The phrase "activating their prior knowledge" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in educational contexts, particularly when discussing strategies to engage learners by connecting new information to what they already know.
Example: "The teacher focused on activating their prior knowledge before introducing the new topic to ensure students could relate to the material."
Alternatives: "tapping into their existing knowledge" or "engaging their previous understanding."
PBL is aimed at actively engaging students in their learning by means of activating their prior knowledge, engaging them in elaboration, (i.e. generating meaningful relations between information) and stimulating their interest in seeking for new information (Schmidt et al. in press), using the discussion of PBL problems in small groups under guidance of a tutor.
First, they might ask students to explore a concept, thereby activating their prior knowledge.
The study guide, containing the teaching aims and the learning objectives for each teaching station, is distributed to participants a number of days before the workshop activating their prior knowledge and informing them of the organizational structure of the workshop.
This is further evidence that the group exercise has stimulated students to process the concepts into a cognitive structure they can verbalize in the context of an explanation of how self-assembly works, possibly by activating their prior knowledge of molecular mechanisms (cf. Schmidt and Moust, 1998).
Results reveal that experts spend more time on the main skill 'define problem' and more often activate their prior knowledge, elaborate on the content, and regulate their process.
Math vocabulary, much like reading vocabulary words; need to be put into perspective for children so they can activate their prior knowledge or build their background in order to make connections with each and every word.
Doing so, students activate their prior knowledge, come up with tentative explanations for the problem, and formulate their own learning goals (Hmelo-Silver 2004; Schmidt 1983 , 1993.
In the process, students activate their prior knowledge, come up with tentative explanations for the problem, and formulate their own learning goals (Hmelo-Silver 2004a; Schmidt 1983 , 1993.
Based on the problem, students in their small groups activate their prior knowledge, come up with tentative theories to explain the phenomena presented in the problem, and formulate their own learning goals.
They should be able to activate their prior knowledge in terms of linking the topic to their past and present experiences of having been involved in research protocols and recruitment of subjects in research studies and clinical trials (question of how is it relevant).
