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Declarative & Procedural Knowledge

CPD: Subject Level Curriculum (by Kat Howard and Claire Hill), topic 3.1.5

Declarative & Procedural Knowledge

It is worth making distinctions between different types of knowledge. This will help to inform not only what we include in the curriculum but also the way it is sequenced

Declarative knowledge

Declarative knowledge

  • Declarative knowledge is sometimes referred to as propositional knowledge or the ‘know-that’ of a subject.
  • For example, we know that the angles in a triangle add up to 180°.
  • Declarative knowledge is a type of substantive knowledge.
Questions to ask yourself

Questions to ask yourself

  • What declarative knowledge will you include in your curriculum?
  • How will you ensure your curriculum does not ask students to apply, create, synthesise or evaluate in a vacuum?
Procedural knowledge

Procedural knowledge

  • Sometimes referred to as skill or technique, procedural knowledge refers to the ‘know-how’ of the processes required in a subject.
Examples

Examples

  • Procedural knowledge might include:
  • Solving simultaneous equations.
  • Constructing a thesis statement.
  • Drawing a graph.
  • The actions required to perform a somersault.
More questions to ask yourself

More questions to ask yourself

  • What is the procedural knowledge of your subject?
  • How will the steps of these procedures be broken down and modelled?
  • Where is common language and methodology required to reinforce students’ competence and understanding?
  • How often will students practise these procedures?

Test yourself on Declarative & Procedural Knowledge

  • What is procedural knowledge also known as?

  • Which of the following is an example of procedural knowledge in physical education?

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