Prior Knowledge final

This article summarizes research on the roles of prior knowledge in learning. Educators often focus on the ideas that they want their audience to have. But research has shown that a learnerÕs prior knowledge often confounds an educatorÕs best efforts to deliver ideas accurately. A large body of findings shows that learning proceeds primarily from prior knowledge, and only secondarily from the presented materials. Prior knowledge can be at odds with the presented material, and consequently, learners will distort presented material. Neglect of prior knowledge can result in the audience learning something opposed to the educatorÕs intentions, no matter how well those intentions are executed in an exhibit, book, or lecture.