What is the difference between knowing and understanding?

Answer 1

I may "know" something but not understand it. I'll give you an example: I know that Columbus sailed in 1492, but I may not understand why he sailed or what he was doing. There are 4 types of learning according to man named Bloom. There is recall ( which would be "knowing"), comphrension ( which would be "understanding"), evaluation ( which takes it beyond comphrension to an ability to take it apart and exp lane it) and finally invention ( the ability to take the info from above and add to it or invent something new on the same line). Ideally, we want students to go through the 4 stages of learning to have real learning. If they stop at recall many times they loose the info somewhere along the line and it doesn't carry forward into true learning.

Answer 2

to know how something is done but not understanding how is it done.

to understanding how something is done and knowing at the same time.