Understanding Scientific Understanding

The argument for understanding Lean construction as a socio-technical field is growing and the need to better consider the role of human beings within construction systems is becoming the dominant factor in project success. Many current attributes of lean already focus on people and on human engagement approaches but the field of lean construction addresses project environments that are often complex and highly variable. The authors argue that the successful delivery of these projects relies on the creation of a common understanding of the project objectives within the diverse value systems of project participants and wider society. Additionally, many of the new ways of working that lean thinking brings already support the creation of a common understanding and could be harnessed to better effect. Based on a literature review and supported by case study examples the authors explore the nature of knowledge and understanding and position them within an eight flow model for constructio...

In science and philosophy, a relatively demanding notion of understanding is of central interest: an epistemic subject understands a subject matter by means of a theory. This notion can be explicated in a way which resembles JTB analyses of knowledge. The explication requires that the theory answers to the facts, that the subject grasps the theory, is committed to the theory and justified in the theory. In this paper, we focus on the justification condition and argue that it can be analysed with reference to the idea of a reflective equilibrium.

How can we acquire understanding? Linda Zagzebski has long claimed that understanding is acquired through, or arises from, mastering a particular practical technê. In this paper, I explicate Zagzebski’s claim and argue that the claim is problematic. Based on a critical examination of Zagzebski’s claim, I propose, in conclusion and in brief, a new claim regarding the acquisition of understanding.

Academics in the field of accounting often discuss whether their students memorise or understand the concepts being taught. While these topics are probably not new, this paper may introduce the topic of metacognition to some academics. While metacognition is itself not a new concept, educators in the field of Accounting Education do not appear to have shown much interest in it. The aims of the paper are therefore twofold. Firstly to improve Accounting academics' awareness of the differences between memorizing and understanding and creating an awareness of all aspects of metacognition so that they in turn can share this awareness with their students. Secondly to determine whether students in an introductory accounting class appeared to exhibit memorizing, understanding or metacognition during their studies. During the course of semi-structured, face-to-face interviews, research participants in an introductory accounting class discussed how they constructed knowledge in the discipline and how they constructed solutions to examples and how they prepared for examinations. In this paper I have attempted to understand whether these students were memorising or understanding their work and the degree to which they were demonstrating metacognition. In the study, research participants were purposefully selected according to their first semester final marks. They were placed into three categories of less, more and very successful academically. Those in the academically 'less successful' group on the whole seemed to rely on memorising, did not seem to understand the value of understanding their work and they showed little evidence of developing metacognition. Participants in the 'more successful' group worked towards understanding selected topics and showed evidence of developing metacognitive.

It is suggested that, in addition to data, information and knowledge, the information sciences should focus on understanding, understood as a higher-order knowledge, with coherent and explanatory potential. The limited ways in which understanding has been addressed in the design of information systems, in studies of information behaviour, in formulations of information literacy and in impact studies are briefly reviewed, and future prospects considered. The paper is an extended version of a keynote presentation given at the i 3 conference in June 2015.

The purpose of this study is to improve the students' mathematical comprehension of grade IV SDN Ciganjur 02 Pagi South Jakarta. The method used is action research. Methods of data collection are using observation sheets, test questions, interviews and documentation. The result of data analysis is known that: (1) reiterating a verbal concept and in writing (2) applying algorithm concept with certain procedures and operation (3) applying concept in the form of mathematical representation (4) applying concept by linking various concepts. Suggestions that can be recommended is an effort that can be done to improve students' mathematical comprehension ability one of them is using make a match learning models.

This paper focuses on Gadamer's concept of understanding. In Wahrheit und Methode(1960), he defines understanding as a "fusion of horizons". This is a key concept, which clearly demarcates his philosophical position against other positions, including the older hermeneutic tradition from Schleiermacher to Dilthey on one hand and against reductive scientism on the other. In the first and the second part, the paper seeks to analyze in detail the concept of understanding in Wahrheit und Methode. The main argument of this paper, however, is that there occurs a discrete change in Gadamer's conceptualization of understanding after the publication of Wahrheit und Methode. This change occurs specifically in response to Celan's poetry in the book Wer bin Ich und Wer bist Du?(1973/1986). This is the main topic in the third section of this paper, which builds on the previous analysis of understanding in Wahrheit und Methode in order to analyze Gadamer's later revision. The revised notion of understanding, this paper suggests, marks a shift from a conjunctive to a disjunctive form of understanding.

The study explores the impact of using Understanding by Design (UbD) Model on 8 th-grade student's achievement in science. The population of the study consisted of all the students of 8th grade at the Al Majd Model School for boys and Al Ebdaa Model School for Girls in Dubai. A sample of (60) students was drawn using random sampling technique. They were divided into two groups formed through matching based on their pre-test scores. The main objective of the study is to expose the experimental group in using Understanding by Design (UbD) Model and to compare the effectiveness of this mode of teaching in the teaching of science material. The pre-test-post-test control group experimental design is chosen for this work. The independent variable in the study is UbD model of teaching, while the dependent variable is the academic achievement of students. This study tool depended on academic achievement test in the Sciences material for the 8th grade prepared by the researcher. Also, the validity and reliability of the study tools was verified. The results shows a non-significant differences between the experimental and control groups based on the mean score in the Academic Achievement of Science Test (AAST) for 8th grade before applying UbD Model (pertest scores), a Significant differences between the experimental and control groups based on the mean score in the Academic Achievement of Science Test (AAST) for 8th grade after applying UbD Model (posttest scores), and a non-significant differences between boys and girls based on the mean score in the Academic Achievement of Science Test (AAST) for 8th grade before applying UbD Model.

Vocabulary development is a critical goal for early childhood education. However, it is difficult for researchers and teachers to determine whether this goal is being met, given the limitations of current assessment tools. These tools tend to view word knowledge dichotomously—as right or wrong. A clear sense of children’s depth of semantic knowledge is necessary in order to plan and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. This article proposes a continuum of young children’s semantic knowledge that stems from a conceptual analysis of literature across the fields of education, linguistics, and educational psychology. Nineteen categories of children’s word knowledge were identified and grouped into five hierarchically related levels: no understanding, schematically related understanding, contextual understanding, decontextual understanding, and paired understanding. This semantic continuum can be used to develop an assessment instrument to measure the incremental changes in young children’s semantic knowledge. Also, it can be used to guide assessment-based vocabulary instruction in early childhood.

The purpose of this study was to get an idea of the effect of the use of assessment instruments in the form of animation to test understanding of the concept of refraction of light. The method used is a quasi-experiment with design posttest only nonequivalent control group design. As a control group used items were in the form of paper and pencil tests. Study was conducted on a class X student of SMA Tanjungpinang in Provinsi Kepulauan Riau of academic year 2013/2014. Samples were selected two classes of seventh grade classes were randomly parallel, as a control group and experiment group. Sum of sample of 85 people with 42 people for a percentage of the control class and 43 people for classroom experiments. Data collected after the experimental class and control class equally get learning the refraction of light. Gain control class test in the form of paper and pencil test which amounts to about 20 numbers, and the experimental class to get the test in the form of the same animation and the number 20, numbers matter. The research instrument used was a questionnaire about the pretest and posttest design. Data analysis was conducted using inferential statistics using SPSS 17. Based on the results the average score of the experimental class 74% with a standard deviation of 14 and an average score of 31% control class with a standard deviation of 12. It can be concluded that the test results of students' understanding of the concept of refraction of light that gets items were significantly different in animated form compared to students who obtain items were in the form of paper and pencil test. Understanding students' test results in sub concepts Snell's law, a concave lens and a convex lens using items were in the form of animation is higher than the students who use the items were in the form of paper and pencil tests. Students agree with the use of items were in the form of animation on comprehension tests concept of refraction of light. Students stated that the items were animated very interesting, a better understanding of the issue in question, to understand the purpose and content of questions, and a description of the problem becomes clearer. The use of items was suggested in the form of animation to be developed on other concepts in physics learning

The philosophical interest in the nature, value, and varieties of human understanding has swelled in recent years. This article provides an overview of new research in the epistemology of understanding, with a particular focus on the following questions: What is understanding and why should we care about it? Is understanding reducible to knowledge? Does it require truth, belief, or justification? Can there be lucky understanding? Does it require ‘grasping’ or some kind of ‘know-how’? This cluster of questions has largely set the research agenda for the study of understanding in epistemology. I will conclude by discussing some varieties of understanding and highlight directions for future research.

There is evidence that presenting titles together with artworks affects their processing. We investigated whether elaborative and descriptive titles change the appreciation and understanding of paintings. Under long presentation times (90 s) in Experiment 1, testing representative and abstract paintings, elaborative titles increased the understanding of abstract paintings but not their appreciation. In order to test predictions concerning the time course of understanding and aesthetic appreciation [Leder, H., Belke, B., Oeberst, A., & Augustin, D. (2004). A model of aesthetic appreciation and aesthetic judgments. British Journal of Psychology, 95(4), 489-508] in Experiment 2, abstract paintings were presented under two presentation times. For short presentation times (1 s), descriptive titles increased the understanding more than elaborative titles, whereas for medium presentation times (10 s), elaborative titles increased the understanding more than descriptive titles. Thus, with a...

We attack the traditionally accepted view that a criterion of representational veridicality is a necessary condition for scientific understanding. To replace this ‘veridicality condition’, we propose an effectiveness condition on understanding: understanding requires representational devices that are scientifically effective; where scientific effectiveness is the tendency to produce useful scientific outcomes such as correct predictions, successful practical applications and fruitful ideas for further research. We illustrate our claims using three case studies: phlogiston theory versus oxygen theory for understanding of chemical phenomena; Newton’s theory of gravitation versus Einstein's general theory of relativity; and fluid models of energy and electricity in science education.