The Australian Curriculum identifies the knowledge that is important for all young Australians to learn. Knowledge plays a central role in building skills, thinking critically and creatively, and solving problems with increasing independence. The successful and efficient acquisition, retention and application of knowledge is important to support young Australians to become confident and creative individuals, independent lifelong learners, and active and informed members of the community (Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment, 2019).

This explainer provides an introduction to the role of knowledge in learning, implications for effective teaching, and describes how building background knowledge facilitates higher-order thinking and learning outcomes. Related explainers focus on explicit instruction and how to manage cognitive load to optimise learning.