understanding concepts

U n d e r s t a n d i n g C o n c e p t s

Dr.N.Asokan M.Sc., M.E., Ph.D

+91 9445191369 [email protected]

Conceptual Knowledge• The interrelationships among the basic elements

within a larger structure that enable them to function together.

• More complex, organized knowledge form.

• Disciplinary Knowledge – the way the experts in the discipline THINK about a phenomena

• (Solar System, Computer System)

• WHY?

Why the seasons occur

• Earth• Sun• Rotation• Revolution• These are not simple isolated facts about

Earth & Sun, rather ideas about the relationships between them and how they are linked to the seasonal changes

Conceptual Knowledge – A. Classification and Categories

• Connectivity between and among specific elements.

• Classic sign of learning and development.

• Reflect a conceptual change.

E x a m p l e s

• Types of materials – Magnetic (Dia, Para, Ferro), Semi conducting, Construction.

• Parts of sentences (nouns, verbs, adjectives).

• Telecommunication Systems (GSM, GPRS, DECT, UMTS)

Examples – Knowledge of

• The variety of types of literature

• The various forms of business ownership

• Different kinds of psychological problems

• The different periods of geologic time

• Different kinds of Gender issues

• The various cross-cutting areas of governance

Conceptual Knowledge – B. Principles and Generalizations

• Used to study phenomena or solve problems in

the discipline.

• Bring together larger number of specific facts

and events

• Describe the processes and interrelationships

among Classification and Categories.

ExamplesFundamental laws of thermodynamics

Law of supply and demand

Bernoulli's theorem

Faraday's law

Coulomb’s law

Principles of Chemistry that are relevant to life processes and health

Major principles involved in learning

Knowledge of

• Major generalization about particular culture

• Fundamental laws of marketing

• Major principles involved in learning

• Principles of federalism

• Implications of American foreign trade policy for

the international economy

Conceptual Knowledge – C. Theories, models and structures.

• Interrelationships among Principles and Generalizations.

• Examples: Organization structure (Chairman,

Director, Principal, Registrar, HoD, Prof, Asst.Prof, Lecturer).

Formulation of Theory of evolution

Genetic models (e.g., DNA)

8085, 8086 Microprocessor Architecture.

8051 Microcontroller Architecture.

Theory of Computation.

Knowledge of

• Overall structure of multilateral organizations

• Basic structural organization of the local city

govt.

• Complete formulation of theory of evolution

• Genetic models (DNA)

7 WAYS OF UNDERSTANDING CONCEPTS1. Interpreting

2. Exemplifying

3. Classifying

4. Inferring

5. Comparing

6.Summarizing

7.Explaining

Understand -1. Interpreting

• Change from one form of representation to another.

• Words to words, words to picture, numbers to words, musical notes to tones

• Translating, paraphrasing, representing, clarifying.

• To paraphrase important speeches and documents from the civil war period in U.S. history

Objective and Assessment• To draw a graph between Voltage and current.• Draw a graph between Voltage and current.

• To Draw block diagrams representations of systems.• Draw block diagrams representations of systems.

• To translate number sentences expressed in words into algebraic equations expressed in symbols.

• Write an equation (using B for boys and G for girls) that corresponds to the statement “ There are twice as many boys as girls in this class.

• To draw pictorial representation of various natural phenomena (Water Cycle, Sea breeze, Land breeze).

• Constructed response – Supply an answer• Choose an answer – Multiple choice

Understand -2. Exemplifying

• Finding a specific example of a concept or principle.• Identifying the defining features of

the general concept or principle.• Illustrating

Objective and Assessment

• To be able to give examples of various kinds of chemical compounds.• Locate five inorganic compound on a

field trip and tell why its is inorganic?

Assessment Format

• Constructed Response – Students must create an example

• Locate an inoragnic compound

• Selected Response – Student must select an example from s given set

Understand -3. Classifying

• Determine that something (a particular instance or example) belongs to a category (Concept or Principle)

• Detecting relevant features or patterns that “fit” both the specific instant and the concept or principle

• Complementary process to Exemplifying• Categorizing

Exemplifying• It begins with a

general concept or principle and requires the student to find a specific instance or example

Classifying• It begins with a

specific instance or example and requires the student to find a general concept or principle.

To classify observed or described cases of mental disorders

To categorize the species of various prehistoric animals


• To determine the categories to which numbers belong.

• Circle all prime numbers for the following list.• To classify the electrical machines.• Classify the following electrical machines into

A.C and D.C machines.

Understand - 4. Summarizing

• Abstracting a general theme or major points.

• A single statement that represents presented information or abstracts of a general theme.

• When given information, a student provides a summary or abstracts a general theme

• Generalizing


• To summarize the purposes of various subroutines in a programme.

• Write a sentence describing the sub goal that each section of the program accomplishes within the overall program.

• To summarize the major contributions of famous social workers

• To summarize the best practices

Understand - 5. Inferring

• Drawing a logical conclusion from presented information.

• Involves finding a pattern within a series of examples.

• Extrapolating, Interpolating, Predicting, Concluding


• To infer the pattern in the series of numbers.• What number will come next in the series

1,2,3,5,8,13,21,… (completion task)

• To infer the analogy of the form. (Analogy task)• Nation is to President, State is to ________.

• AND,OR,NOT and XOR (Oddity task)

Understand - 6. Comparing

• Detecting correspondence (similarities & differences) between two ideas, objects, events, problems.

• Includes finding one-to-one correspondence between elements and patterns in one object, event or idea.

• Determine how a well known event is like a less familiar event

• Contrasting, Matching, Mapping


• To compare an electrical circuit with a water flow system.

• Compare battery, wire and resistor in an electrical circuit with pump, pipes and pipe construction in a water flow system.

• Compare TRIAC and DIAC.• Compare Intel80386 and Intel80486

Mapping

A student must show how each part

of one object, idea, problem or

situation corresponds to (or maps

into) each part of another.

Understand - 7. Explaining

• Constructing a cause – and – effect model of a system.

• Determine how a change in one part of the system or one “link” in the chain affects a change in another part.

• Reasoning, Trouble shooting, Redesigning, Predicting.


• To explain Ohm’s law.• Explain what happens to the rate of the

current when a second battery is added to a circuit.

• Explain masking and etching process in IC fabrication.

• Explain 565 phase lock loop circuit functioning.

Reasoning: A student is asked to offer a reason for a given event.

Why does air enter a bicycle tire pump when you pull up on the handle?

Answer, it is forced in because the air pressure is less inside the pump than outside, involves finding a principle that accounts for a given event.

Troubleshooting: A student is asked to diagnose what could have gone wrong in a malfunctioning system.

Suppose you pull up and press down on the handle of a bicycle tire pump several times but no air comes out. What’s wrong?

Student must find an explanation for a symptom. “There is a hole in the cylinder” or “A valve is stuck in the open position”

Redesigning: A student is asked to change the system to accomplish some goal

How could you improve a bicycle tire pump so that it would be more efficient?

Student must imagine altering one or more of the components in the system.“Apply lubricant between the piston and the cylinder”

Predicting: A student is asked to change in one part of a system will effect a change in another part of a system.

What would happen if you increased the diameter of the cylinder in a bicycle tire pump?

Student “operate” the mental model of the pump to see that the amount of air moving through the pump could be increased by increasing the diameter of the cylinder.

Thank you

understanding concepts

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