Deep Understanding. Control of student understanding in university during distance and face-to-face learning

Abstract

The health emergency of 2020 has led many university professors to wonder about how to check that the information presented in their lessons generates a correct conceptual representation in their students and, above all, to ask themselves if they have carried out the right training actions capable of triggering what is called deep understanding, that is a set of cognitive processes that produce durable and meaningful learning. This paper describes two experiences conducted in two different Italian universities that have been designed and implemented precisely with these objectives. The achieved results are very encouraging and could represent a starting point to reflect on the methodologies, teaching practices and tools to be used in distance and face-to-face university courses.