What is Concept-Based Learning?

Concept-based learning is structured through inquiry and looks through a conceptual lens that is connected to content and skills. It encourages learning within, between and across subjects and disciplines.

In doing so, it encourages learners to see and make connections across subjects and to also create new understandings from the learning they have gained in those subjects in ways that are transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary. It embraces and utilises transferable skills. In doing so the learner can transfer ideas and skills learnt to a new context and apply them to problems in creative, flexible and adaptable ways.

It strongly puts concepts in the driving seat of learning but it also must be noted that it requires content and skills. Therefore, it can be applied to a three-dimensional curriculum that includes concepts, content and skills that are channelled through inquiry and questioning. It takes content and skills and drives them using concepts that are broad enough to create interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary connections within and between subjects.

In contrast, traditional models are considered two-dimensional as they focus on content and skills. These traditional models place an emphasis and focus on content knowledge and skills.

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Theoretical Framework

A theoretical framework is developed from an existing theory and is an expression of work based on other research. A conceptual framework is developed from concepts and is driven by exploration and inquiry. It is the result of a research question or questions to be investigated. A conceptual framework can also include a theoretical framework.

Understanding Concepts vs. Rote Memorisation

Concept-based approaches embrace concepts and allow them to drive the content and process skills through inquiry. This learning is blended and connected to real life and the world, in authentic ways and enables the development of deeper thinking.

By utilising constructivist approaches, meaning and knowledge is built through experiences and active, authentic learning opportunities. This coupled with concepts creates deeper understanding and deeper thinking that is uniquely concept-based. Young people through an inquiry approach are encouraged to be creative, think critically and reflect on their learning.

Concepts are broad and as a result create connections within, between and across subjects and this allows for transferable skill development.

The more traditional educational paradigms are content and skills-based compared to modern educational models that are concept-based. It is these that recognise the value of concepts driving the content and skills and are related to themes, big ideas and inquiry approaches to learning.

The learner is therefore exposed to deeper thinking through higher-order thinking skills that transfer. This is unique to a three-dimensional curriculum that embraces concepts as a key component in learning with content and skills.

This approach as such, allows for the focus to be more student-centred and inquiry-driven through ideas, unlike traditional teaching which is more heavily focused on memorisation and rote learning and can lend itself more towards a teacher-centred approach.

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Levels of Thinking in Concept-Based Learning

Conceptual learning is the interplay between levels of thinking that start at the lower end of knowledge skills that need to be connected to higher, conceptual levels of thinking. It is important to note that having a knowledge base is both necessary and important, but is regarded as a lower cognitive ability. The ability to remember can be gained via memorisation and rote.

This is both useful and needed, but to be more highly effective, we need connections that are made through ideas and concepts. It is this that allows for more complex thinking. When we apply this to educational thinking models such as Anderson's and Krathwolhl’s revised Bloom's Taxonomy of thinking skills, it is creating that sits at the top.

This model is viewed as a hierarchy of categories of thinking in complexity. The focus in modern education needs to be on the interplay between the levels of thinking, moving away from a traditional two-dimensional model. This is where concept-based learning through constructivist approaches, inquiry and questioning, is a powerful player and influencer that creates deeper thinking and higher conceptual levels of thinking. 

Further to this, with a knowledge-saturated world, that has information at our fingertips, we now need to help learners develop transferable skills to synthesise information. To also move towards learning that is concept-based rather than information-based. Learning this way most likely is more aligned with our future learning needs and the roles we will play in our continuously evolving world. This is even more apparent in the light of continual advancements in technologies and Artificial Intelligence.

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Key Concepts in Concept-Based Learning

Concepts are ideas that are mentally constructed. They can be macro and micro, timeless, abstract and transfer ideas within subjects and across subjects. This allows for the creation of new learning, knowledge and understanding.

Concepts move students past topics and facts encouraging them to reach higher-order thinking that allows them to be creative and critical thinkers. This stimulates an interplay and ultimately creates a dance between levels of thinking skills. This is because it allows learners to utilise both lower and higher-order thinking skills during the process.

Identifying key concepts

Key concepts is a term used by the International Baccalaureate that refers to concepts that are macro and add breadth to learning. Whereas related concepts is a term used by the International Baccalaureate to refer to concepts that are micro and add depth to the learning. Related concepts are more relatable to subjects by adding relevance to the subject. Related concepts are useful for exploring the key concepts in more detail.

If we were to look through the lens of a Key concept (Macro) such as a system this is broad enough to encourage the transfer of ideas across subjects as it provides enough breadth to do so. The study of biological systems in one discipline and geographical systems in another discipline could be used as part of an interdisciplinary unit that could encourage connections, and patterns across both subjects to create a new understanding by looking through the lens of systems. When the related concepts (Micro) are applied they provide more depth to the learning.

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Transferable understandings

Modern educational frameworks that utilise a three-dimensional curriculum model, support and encourage learners to transfer knowledge and understanding. Transferable ideas and understanding are best served through concept-based learning as concepts are an amalgamating force at play to allow for this transfer to occur.

Modern educational paradigms are also placing more and more value on metacognition and metacognitive skills as important skills in the learning process. The International Baccalaureate places a high value on concept-based learning and metacognitive skills. It values the process of how one learns as much as what one learns. As such metacognitive skills are embedded in IB programmes as Approaches to Learning skills (ATLs) which include: Communication, Social, Self-Management, Research and Thinking skills.

Metacognitive skills like concepts, can transport themselves within and across subjects. They are fluid and moveable. They encourage learners to think about how they best learn to improve their overall learning. Embedding metacognitive skills as part of the learning process, allows learners to be empowered in the learning process and gives them independence and responsibility for and of their learning.

Hence, educational systems and programmes that embrace a broader scope of, what, why and how we learn, are progressive in that they are designed to better prepare learners for any future challenges they face and encourage them to be lifelong learners. This is because they are continually encouraged to inquire, to take action and to reflect on their learning holistically.

Central ideas in concept-based learning

Central ideas is a term used by the International Baccalaureate in their Primary Years Programme (PYP) that represents conceptual understandings that are important for the learners to inquire into. Central ideas should be written and designed in ways that evoke inquiry through questioning, should be written as statements and designed to endure beyond a classroom.

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Concept-Based Teaching Strategies

Concept-based learning environments are designed to encourage multiple pedagogical approaches and strategies in the learning process. This includes designing learning in ways that utilise the ideology of constructivism by creating meaning and building knowledge, through experiences and active, authentic learning.

Teaching strategies can be designed in ways that allow for metacognitive skills to be built into the learning process, active participation and differentiation of learning for all, through inquiry-based approaches. Teaching strategies that can be used are those that encourage the learners to actively inquire through questioning, discussions, finding and investigating.

Strategies that also allow the learner to demonstrate and show their learning through their actions and strategies that allow them to reflect as they move through a continuous cycle of learning. Teaching environments therefore need to be designed to allow for creative thinking and expression of thoughts.  Critical thinking is encouraged and opportunities to reflect on how you are learning, as well as what you are learning throughout the whole process.

As a result, educators do have the opportunity to educate in more creative ways, but at the same time still need to frontload information and check for understanding. They can utilise strategies that allow them to provide demonstrations, to elicit an understanding of prior knowledge through strategies, such as retrieval practice and feedback, which enable the continual checking of understanding throughout the learning process. This goes back to the importance and need for an interplay between lower and and higher-order levels of thinking.

Implementing a Concept-Based Approach in the Classroom

When implementing a concept-based approach within a learning environment, the focus is on teaching for understanding rather than teaching content alone. The content is of course necessary and used as the foundation for building deeper conceptual understandings. However, using a conceptual lens the educator can focus and direct the learning through concepts that will drive content and skills and create an interplay between them all.

Creating conceptual units and lessons

To create concept-based units and lessons, it is crucial to remember the need to make connections and discern the interrelatedness in learning. To understand, identify and utilise the interplay between levels of thinking, to value concepts, content and skills, to place a value on holistic learning and to make connections between all the parts of learning to include the what, how and why of learning.

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Student Agency in Concept-Based Learning

When we think of student agency we need student-centred approaches that place students at the heart of learning. To allow them to be active players in their learning and to actively play their parts in the process. To empower them in ways that give them choices about how they best learn, value their ideas and get them to use ideas to build understandings.

Concept-based learning is structured through inquiry and this is a key factor in giving agency to the learner. The educator is the facilitator but the young people are encouraged to take action and lead their learning actively through inquiry and process skills that are utilised throughout the learning cycle.

The young person is empowered through a process where they are encouraged to inquire and ask questions, to action and to reflect. This allows them to shift from being passive receivers of information to actively driving their learning through a continuous cycle.

When young people are given responsibility for their learning then this in turn can increase enthusiasm for learning as the learner is steering their learning. Student agency in concept-based learning empowers the learner and as a result, most likely increases engagement and passion for learning.

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7 Practical Ways of Developing Concept-based Understanding

In schools today, developing a strong conceptual understanding is key to unlocking deep learning. The shift from traditional to concept-based curriculum emphasizes learning for understanding over rote memorization. Here are seven practical strategies for fostering conceptual thinking across different year groups:

1. Thematic Exploration: In primary school, themes like 'Community' or 'Change' can be a springboard for cross-curricular learning. Guide students to connect individual subjects under these broader themes to cultivate a deeper level of understanding.
2. Socratic Seminars: Encourage dialogue around central concepts. Pose open-ended questions that require students to think critically and delve into the essence of the concepts being studied.
3. Inquiry-Based Projects: Implement inquiry-based learning by presenting a problem or question related to the concept without immediate solutions. For instance, "How does energy transfer?" allows students to explore and discover the underlying principles through research and experimentation.
4. Real-World Application: Share examples from international schools where students apply conceptual understanding to real-world situations. Assign projects that mirror these cases, enhancing relevance and engagement.
5. Concept Mapping: Utilize concept maps to visually organize and represent knowledge. Students can create links between concepts, fostering an integrated approach to curriculum design and procedural knowledge.
6. Case Studies: Introduce case studies that demonstrate concepts in action. Analyzing these examples enables students to abstract and transfer knowledge to new contexts.
7. Inductive Teaching: Rather than presenting the concept first, use inductive teaching strategies. Begin with specific instances and guide students toward uncovering the concept themselves. This method encourages active construction of knowledge and development of critical thinking skills.

By incorporating these activities into your teaching practice, you help students navigate the complexities of concept-based curriculum and achieve meaningful learning outcomes. These strategies prepare students not just for the next test, but for a lifetime of conceptual and critical thought.

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Further Reading on Concept-based Learning

Here are five key studies on the efficacy of concept-based learning. Each study underscores the importance of concept-based learning in enhancing deep understanding and intellectual development through structured, step-by-step units of inquiry, moving away from traditional rote memorization.

1. Klausmeier, H. (1992): Concept-based learning progresses through levels from concrete to formal, enhancing conceptual understanding and intellectual development. Effective teaching strategies derived from empirical research facilitate deeper learning and understanding of concepts (Klausmeier, 1992).
2. Getha-Eby, T. J., Beery, T., Xu, Y., & O’Brien, B. (2014): Concept-based teaching, grounded in Ausubel’s meaningful learning theory, significantly improves knowledge transfer from classroom to clinical settings, promoting deep learning and factual knowledge integration (Getha-Eby et al., 2014).
3. Nielsen, A. (2016): Implementing concept-based learning in clinical education fosters deep understanding, connects theory with practice, and enhances clinical judgment, promoting intellectual development through real-world application (Nielsen, 2016).
4. Lasater, K., & Nielsen, A. (2009): Concept-based learning activities enhance nursing students' clinical judgment, preparing them for deep clinical thinking and sound decision-making. It supports the move from rote memorization to deep learning at a deeper conceptual level (Lasater & Nielsen, 2009).
5. Bressington, D., Wong, W., Lam, K., & Chien, W. (2018): Concept mapping bridges theory and practice, enhancing learning self-efficacy among nursing students. It allows students to visualize learning progress and integrate theoretical knowledge with clinical practice (Bressington et al., 2018).

Reference List:

Anderson, L.W., Bloom, B.S. and Krathwohl, D.R. (2001) A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York: Longman.

Erickson, H.L., Lanning, L.A. and French, R. (2017) Concept-based curriculum and instruction for the thinking classroom. Thousand Oaks: Corwin.

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