Concepts rely on facts, but facts are not meaningful except as they relate to concepts and generalizations. It is all a complex, interdependent structure, each layer relying on the layer above and below for support and cohesion. Pull one component out, and the structure collapses. Existing methods of teaching do not provide much help in deciding how each of these elements can be taught together or even sequentially for optimal student learning. Learning is a construction process.
Students build understanding, piece by piece and often in highly individualistic ways.
Not all students learn the same way. It is up to us to help them in this endeavor. In the face of this ambiguity, starting with some definitions may help teachers see ways to accomplish this goal. Generalizations Generalizations are statements about relationships between and among concepts. Generalizations are true and verifiable for all cases on the basis of the best evidence available.