chapter 4: The Six Facets of Understanding

Understanding is not a simple thought; actually, it is a very complex process that humans have to pass through to achieve the understanding of something. Wiggins talks about six facets of understanding. I personally agree with this idea of the complexity of understanding, because I think it is a process of complete self-consciousness about what is being learned. In addition, the stages of application and perspective were the most important for me; since they imply the capacity to make the knowledge part of the person, so that he/she can apply it to their life, and also He/she can discuss it, compare it, and criticize it, when the knowledge it is part of a discussion where there may be people with different points of view. 

Chapter 3: Gaining Clarity on Our Goals

What I think is valuable of chapter 3 the way in that Wiggins talks about the importance of the goal behind the activity and the lesson plan. To my mind, there’s no other way to understand the aim of education which is to be in a total level of self-consciousness about what are we doing, obviously always taking into account student’s needs. So, what for? What is the purpose? Am I developing a knowledge that will remain? Is it useful for students? These are the questions that we should ask ourselves when we plan a lesson. During my ELAB experiences I have realized that students need to know why they do certain activities, and also these activities have to make sense for the, in order to motivate them to participate actively. If we all knew what is our positions in the space were we work, and knew the goals we have to accomplish and what are our tools to do it, I think everybody would work committed, since we would feel part of the team, and we would work as a such.