What is Concept-Based Learning?

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Concept-Based learning is a teaching method that moves away from traditional subject-based lessons and instead focuses upon “big ideas.”  It is based upon the premise that children need to understand the “concepts” or “big ideas” that tie topics together and how those big ideas apply to the real world.  Concept based instruction provides a framework by which children can see the real-world context of the information they are learning, make connections, and transfer that knowledge to another situation. 

 

A teacher who is planning a lesson or unit utilizing a concept based framework may choose the overall big idea of “change.”  The lessons within that unit will be designed to showcase the idea of change within different frameworks. Students may analyze the concept of change through mathematical patterns, civilizations in social studies, and life cycles in science.  This multi-subject approach is designed to maximize the connections that children make when learning about a concept and their ability to transfer their knowledge of that concept to a new situation. 

 

Concept-based curriculum is an evolution that moves from facts to theory.  Teachers will pick big idea concepts and will utilize various topics to discuss those concepts and facts to discuss each topic.  The way the concepts are tied together within a unit will become the principle generalization of the unit and ultimately the theory.

 

For example, the principle generalization could be that definitions of freedom vary by individual and time period and can cause conflict within society.  The concepts based upon that generalization could be freedom and conflict.  The topics used to teach about freedom and conflict could be the Civil War and Reconstruction.  The facts used to teach about the Civil War and Reconstruction could be secession, border states, the Emancipation Proclamation, the 13th Amendment, the Civil Rights Act.   

 

Utilizing all of these topics and facts would teach students about freedom and conflict.  Following the lesson, students would have the opportunity to expand upon and utilize what they learned about freedom and conflict in a brand new context -- perhaps by analyzing conflicts currently occurring in the Middle East.

 

There are many benefits to using a concept-based curriculum in classrooms.  Concept based curriculum encourages students to think more widely and deeply.  Concept based learning allows students to use knowledge they have already gained to understand a new topic or subject matter. It allows students to develop their own framework and learn how to draw conclusions when presented with materials.  It teaches students how to think, not what to think. This method makes learning relevant to students, which in turn provides for more a more engaged class and better transfer and retention of knowledge.