Anchored in Knowledge: Supporting Student Learning Using Declarative and Procedural Knowledge

 

Introduction

How do students learn best? This is a question explored throughout the field of education. In order for students to be successful learners, educators must be intentional about how students gain and use their knowledge. This blog will explore the ideas of declarative and procedural knowledge and how they support student learning. 

Is it Declarative or Procedural?

Fieldman (2022)

The "What"

According to Hawley and Hicks (2012), Declarative knowledge involves the "what" of any given content, topic, or subject (p.10). Declarative knowledge teaches the factual and conceptual, with clear and conventional information. 

Examples of Declarative Knowledge:

1. The moon has eight phases. 

2. Google Slides are a type of slideshow.  

3. An animal’s home is called a habitat. 

4. Plants need water, sunlight, and air to survive. 

5. A review is a type of persuasive writing.

The "How"

Unlike Declarative knowledge, procedural knowledge involves a deeper level of understanding. Hawley and Hicks (2012) describe procedural knowledge as the understanding "how to generate the needed characteristics" (p. 10). Procedural knowledge allows the learner to incorporate application into their learning. Students should be able to use their declarative knowledge to understand a topic and use their procedural knowledge to produce original work relating to the topic. 

Examples of Procedural Knowledge:

1. Creating a calendar to represent and track all eight phases of the moon.

2. Using Google Slides to create a slideshow about a topic.  

3. Creating an animal habitat based on knowledge of an animal's needs.  

4. Using knowledge of plant needs to grow and maintain the life of a plant. 

5. Writing a review on a book of choice.

  

Keep (2022)

Making Connections

Vanderbilt (2016)

Many in the field of education have studied the Bloom's Taxonomy pyramid and used these ideas to develop their teaching practices. In making a connection to the idea of declarative and procedural knowledge, think of this analogy: "Declarative knowledge is to remember as procedural knowledge is to create." Although decclarative knowledge is needed in the process of learning, a high level of knowledge is gained through one's ability to use their learning to produce original work. 

A Case Study

In a study done on elementary students, Researchers Wuryaningrum, Bektiarso, and Suyitno (2020) sought to understand how Knowledge Transforming Text (KTT) developed student declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge compared to text that was considered to be Knowledge-Telling. According to Researchers (2020), "KTT is a process of building knowledge through reading comprehension in which students interact to form knowledge extracted from reading material" (p. 574). Criteria for the Knowledge Performing Text required textual opportunities for students to "understand how to perform an action, why it should be done in certain way, and what factors support and hinder the success of the action" (p. 583). Wuryaningrum, Bektiarso, and Suyitno (2020) found that students who were provided with Knowledge Transforming Text showed evidence of developing declarative and procedural knowledge based on their experimental class. These students outperformed those who were exposed to Knowledge-Telling texts. 

How Can We Use Declarative and Procedural Knowledge to Support the Growth of Student Learning? 

To conclude, both declarative and procedural knowledge are important for building student learning. Students need declarative knowledge to identify basic characteristics of any given topic. Additionally, students need procedural knowledge in order to produce original work. A marriage of both ensures deeper and lasting learning for students.

References

Turner, H., & Hicks, T. (2017). Argument in the Real World: Teaching adolescents to read and write        digital texts. Heinemann.

Wuryaningrum, R., Bektiarso, S., & Suyitno, I. (2020). The Effects of Knowledge-Transforming Text on    Elementary Students’ Declarative, Procedural Knowledge, and Motivation in Environmental Learning.    International Journal of Instruction, 13(1), 567–586.

Keep, B. (2022). Learning Beyond Facts: Conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and more.          [Video].Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YtC24QnikY

Flikr. (2016) Bloom's taxonomy. [Infographic]. Retrieved February 4, 2024, from                            https://www.flickr.com/photos/vandycft/29428436431

Open Rules. (2022). Decision Modeling. [Infographic]. OpenRules.blog.                        https://openrules.blog/2022/10/05/decision-modeling-declarative-vs-procedural/