After many hours of reading articles about powerful knowledge I was struggling to get a grasp on what this term means. However, I am hoping by combining my notes in this post, that by the end I will have a clearer understanding.

What is Powerful Knowledge??

Powerful Knowledge was a concept introduced by a curricular theorist named Michael Young who was on a mission to determine what should be included in a curriculum. What I believe Young means by this term is knowledge that you would not have access to out with formal education/ teaching (Roberts 2014). He also emphasised that this knowledge is specific to subjects and is not related to prior experiences or everyday knowledge (Young, 2013). He believed this knowledge was important as it give pupils access to new understanding and new ways of thinking.

What are the arguments for powerful knowledge in the classroom??

Some of the positives to powerful knowledge in the classroom is that it helps give stability to teachers and pupils. It clearly indicated what content is being learned and what subject it is related too. Secondly, this type of knowledge is usually taught in a hierarchical way meaning that it is easier to plan and see progression in (Young, 2013). Finally, Young argues that a curriculum made up of powerful knowledge would provide national coherence as it would ensure every child is being taught the same thing. He continues to explain that if teachers use children’s home experiences’ as a starting point for teaching then different things would be being taught across the nation. This could also lead to inequalities as he explains that some children would have access to ‘better knowledge’ (Young, 2013).

What are the arguments against powerful knowledge??

 Young believes that powerful knowledge should be separate from every day experiences. However, he acknowledges that the practical implications of not linking knowledge to children’s experiences could cause them to be less interested and less motivated to learn (Young, 2013). This links with Vygotsky’s theory of ‘Spontaneous Concepts and Scientific Concepts’ discussed in Roberts (2014). Vygotsky explains that a spontaneous concept is when a child learns something subconsciously through everyday experiences. On the other hand, scientific concepts are learnt through instruction from a teacher. Vygotsky proposes that these two concepts are linked and work together to consolidate concepts and enhance further learning (Roberts, 2014). This therefore supports the argument for linking knowledge with everyday experiences to support the child understanding and progress their learning. It could also be argued that it is not possible for a curriculum to put an end to educational inequalities and that there are many other factors that cause geographical educational inequalities.

 My thoughts on knowledge in the classroom/ curriculum…

 I am glad to say that I now feel I have a much better understanding of powerful knowledge and its place in the curriculum.

I acknowledge that powerful knowledge is fundamental to learning and therefore must be included in the curriculum and classroom. However, I do not agree that this knowledge should be kept separate from other important aspects of the curriculum such as every day experiences and the development of skills. From my own experience as a learner I know that if new concepts are linked to things I experience in everyday life I will find it much easier to understand and remember in the future.

The Curriculum for Excellences Experiences and Outcomes give perfect examples of how the two can be combined;

I explore and discover the interesting features of my local environment to develop an awareness of the world around me. SOC 0-07a  (Education Scotland, 2016)

 This incorporates knowledge such as the name of the features, how they came to be there etc but also links it to the child’s life.

Overall, I believe teaching should be meaningful and memorable. Nobody likes to sit and listen to facts all day…

References

• Education Scotland (2016)  Experiences and Outcomes, Social Studies. Available at: https://education.gov.scot/scottish-education-system/policy-for-scottish-education/policy-drivers/cfe-(building-from-the-statement-appendix-incl-btc1-5)/Experiences%20and%20outcomes#soc ( Accessed 12/09/18)
• Roberts, M (2014) ‘ Powerful knowledge and geographical education’ , The curriculum journal, Vol 25(2), pp. 187- 209.
• Young, M (2013) ‘Overcoming the crisis in curriculum theory: a knowledge-based approach’, Journal of Curriculum Studies,45(2), pp.101-118.