Knowledge+Application

//**Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations**// - Often students approach each task as if it were for the very first time. Its like each experience is independent, has no relationship to what has come before or what comes after. Psychologists call this an "episodic grasp of reality" (Feuerstein 1980)



Applying past knowledge to new situations makes the new problems easier to understand and to solve. The Unit 4: Bonding layer assignments exemplifies the usefulness of this application. For chemistry, I was able to apply my past knowledge from last year’s science classes; and for bonding, I was able to apply my past knowledge of not only science classes from last year, but also from the knowledge newly learned from layer C to layer B and A or from layer B to layer A. There is, however, a difference between using past knowledge and using it to understand new concepts. Half of layer C was easy merely because I learned about the basis of bonding and the questions were about the basis; I did not have to learn new concepts. For example, #5 which asked to “draw Lewis dot diagrams to represent the sharing of electrons to form covalent bonds in water, ammonia, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide”, because I learned how to draw Lewis dot diagrams last year, I was able to finish this question accurately and quickly. However, applying past knowledge to new situations is a different matter. Using past knowledge is extremely easy to solve the problem accurately, but the application of the knowledge onto new enigmas makes them easier to understand, not easy. For example, #11 which asked to “compare the types of intermolecular and intramolecular bonds (forces) in water and sodium chloride”, may have two completely new terms, but after reading about them, I know that I can use my knowledge of ionic and covalent compounds (bonds) to help me understand the inter and intramolecular forces better. In addition, after learning about the VSEPR theory in layer C, solving layer B and A is similar to using the knowledge from last year to solve layer C. I could now, easily use my knowledge and understanding of the VSEPR theory to explain the reason for the shape and polarity of compounds, molecules, etc. The application of past knowledge is indeed useful to understand questions better and easier. I hope to be able to apply knowledge from last year and from this layer assignment to the new concepts which will be learned later on in the year.

Lewis Dot Diagram: Water

//I've never made a mistake. I've only learned from past experience. - Thomas Edison//