4. Use Knowledge Meaningfully
The whole purpose of learning is to be able to use it in a meaningful way. Dimension 4 emphasises this important part of learning: the process of using knowledge meaningfully. When students see tasks as relevant they are motivated to learn the knowledge needed to complete the task and may achieve a greater understanding because they are more interested. These tasks are used as effective assessment tasks.
Using knowledge requires students to engage in complex thinking and reasoning processes rather than to simply remember, collect or recognize knowledge.
Six tasks which require students to use knowledge meaningfully are:
- Decision Making
- Problem Solving
- Invention
- Experimental Inquiry
- Investigation
- Systems Analysis