science

Knud Illeris

Knud Illeris is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Knud Illeris rather than just read about it. In short: Knud Illeris (born 7 March 1939) is a Danish scientist and professor of lifelong learning. His work mainly revolves around the way adults learn and continue to do so.

Key takeaways

Knud Illeris belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Knud Illeris to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Knud Illeris from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Knud Illeris (born 7 March 1939) is a Danish scientist and professor of lifelong learning. His work mainly revolves around the way adults learn and continue to do so. Illeris' work both as author and editor is widely renowned and published in more than ten countries, including China, Germany and the Netherlands. In 2005 Knud Illeris was made Honorary Adjunct Professor of Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City. Other objectives of his work are skill development and workplace learning.

Theory Illeris' concept of learning is based on his idea of three dimensions of learning and competence development. These three main dimensions are Functionality, Sensitivity and Integration. Functionality refers to the learning content and the individual's capacity and understanding thereof. Sensitivity stresses the importance of the individual's incentive for learning: motivation, emotion and volition. The final dimension is that of Integration: the ways in which the individual can adhere the learning to make sense to him. This dimension focuses on interaction with fellow learners or the environment.

These are the core elements of Illeris' learning theory, but all in all he maintains a very broad concept of learning, which is illustrated in his editing of the book Contemporary Theories of Learning.

References

Illustrations

Knud Illeris: Knud Illeris in Roskilde University. Denmark, 2013 — Knud Illeris in Roskilde University. Denmark, 2013

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Knud Illeris

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Knud Illeris claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Knud Illeris before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Knud Illeris ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Knud Illeris

In research: Knud Illeris appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Knud Illeris in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Knud Illeris is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1939 births, Danish scientists, Living people, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Knud Illeris outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Knud Illeris in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Knud Illeris means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Knud Illeris out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Knud Illeris in simple terms?

Knud Illeris (born 7 March 1939) is a Danish scientist and professor of lifelong learning. His work mainly revolves around the way adults learn and continue to do so.

Why does Knud Illeris matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Knud Illeris?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Knud Illeris.