LEARNING AND CONCEPTIONS OF UNDERSTANDING IN HISTORY AND SCIENCE - LECTURERS AND NEW GRADUATES COMPARED

Understanding is greatly valued in higher education. It is more likely , to be achieved when lecturers and students agree on what counts as u nderstanding. History and science lecturers' conceptions of understand ing were compared with recent history and science graduates' conceptio ns of understanding. Whilst there was same agreement amongst students and lecturers about the nature of understanding ill these subjects, th ere was the potential for a mismatch of conceptions which could reduce the effectiveness of teaching and the quality of learning. What lectu rers and recent graduates saw as support for and evidence of understan ding is also described. Clarification of what is to count as understan ding in a given context should be amongst the principles for supportin g students' learning Some suggestions are made which could reduce the likelihood of an unnoticed mismatch of conceptions of understanding.