To answer this question I’m using two contrasting images for my exhibition. The first object that I have chosen is my ESS IB textbook, which gives the reader insight into the content they need to learn in order to understand the course, resulting in them gaining Academic Knowledge. However, my second object, the fire we created at Crabbe to cook our food, is vastly different and requires a different form of knowledge, Procedural Knowledge. So is one superior to the other? 

Traditionally books are closely linked to content-based knowledge leading those who read them to consume an academic knowledge in oppose to a practical/procedural knowledge. This academic knowledge, especially in a school environment is viewed as the most useful and beneficial type of knowledge and it could be argued that in this case academic knowledge trumps practical knowledge. However, this association with books and viewing someone as “book smart” could be used in a negative manner to suggest they don’t have practical skills that can be applied to the real world and instead they are viewed as virtually incompetent when it comes to being “street smart”. 

I’ve chosen my ESS book because whilst it gives a lot of content-based knowledge it also shines light on communities and peoples environmental value systems (EVS) resulting in how they view the environment and think it should be treated. This is not only requiring you to reflect upon your own previous knowledge and personal beliefs (your EVS) but it also highlights how people/groups can make changes by harnessing both academic knowledge (learned through the media or reading etc) and then turning this into procedural/practical knowledge to aid the environment – e.g. being tech savvy or creating wind turbines (Hands on) etc. Therefore, in this instance both forms of knowledge are simultaneously being used, making them equally as important. 

My second image, the creation of a fire is a good example of utilizing and applying procedural knowledge. In a situation where you desperately need to stay warm or cook food, being able to create a fire would determine your survival. I chose this image to display the stark contrast between academic knowledge and procedural knowledge in certain instances. For example, if you have obtained knowledge on how to create a fire that you have acquired by reading etc, but you have never worked on turning this knowledge into a functional skill, then it’s practically rendered useless. Meaning in this case Procedural knowledge would hugely upstage academic knowledge as the implications of lacking Procedural Knowledge are far more immediate and dangerous then not having content knowledge.