Understanding is often contrasted with rote learning, something that is generally treated
these days as an evil. In today's world, in which computers and calculators can perform many of
the tasks to which we have heretofore given much time, the notion of rote performance takes on
a new dimension.A student may get an answer without seemingly having performed anything
except the pushing of buttons. Using technology to do mathematics seems to be the antithesis of
teaching for understanding. And yet there are those who say that the calculator or the computer
can enhance understanding. That the same machine which involves no understanding can
enhance understanding is indicative of the broad and often vague ways in which the word is used.
Understanding and comprehension are generally considered as synonyms, and
comprehension is one of the categories in the famous taxonomy of cognitive objectives found in
Bloom et al. (1954) and known throughout the world as Bloom's Taxonomy. ‘
l. knowledge
2. comprehension