Inert Knowledge: Analyses and remedies

Abstract

Language English
Discusses the phenomenon of "inert" knowledge, the lack of knowledge
transfer from instructional settings to out-of-school contexts, and
describes three types of explanation found in the educational psychology
literature. Metaprocess explanations, which include metacognitive and
motivational explanations, assume that access processes to available
knowledge are disturbed. Structure deficit explanations suppose that the
knowledge is not available in a suitable form for problem-solving.
Situatedness explanations assume that knowledge is fundamentally context
bound and question traditional concepts of knowledge and transfer.
Instructional models which address the inert knowledge problem in a
school context are presented, and issues of effective diagnosis and
teaching of applicable knowledge are raised. (V.K. - ZPID)