concrete and abstract
I definitely like the analogy used (blue cheese) in laying down the basic understanding between concrete and abstract application. I, as an instructor, always bear in mind that my adult learners already have a "concrete" understanding of what they wanted to know or learn and I just expand (abstract) their understanding of that knowledge.
Hi Ferdinand,
Good comments about how to read your students and help them move their knowledge base from concrete to abstract applications. This is what learning growth is all about.
Gary
Great comment! It amazes me that adult learners sometimes have trouble with the abstract. Seeing the "ah ha" moments in their learning and the application to their daily lives is quite rewarding.
I agree one can think both ways. A custom "whatever" technician will use a logical, specific thinking pattern to achieve and continue building on an idea and turn on the abstract thinking to be unique and take the project in a direction others haven't. As an instructor, I regularly encourage students to use logic (concrete) and outside the box (abstract) thinking.
As an automotive technician students must learn to use concrete and abstract thinking in order to diagnose complex automotive concerns. I try to get them to understand that you must use skills and knowlege from previous courses that were the begining courses to solve concerns in the more advanced courses.
Jim,
Learning and education is a building process for sure. You make a good point about using content from previous courses to be successful in the current course as well as in their career. They need to see that it is a foundational process of putting one learning segment on top of another that leads to success.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
