Big Ideas Udb Ch 4

Chapter 4 explores how we understand 'understanding' and how that relates to developing pedagogy. Developing an understanding, which at times can be understood by viewing the opposite, is not a simple task. How does one understand the essence of something and what framework are you using to achieve that "understanding." Explanation, Interpretation, Application, Perspective, Self-Knowledge, were the five major concepts discussed in this chapter. Historical explanation, and the fiery disagreements that exists over interpretation, illuminates the difficulty is supplying a generic system for explanation. It is stated that "[our] intellectual blind spots" and being conscious of such can "predispose us toward intellectual rationalization." Understanding ones own limitation, and having that intellectual maturity is key so we have "the ability to unending assimilate experience to beliefs and to categories that seem not merely plausible ideas but objective truths." (p101) All too often we find students not having the necessary tools and engage a different culture or concept with implanted ideas that do not corelate and the reproduction of misconceptions take place.