Concept Learning

by Dean Wentworth

What is a concept?A concept is a set of specific

objects, symbols or events which are grouped together on the basis of shared characteristics and which can be referenced by a particular name or sumbol.(Merrill & Tennyson, 1977 p3)Examples:Computer House Adverb

Theory y haiku profit cartoon forehand serve

Concept Attributes

Relational- a quality that be used in explaining how the concept is like

something else

Functional- speaks to how something might work or what it’s use might be

Intrinsic- non- varrying qualities that are generally

obeservable and able to be pointed to

overgeneralization

Be ware of overgeneralization. Once the characteristics have been laid out for a concept. Children may begin to over generalize and see anything with similar characteristics as the concept. This will take patience and additional correction and explaniation as to why the object is not the same as a concept leading to the understand of another concept.

Un-degeneralizeAnother beware. Children may also tend to believe that a concept can only have the characteristics and that they all must be the same in order to recall the concept. Again, explaniation and coaching may be needed tin order to explain that the concept may change in color, shape, etc.

How to teach it

Inquiry ApproachAlso known as explatory or discovery

approachapproach using presented examples and non examples and lets students pick and choose the examples/non examples with

instructional overview and correctionPresented examples let discoverers

create their own vision of the concept with the examples leading the

discovery

Expository Approach

How to teach it

Again uses examples and non examples, but examples are followed discussion as it reletes to a chosen

best example

General attributes of concept are given earlier in the process

Students are then encouraged to come up with their own examples

Steps for instruction

Introduction

Establish Instructional Purpose

Preview Lesson

Basic statement of the goal of the lesson for expository approach. Inquiry may not use this

Overview of overall lesson and may be how the lesson is to proceed

Steps for instruction

Body

Recall Prior Knowledge

Process information and examples

Call upon previously learned concepts and general terms to bridge characteristics to new

concept

Use best example to show all attributes to be assocated with concept during lesson

Focus AttentionUsing attribute isolation to point out specific attributes of concept; usage of visual cues

may help

Steps for instruction

Body Cont.

Practice

Usage of Learning Strategies

Different levels of examples and non examples of concept with learners sometimes explaining

reasoning for agreeing or disagreeing with presented

•Concept Trees•Analogies

•Mnemonics•Imagery

Steps for instruction

Conclusion

Summarize and Review

Transfer Knowledge

It is helpful to restate concept and definition here as focus can be lost. Also review of information learned

Learners should find their own examples to share

Remodivate and CloseHelping learners connect learned concept to daily life and

explaining how this concept will relate to the next lesson can help

Steps for instruction

Conclusion cont.

Assessment of concept learning

FeedbackAfter assessment feedback is needed for learners to know

mastery of concept has or has not happened

Learner explaining why or why example meet the concept criteria, producing examples or

catagorizing examples and non examples into appropriate piles are all xamples of assessment

Making it my own

What I am planning on using this for in the immediate future is for a lesson at wot work on standards. I can explain

what a standard is and use examples and non examples to get the points across. The ideas are a bit more abstract than

the normal classroom ideas of concepts but the people I am dealing with are far above that level. I can then use pictures to view various standards and mix them

with non standards in order to have employees show me what pictures

represent standards.Day to day this should help them to keep in line with the standards they have learned about and

make our clients happier.