Transcript Designing Instruction for Concept Learning

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Designing Instruction for Concept Learning
Dusting off the cobwebs from decades of theory and research
Dr. Gary Morrison and Jennifer Maddrell - Old Dominion University
AECT 2009 - Louisville, KY - October 28, 2009
Instruction for Concepts?
Isn’t this dusty old stuff?
Yes!
… and dusting off the old research is precisely
the purpose of our presentation.
Our Goal in this Review
• Review a range of sources for:
– Concept learning and instruction theory
– Empirically-based instructional design strategies
• Examine central views on:
– The nature of concepts
– Concept learning
– Concept instruction
1950s
1960s
1970s
Brown
Words and Things
Gagné
The Conditions of
Learning
Joyce & Weil
Models of Teaching
Bruner, Goodnow
& Austin
A Study of Thinking
Markle
Good Frames and
Bad
Merrill &
Tennyson
Teaching Concepts
Fleming & Levie
Instructional
Message Design
Striking similarity in heuristics across theorists
1980s
1990s
2000s
Tennyson
Review of
Educational
Research
Tessmer, Wilson &
Driscoll
ETR&D Review
Jonassen
(concepts-in-use)
Park
(many studies with
Tennyson)
Klausmeier
Concept Learning
and Concept
Teaching
Jonassen, Strobel &
Gottdenker
(conceptual
change)
Concept Acquisition
|
Concepts-in-Use
The Nature of Concepts
Remarkable consensus in literature
on the nature of concepts.
Markle & Tiemann (1970)
Class
Category
Concept
Set
Group
A concept category is the grouping
of objects, events, symbols, or
relationships while an attribute
describes the dimension from which
the objects differ.
Brown (1958)
Concept Membership
Concrete
• Perceived physical attributes
Abstract
• Solely by definition
Concept Learning Measurement
Attribute
Isolation
Concept
Attainment
Instance
Discrimination
Instance
Generalization
Views of
Concept
Learning
Concepts-inUse
Problem
Solving
Model-Building
Attribute Isolation
Consider nature of instances
Define attributes of concept category
Discern relevant grouping criteria
Judging Instances
Instance Discrimination
• Learner judges what is and is not a
member of the class
Instance Generalization
• Learner judges new examples based
on degree of class membership
Concepts-in-Use
Relationship with
other Concepts
Meaningful Learning
(Conceptual Change)
Focus on Mental
Representations
Elicit and Assess
Conceptual
Models
Concept Instruction Heuristics
Define the
Concept
Create
Instances
Design the
Presentation
Guide
Learner
Practice
Research suggests a definition
alone is roughly as effective as a
single set of examples and nonexamples.
Klausmeier & Feldman (1975)
Define Based On Attributes
Vary
Critical
(necessary)
Variable
Attributes
Observed
Properties
Relate
Function
Create Instances
Actual
Object
Words or
Symbols
Model of
Object
Examples
(all critical)
Rational Sets
Non-examples
(all but 1 critical)
Instances
Prototype of
Category
Exemplar
Central Example
EGRUL or
RULEG
Presentation
Definition
(RUL)
Concrete
(RULEG)
Examples
(EG)
Abstract
(EGRUL)
Rational Sets
Examples /
Non-examples
Prototype
Central
Example
Inquiry
Learner
Speculates
Expository
Learner Told
Instances
How
Summary of Heuristics
• Define the concept
– Focus on attributes of concept
– Consider both critical and variable attributes
• Create instances
– Examples: Include all critical attributes
– Non-example: All but one critical attribute
– Prototypical (central) example
• Design presentation and guided practice
– Give learners opportunities to classify new instances
– Use the concept to make arguments or judgments or
to infer relationship or membership
Thoughts from Review
• Theoretical foundations differ
• Design heuristics strikingly similar
• Differences based on objective of instruction
– Concept Acquisition / Attainment
– Concepts-in-Use (Conceptual Change)
• Rich research base for designers and
researchers … until 1990s
Nagging Questions
• Where is the recent concept research?
• To what degree are traditional conceptteaching heuristics building blocks to
meaningful learning outcomes and application?
• What is the influence (and limitation) of
concept-in-use methods on concept learning?
– Concept maps
– Model building
Is there more to study on concepts?
(Tell us what do you think.)
Presentation and Paper at:
http://DesignedToInspire.com/drupal/aect2009