UbD Chapter 2

Here in this chapter, the concept of transfer is explored in detail. Exactly what is understanding and what does it mean? This chapter also explores the difference between knowledge and understanding. On page 38 there is a chart that organizes examples of each. As an example, knowledge includes the facts, right or wrong, truths and verifiable claims. Understanding is much deeper than knowledge in that it includes the meaning of the facts, the theory, and an understanding of why it is. My goal as a teacher is to be able to reach into that understanding for my students. It is not a question of just facts but the meaning of those facts and being able to not only do it the right way, but more importantly explain why. What comes to my mind as a math teacher at Rocketship is not just seeing that my students can solve a math problem but being able to show their work and explain to me how they did it. On page 41 it is mentioned that knowledge and skill are necessary elements of understanding but not sufficient themselves. The powerful idea here is to achieve the ability for students to transfer their understanding to a new situation. I liked the passage on page 43 which states, " a genuine understanding involves another kind of transfer. We go beyond what we see, using big ideas, to make meaning of it."