In the first step, Exploring and Categorizing, teacher has to collect data about what students know about a topic by using a short survey and then categorizes it. After collecting data, teacher analyses it and design plans to make students understand more about a particular idea. Students can ask themselves about explaining what is happening, the related information or the way to understand the problem about the topic.
After they explored and categorized, they have to construct and negotiate about the topic. Teacher needs to construct the meaning depends on the way how students approach the idea or topic, or based on the data analyzed in the first step, and then negotiate how they can understand it. When teacher is constructing meaning, students compare the old and the new knowledge to teacher and other students.
The third step, Translating and Extending, teacher compares the students’ ideas and deduct to find the way to make students understand. If not, teacher must translate or extend the knowledge to the easiest way to understand. And, teacher also helps students about how to make connections to other ideas. Students can ask themselves some questions about how to manipulate the topic to solve any issues in real life, or the other ways to understand this topic, etc…
And, the last step, Reflecting and Assessing, it’s the time for teacher and students review the knowledge that they figured out from the previous steps. Teacher can make a survey to rate how students understand the topic. Teacher can use some questions as example: Does the topic make sense? Are they developmentally ready to understand more? Can I organize the different ways students understand in a developmental hierachy? Is this going to help students learn?, etc... Students discuss with the teacher about some questions above and make a test themselves to test how much they understand the topic.
In general, CKCM is a model that makes students figure out a new knowledge based on 8 general processes as I mentioned above. Therefore, students can research knowledge by making connections to real life or other subjects.