THE COGNITIVE DIMENSION OF EDUCATION

Introduction
• Cognition = Scientific term for "the process of thought”.
• It involves the processing of information,
• It’s examination of the process of
thought from an education perspective
• The Cognitive dimension of education is
that which deals with knowledge.
• Education is normally equated with acquisition
of knowledge.
• Knowledge = cognition i.e. to know
• To know:
 Be acquainted/familiar with
 Recognize
 Distinguish
 understand
• To understand:
 Appreciate
 Comprehend
 Value
 Be aware of
• Learning can not be said to
have taken place if no knowledge
has been passed to the learners.
• Knowledge is whatever remains after all
has been forgotten. 
• Education has explicit task in society
to develop the learners cognition.
• There are a lot of cognition
processes that take place for learning
to occur. 
• Cognition is the set of all mental abilities and processes related
to;
Attention,
memory
knowledge,
judgment,
 evaluation,
reasoning and computation
problem solving,
decision making, and
comprehension
Learning
• It is a permanent change in
behavior as a result of experience.
• Choices are made regarding the learning
environment and permitted actions that lead
to a formed experience i.e knowledge
• Cognitive dimension leads more to knowing
rather than learning

• If a learner fails to gain

knowledge and understanding after the prescribed
time, something important is missing.
Knowledge
A fact is appreciated as knowledge if:
• It is believed to be true
• It is in fact true
• It can be justified to be true
• This is also known as “tripartite”
(three part) definition or “JTB”
(JTB MODEL)
• When can we say we know?
Conditions for knowledge
The following three conditions are necessary for knowledge to be
gained;

• The belief condition

• The truth condition

• The justification/grounds condition

The belief condition
• Knowledge is a mental state, existing in one's mind
• Therefore refers to the psychological state

• What does it take to know something?

• It’s not enough just to believe it—

• We don’t know the things we’re wrong about. (even when we think
that we know)
• Knowledge is a way of getting to the truth
Belief is the first step towards knowing
“I belief” shows more conviction than “I think” which has an
element of doubt
Belief alone is not sufficient for knowledge

It’s important that we belief what is true

The truth condition
• Not all beliefs are true, some are false
• Its important to differentiate ‘facts and opinions’
• A fact is based on direct evidence, actual experience, or
observation.
• An opinion = based someone’s belief, feeling, view, idea, or
judgment about something
• This condition (truth) is more biased towards facts
• Knowledge acquisition is an attempt to increase on true
beliefs(facts)
• We form beliefs in an attempt
to match what's in the mind
with the actual state of the world
• What is false cannot be known (not true)
• This condition refers to actual truth of what one asserts
e.g. “I belief it rained” is different from “I know it rained”
• “I know” is a claim to the truth
• This can only truly be verified through the third condition
The grounds(justification) condition
• Knowledge, then, requires factual belief
• In addition to truth, what other properties must a belief have in
order to constitute knowledge?
• This condition provides the grounds or reason for knowing
something
• One who claims to know must be able to justify
• Must have sufficient grounds to verify the claim
• The process of giving grounds/reasons, is
justification/verification/validation
e.g. validate the assertion that it
rained without having seen the actual rain fall.
• When/where the three conditions are
met we have justified true believe (JTB) i.e. knowledge
• The conditions are best appreciated in
relation to the type of knowledge
that the learner is drawing inspiration
from at any one time.
Types of knowledge
• Revealed knowledge
• Rational Knowledge
• Intuitive knowledge
• Authoritative knowledge
• Empirical knowledge
Divine (revealed) knowledge
• Passed to mankind from a higher power
• Has certain; behaviors, actions,
• Philosophies/doctrines/knowledge,
• People(leaders & adherents)
• Symbols
Revealed Knowledge = A conclusion in search of evidence
(Best for RE)
Rational knowledge
• Dependent/appeals to reason
• Specific rules, regulations, or laws (logic)
• It is fact-based
• Uses logic
• Good in sciences, research, law, medicine(?)………
Rational Knowledge = Evidence in search of a conclusion
Intuitive knowledge
• Ability to acquire knowledge without inference or the use of
reason
• Acquire knowledge without proof, evidence, or
conscious reasoning,
• Without understanding how the knowledge was acquired
• Knowledge from insight/from within
• May be drawn from “silence” (6th sense)
• Source of inventions & discoveries
• Best in creativity/aesthetics
• Inventions
Authoritative knowledge
• Knowledge from a point of power
• From a specialist in a field
• From an author (e.g. recommended textbooks)
• From an inventor (e.g. science congress)
Empirical knowledge
• Empirical = knowledge received by means of the senses,
• Particularly by observation and experimentation.
• Through experimentation
• Practical
• Gained from experience
e.g. practical subjects, science experiments
References

• Wanjohi, A.M. (2011). Dimensions of

Education. KENPRO Publications. 
 http://www.kenpro.org/papers/education-dimensions.htm
THE END