what is the difference between skill & knowledge?

Hi Lensure,

First, I would like to reply to your question this way: There was a time when a teacher or instructor might ask a student, 'Do you understand this skill?' and the student might answer 'yes'. Today, the student would be asked, 'Can you demonstrate this skill?' The student would be assessed on his/her ability to demonstrate/master the skill.

Skills are the gifts/abilities we have to do work. Skills learned through repeated practice.

Examples:

Carpentry - to accurately make timber joints to prepared drawings and meeting prescribed tolerances.

Electrical - to be able to fault-find an electrical circuit using a 'Volt/Ammeter Tester' and report findings.

Plumbing - having the ability to install, service and repair a range of plumbing connections as per a drawing layout.

So, skills are about having the ability to do various types of work that satisfy set conditions or standards.

Knowledge is knowing the processes involved in the execution of a range of steps to complete a project to the standard expected. Following all *Occupational Safety & Health regulations. (OS&H) is part of all apprenticeship training.

We may have the knowledge about how something should be done, however, we may not have the practical skills to be able to do the work. Skills can be learned over time as an apprentice would tell you.

Standards: Statements defining what the company/organization expects to achieve in the performance of their business. For example, in six months from today’s date the company will have expanded their market share by 10%.

For Students it might be Content Standards: Statements defining what students should know and be able to do in various disciplinary areas: knowledge (facts, concepts, principles) and skills(processes, strategies, methods): often called the 'what' and the "be able to do" of "what students should know and be able to do.

* In Australia changed from Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) in 1996 to Occupational Safety & Health (OS&H).

I hope this helps.

Skill v Knowledge = Practical v Theoretical Experience v Conceptual

Skill is something you are born with the ability to do better than the average person: eg PAINTING, DANCING, SWIMMING, EMBROIDERY

Knowledge is something accquired or learnt.: eg READING, ANATOMY, GEOLOGY, HOW TO STRING A BOW (skill can also be involved)