Building on my previous post about knowledge, understanding and complex reasoning I’d like to present a practical example of how taking basic knowledge and piecing information together to form understanding helps to resolve problems. And how building understanding of multiple connected areas allows for complex reasoning and complex problem solving.
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One of the concepts that has perhaps stuck with me most from high school is the differential between knowledge, understanding and complex reasoning. It is perhaps the piece that stood out for me from high school maths and it really was the composition of the exam. However I feel it’s a valuable distinction to make and helps guide that learning process. Essentially the three form a pyramid with knowledge on the bottom, understanding in the middle and complex reasoning forming the capstone. The exams were functionally composed of these three sections: knowledge, understanding and complex reasoning. Each tested different aspects of learning the topic and appeared proportionally to where they existed on the pyramid.
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Today Apple announced their plan on changing the way the textbook industry works. To achieve this they’ve released a new tool called “iBooks Author” which provides a WYSIWYG interface to building ePUB files. Essentially the rub is that while you can use it to build content and you can give it away for free in any of the formats you want, if you want to sell it you have to use the iBookstore. But let’s take a look back at the product for a second.
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