Conceptual understanding

From Yerme

Kilpatrick, Swafford, & Findell (2001) about conceptual understanding:

• "conceptuall understanding refers to an integrated and functional grasp of mathematical ideas. Students with conceptual understanding know more than isolated facts and methods. They understand why a mathematical idea is important and the kinds of contexts in which it is useful. They have organized their knowledge into a coherent whole" (p. 188)
• "conceptual understanding need not be explicit. Students often understand before they can verbalize that understanding" (p. 188)
• "facts and methods learned with understanding are connected" (p. 188)

References

Kilpatrick, J., Swafford, J. & Findell, B. (2001). Adding It Up: Helping Children Learn Mathematics. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.