Maxim from known to unknown – UGC NET Question

The maxim “from known to unknown” advises teachers to anchor new learning in learners’ existing experiences and prior knowledge. Starting from what students already know helps reduce anxiety and makes it easier to connect new ideas meaningfully. This principle reflects psychological readiness and the constructivist view of learning. Therefore, “known” is the appropriate word to complete the well-known maxim in the stem.

Option A:
If teachers began “from unknown to unknown”, students would face unfamiliar content without any clear reference point. Such an approach would make it harder to build understanding because it ignores existing schemas. Hence, this phrase is not a recognized maxim of teaching.

Option B:
The phrase “from simple to complex” is indeed another important maxim, but it refers to the level of difficulty rather than familiarity. The stem explicitly mentions “to unknown”, which is paired with “known” in a different maxim. Therefore, “simple” is not the correct completion here.

Option C:
The recognized form of the maxim is “from known to unknown”, stressing that prior knowledge provides a bridge to new concepts. Using “known” indicates that teaching should begin with familiar examples, situations or ideas before moving into unfamiliar territory. This option precisely matches the wording of the maxim referenced in the stem.

Option D:
The term “abstract” appears in the maxim “from concrete to abstract”, which deals with moving from tangible examples to theoretical ideas. While important, it is not part of the “known to unknown” expression used in the question. Therefore, it does not correctly complete the given statement.