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Prior knowledge refers to what a learner already knows before learning new information. This information may potentially be false, or incomplete.
Prior knowledge is important as it serves as a foundational building block for new knowledge. Activating prior knowledge helps students see the connections between previous learning and new instruction, builds on what students already know, provides a framework for learners to better understand new information, and gives instructors formative assessment information to adapt instruction.
Here are a few strategies faculty can use to activate a learner's prior knowledge.
Advance Organizers
Advance organizers are visual organizational tools to aid your students’ understanding of information. They provide a structure to the lecture or lesson, allowing students to connect prior knowledge to new knowledge.
There are many different types of advance organizers. A K-W-L is one type of advance organizer that specifically asks about students’ background knowledge. Ask students to divide a sheet of paper into three columns: K, W, and L. K = What you already KNOW; W = What you WANT to know; L = What did you LEARN. Students fill in K and W before beginning the lesson. Ask students to share their responses before beginning the lesson. The L column is filled in at the end of the lesson and can be collected as a tool to know what students took away from the day’s lesson. This is a link to a K-W-L template.
Forecasting is another practice. In this activation, students are asked to make a prediction based on information they already know. Prior to a lesson, demonstration, or simulation, pose a question to students but leave the ending open (or answer unclear). Ask them what they think will happen and why (here is where prior knowledge comes into play). After the lesson, revisit the question and see if responses/predictions have changed.
Opening Question or Question of the Day
An opening question, or question of the day, is a question displayed on the projector or board at the beginning of class. Students have the first 1-3 minutes of class to answer the question before it goes away. It can be a problem, a concept question, an opinion question, or a personal experience question. The key idea is that the question activates prior knowledge that students will need for the day's lesson.
Also see the Classroom Assessment Technique, Background Knowlege Probe
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