TVETipedia Glossary

Knowledge

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Knowledge is central to any discussion of learning and may be understood as the way in which individuals and societies apply meaning to experience. It can therefore be seen broadly as the information, understanding, skills, values and attitudes acquired through learning. As such, knowledge is linked inextricably to the cultural, social, environmental and institutional contexts in which it is created and reproduced.

Source:
UNESCO 2015: Rethinking Education: Towards a global common good?

Outcome of assimilation of information through learning. Knowledge is the body of facts, principles, theories and practices related to a field of study or work.

Comment

There are numerous definitions of knowledge. Nevertheless, modern conceptions of knowledge rest broadly on several basic distinctions:

- Aristotle distinguished between theoretical and practical logic. In line with this distinction, modern theoreticians (Alexander et al., 1991) distinguish declarative (theoretical) knowledge from procedural (practical) knowledge. Declarative knowledge includes assertions on specific events, facts and empirical generalisations, as well as deeper principles on the nature of reality. Procedural knowledge includes heuristics, methods, plans, practices, procedures, routines, strategies, tactics, techniques and tricks (Ohlsson, 1994);

- It is possible to differentiate between forms of knowledge which represent different ways of learning about the world. Various attempts have been made to compile such lists; the following categories seem to be frequently represented:

objective (natural/scientific) knowledge, defined on the basis of certainty;
subjective (literary/aesthetic) knowledge, defined on the basis of authenticity;
moral (human/normative) knowledge, defined on the basis of collective acceptance (right/wrong);
religious/divine knowledge, defined by reference to a divine authority (God). This basic understanding of knowledge underpins the questions we ask, the methods we use and the answers we give in our search for knowledge;

- knowledge encompasses tacit and explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge (Polanyi, 1967) is knowledge learners possess which influences cognitive processing. However, they may not necessarily express it or be aware of it. Explicit knowledge is knowledge a learner is conscious of, including tacit knowledge that converts into an explicit form by becoming an ‘object of thought’ (Prawat, 1989).

Source:
Cedefop, Glossary. Terminology of European education and training policy, (last accessed 10/2024)
Cedefop, Glossary. Terminology of European education and training policy, (last accessed 10/2024)
Access resource, available in English, French, German
This revised and expanded multilingual glossary defines 430 key terms used in European education and training policy. Building on the Terminology of European education and training policy – A selection of 130 key terms, published in 2014, this latest version, which draws on the experiences of Cedefop’s experts, gives new definitions and covers the latest European Union policy priorities, particularly on skills intelligence and employment.
Terms are provided in 8 languages: German, Greek, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch and Portuguese. Definitions are available in English, German and French.

The ability to recall and present information which is described using learning outcomes.

Source:
UNESCO, Level-setting and recognition of learning outcomes: The use of level descriptors in the twenty-first century, 2015
UNESCO, Level-setting and recognition of learning outcomes: The use of level descriptors in the twenty-first century, 2015
Access resource, available in English
Description of the report:
"The aim of this research is to support a broader initiative that will explore the possibility of developing international guidelines on quality assurance for the recognition of qualifications based on learning outcomes, including a set of world reference levels to facilitate the international recognition of qualifications."
Description of the glossary (pp 189 ff):
"The definitions of this glossary are provided by the authors, drawing on a wide range of literature in the field, and in particular the cited references for this publication. They do not necessarily coincide with official positions of UNESCO."