4.2 Conditionalized

When and Where Did I Find It:   This is one of the key terms I asked LTED 625 students to revisit as a part of the Jigsaw Activity during Session 4.  The word is found in the Fisher and Frey (2009) chapter I had students read.   The authors introduce this term as part of a quote from "the National Research Council's (2000, p. 11) report How People Learn:  Brain, Mind, Experience and School" (Fisher & Frey, 2009, p. 3).  They quote the following passage: 
"The new science of learning does not deny that facts are important for thinking and problem solving....However , the research also shows clearly that "usable knowledge" is not the same as a mere list of facts.  Experts' knowledge is connected and organized around important concepts (e.g., Newton's second law of motion); it is "conditionalized" to specify the context in which it is applicable; it supports understanding and transfer (to other contexts) rather than only the ability to remember. (National Research Council, 2000, p. 11 as cited in Fisher & Frey, p. 3).  
Full citation Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2009).  Background knowledge:  The missing piece of the comprehension puzzle.   Portsmouth, NH:  Heinemann.  

What it means: The term is partially defined in the sentence cited above.  "conditionalize refers to the state of being able to specify the context in which something is applicable."  To further detail this discussion the authors state:   "background knowledge must be conditionalized -- that is, the learner must know where and when to apply it."  In addition, it is important to note that if a person is motivated, he is more likely to apply what he knows almost automatically." (Fisher & Frey, p. 5).



Level of Familiarity:  Honestly, even though I have spent a great deal of time over the course of my academic/professional career studying schema theory; I cannot say that this term "conditionalized" is one that I am very familiar with.   As I read this chapter I had to spend a great deal of time thinking about how this feature of background knowledge is different from the features of being organized and transferable.  


Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why?   
Yes, I do think this term (along with the others) are useful to have a working understanding of.   It gives me a more fuller way to conceptualize Background Knowledge 
as well as a more targeted description which I can use it with my students. 


Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...if so WHO and WHY?:   I certainly think my LTED 625 students (as well as all teachers) should have a deep and principled understanding of what Background Knowledge is -- and how the three factors, including CONDITIONALIZED -- interplay as well as operate in unique ways.