Facts and concepts have a complex,
interlaced relationship. A fact is a specific piece of information that is
known to be true while a concept is “an abstract idea generalized from particular
instances or evidence” (Scheuerman) that requires analytical thinking. In other
words, facts deal with what while
concepts deal with why. Facts are
necessary to learning concepts because facts are the attributes used to
understand and define concepts.
The relationship between facts and
concepts is clearly linked within the structure of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Facts are
usually found in the Knowledge phase while concepts belong in the upper tiers
of learning. In this structure, it is visible that concepts are built upon a
foundation of facts. Having a strong knowledge foundation made up of facts and
information is necessary to apply critical thinking skills.
However, that is not to say that concepts
are more important than facts. It is important for students to be able to think
in terms of abstract concepts, but there are also many facts which are
necessary. In an English language arts classroom, for example, it is widely considered important for upper level students to be able to comprehend the larger themes of various literary periods. On a factual level, it is also important for them to be able to list several examples of authors, works, and a basic historical time frame for those literary periods. In a
class that focused on literature about and by immigrants to the United States
in the 19th century, it would be necessary for students to
understand the basic history of immigration in the United States and to have a
rough understanding of some of the well-known authors and texts on the subject
of immigration, such as “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus.
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| Bloom's Taxonomy |
References:
Sheuerman,
R. (2017). EDU 6526: Survey of
Instructional Methods. Lecture 3.
Bloom’s
Taxonomy Verbs. https://www.fractuslearning.com/2016/01/25/blooms-taxonomy-verbs-free-chart/
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