We are learning that "Topics" are a great tool and reference point when teaching, but "concepts" are much more effective and broader for the students to experience in their learning. This is a big part of Standard 4 for NCTCS: teachers help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Again from further research: "According to the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), teaching and learning that is driven by overarching concepts necessitates that students transfer their knowledge between personal experiences, learning from other disciplines, and the broader global community. Thus, concept-based instruction
mandates more critical thinking at increasingly higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy.
(Erickson 2012) (http://worldview.unc.edu/files/2013/07/Getting-the-Big-Idea-Handout.pdf) So for instance knowing the "facts" about slavery is a great thing to have in your brain. But what is the "so what?" of it. What started slavery? How did it end? Were there pros and cons? These are examples of how concept based learning would fuel the brain to come up with opinions and new ideas about the topic. This is more intriguing than just knowing what it is, when it stopped, and who was involved.
So, how do we integrate this style of teaching in the classroom? We will soon be learning and experiencing that. I plan to use certain essential questions in all learning endeavors. In a podcast I recently listened to, an educator advised plastering it on the walls of your classroom and making sure the students know what is expected from them during the learning experience. Digging into the "so what?" or Why of a subject will help students develop a better understanding of what they are learning.
So, how do we integrate this style of teaching in the classroom? We will soon be learning and experiencing that. I plan to use certain essential questions in all learning endeavors. In a podcast I recently listened to, an educator advised plastering it on the walls of your classroom and making sure the students know what is expected from them during the learning experience. Digging into the "so what?" or Why of a subject will help students develop a better understanding of what they are learning.
I am a big fan of "real world learning"! I am one of those teachers that hates testing. I was never a good test taker myself so that probably has a lot to do with it. I would rather my students learn everything imaginable by having fun then by stressing over a test that is not going to matter 10 years down the road when they are trying to survive in the real world. I enjoyed reading your blog! I like how much you got out of the concept vs topic video! It is a really cool idea that I have never really thought that much about until this week!
ReplyDeleteThanks Hannah. I was the same way and still am with testing. Some students probably strive in that learning environment and others, like myself, do better with hands on learning and doing. I think that this approach (Concept Based) will be more beneficial in creating thinkers instead of test passers. Think of how many successful people there are in the world who didn't even go to College. Not that everyone could or should do that, but it shows that knowledge and learning needs to be important to students not just a task or something they "check" off their list.
DeleteI am excited about learning new ways to keep our lessons interesting and ways to ensure that the concepts of our lessons are being retained. I feel that in our society, grades are viewed as the most important data to assess if learning has occurred. However, like you said, learning a concept is more beneficial and helpful than only retaining information just to pass.
DeleteThere are big issues in teaching to the test these days, and I'm glad to see that you are making the connections as to how you can step around them. I really like the idea of having a heavy presence of essential questions. Do you think this is something that would apply in every class? How would you do this?
ReplyDeleteThanks Olivia! I could see using this approach in certain classes like Science and Social Studies during a unit plan for sure. For instance if we were working on a time period like WW2 or Civil Rights, I could take a concept or "big idea" that I am teaching and make it a theme for that week or two. I guess you could use it in Math if you were talking about Order of Operations or How to divide fractions.
DeleteConcept-based learning is a learning method, as well as, a form of critical thinking in which students master the ability to categorize and organize data by creating mental logic-based structures. Conceptual learning does not require any kind of memorization but instead focuses on the understanding of the concepts or structures behind different operations or procedures. I agree that this form of learning is more beneficial to students. The example you used regarding slavery, is a great way to think about how concept-based learning works. It digs deeper into the psyche instead of just what’s on the surface. The idea of also posting your essential questions throughout the classroom is great. What would also be a neat idea is to add to those essential questions throughout the school year by writing the students thoughts underneath. At the end of the year, you could reflect on what they have learned and how far they have come.
ReplyDeleteYou tackled one of my favorite questions in this blog post..."so what?" This question needs to be constantly asked by students/answered by teachers. In today's classrooms, teachers are so busy getting students ready for the test that they often overlook the "why."
ReplyDeleteThe focus on the why will help you more more effective as a teacher.
Great blog! I really love that you talked about just learning the information to pass the tests, versus actually learning and retaining the information being taught. For me, this is very true. All through school I would listen to my teachers and take notes, and when the day came for the test I would study that information very hard. However, after I had taken the test, it is as if all that information just escaped my brain. Now in college, the teachers are making information relevant to me, because I WILL be a teacher one day and that is important, therefore, it sticks. We should teach our students concepts rather than topics, because that helps broaden the topic, and we can ask the question "so what?". This gives students a deeper understanding.
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