Learning

What does it mean to learn? Explore this both in terms of the face value of the question but also in relation to how you conceptualize knowing and understanding.

Taken at face value, learning is a process. It is the process of creating new meaning/understanding in one's mind. Looking at the example of learning in a classroom setting, students learn as they synthesize information about the course, whether it is from reading a textbook, listening to a lecture, viewing a film or interacting with fellow students. Learning can stem from a variety of forms. Looking at it as a progression, it is the process of going from destination A to destination B. We go from one place of meaning/understanding and end up at a different place of meaning/understanding.

Knowing and understanding are closely related to learning. When we learn something, a transformation has occurred in some way. It takes the nuts and bolts (facts, if you will, but not necessarily scientific) of knowledge to understand something. After learning about understanding for the past could of weeks, the definition (or, understanding) that sticks in my mind is the ability to transfer knowledge from one area to the next. It's having that insightful "Eureka!" moment where you feel like you really "got" something. Learning is the process of that transformation.

Looking at a specific example, such as how to ride a bicycle, we start with the knowledge of how to ride. In order to ride, you know you have to do A, B and C - balance, pedal, steer, etc.. When you hop on a bike and start to work with this knowledge, you are in the process of learning how to ride. Once you have learned how to ride, you have arrived at an understanding about how to ride.

Here's (another) basic visual that can help explain how learning fits in the discussion of knowing, learning and understanding.

Knowing----Learning----Understanding

I also see it as a staircase that keeps going up with one step being beginning understanding, going up vertically (learning), with the next step being a new understanding, then learning again (up), new understanding (step), on up. Sorry, I wish I had the "know how" to post this visual!

Knowing and understanding

Question:
Define knowing and understanding. This should go beyond the dictionary - how do you conceptualize knowing and understanding? Are they different, or synonymous? How are they related?

Attempted answer:
Reflecting on this idea of knowing and understanding, in my mind, they have different meanings, but are related. I think knowing something is a precursor to understanding something. The first step is "knowing about" something, then knowing it and then understanding it. Here is a basic diagram:

Know about (awareness)-----Knowing ----- Understanding

The difference between knowing and understanding is hard to explain as they are very similar. Anyhow,here goes. I think knowing something is when there is a shared conceptualization about something. You can know something, but not necessarily understand it like someone else does. Understanding is more personal. It's almost like knowing all of the ins and outs of something in one's own way. Understanding implies knowing what something means.

Hmmmm, what do you think?