject Overview: This subject will lead students to increase their understanding of various ‘ways of knowing’ and develop personal theories of knowledge and its enhancement. Topics will include: a consideration of knowledge as representation; the constructs used to explain aspects of knowledge (conceptual networks, prototypes, experiences, emotions); the psychological processes that influence its acquisition; learning and thinking as knowledge enhancement; multiple representations of knowledge and recoding; types of reflective activity and reflection as the distillation and transformation of knowledge; types of learning (for example, deep, surface and achieving); and biological models of knowledge and learning. Students will be encouraged to develop this understanding in the context of their tertiary learning and to understand themselves as knowledge enhancers.
Objectives: The aim of this subject is to lead students to increase their understanding of various ‘ways of knowing’ and to develop personal theories of knowledge and its enhancement. Students will :
  • focus on examining questions such as : What is knowledge ? What is understanding ?;
  • develop a language describing knowledge and learning; and
  • learn conceptual tools for unpacking and linking these questions with both their experiences of knowledge and learning and with guided study in relevant areas.
Assessment:
  • A 1500-word analysis of a topic chosen by the student from their major field of study in terms of the types of knowledge that constitute their understanding of it, due mid-semester (35%);
  • a 2500-word assignment on a topic chosen by the student from their major field of study in which they (i) describe the types of learning and knowledge changes that occurred during the learning; (ii) what they have learnt about knowledge, its construction and themselves as ‘knowers’; (iii) their understanding of knowledge transfer, due after the end of semester (65%).
Prescribed Texts: A book of readings will be produced
Breadth Options:

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills: On completion of this subject students will be able to:
  • describe the types of knowledge they are learning;
  • develop a problem solving approach to the analysis of this knowledge;
  • use this to analyse the knowledge they are learning; and
  • communicate this understanding
Related Breadth Track(s): Education - Understanding Knowledge

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