Lynn Erickson (2012) defines concept-based curriculum and instruction as a three-dimensional framework that links/connect content and skills with (disciplinary) concepts, generalizations and principles. The critical elements that require a concept-based approach are; intercultural understanding and international-mindedness, practical application of knowledge in real-life situations {transfere skills} and affective skills that enable students to effectively engage emotionally. 

How is a concept-based approach beneficial to student learning?

According to Ericson, the benefits of this approach are threefold;

1. Thinking – It requires students to engage their critical, creative, reflective and conceptual thinking abilities.
2. Intercultural understanding – It develops intercultural understanding and international-mindedness through relating/connecting global issues to their local manifestations.
3. Emotional well-being – It recognizes that emotional well-being is an essential motivation factor for learning.

My understanding of conceptual understanding

I realized that conceptual understanding means that there is no one or fixed way of learning things.  We can always connect what we know with new experiences, and/or evolving realities.  A teacher or a student with a conceptual understanding organises their knowledge into a coherent whole, which enables them to learn new ideas by connecting those ideas to what they already know. Conceptual understanding is knowing more than isolated facts. It is also knowing the connections between those facts, and having them well organized and sequenced. It is demonstrating clarity of thought in the face of complexities. 

The figure below is a graphic representation of; 1. One who has an understanding of isolated facts, and 2. One who has a conceptual understanding of the facts. In the second case, one is able to not only make connections but also organize them clearly. 

How have I incorporated concept-based learning into my teaching? 

In the current unit (Invasion Games) with year 10,  we talked about principles of training, and students are using these principles to come up with a training program for their classmates. While they are designing the training program, they need to take into consideration the components of fitness of their classmate and personalize the program to meet the classmate’s needs. They can use principles of training (overload, progression, specificity, variation, reversibility) in every sport.  The ability to use this knowledge in different sports is a clear demonstration of conceptual understanding.

1. Scenario 

During a training session, acting as a coach, student A is applying knowledge of the principles of training. The student is focusing on a component of fitness that is skill-related {coordination}. This is to help his client {Student B} to improve on their dribbling. Student A made connections with components of fitness and principles of training (Coordination and specificity) so that they could have good results in this session. 

2. Scenario

In this lesson, the coach {student A} realizes that the client {Student B} needs more strength in the legs to be able to acquire the skill that they are training their client to have. They focus on improving the component of fitness before going to the technical aspect of the skill. 

In both scenarios, Student A understood the importance of components of fitness, and the fact that even dealing with skills that require technique is not enough to have for sports. They will transfer that knowledge to work on a variety of physical activities. And this is a concept learned in school, connected with existing knowledge that they had before, and it can be used to make a difference in the community. 

Evidence of planning based on themes and/or key ideas

Looking at this invasion game unit and the concepts that are being explored, let’s see how can you ensure conceptual understanding of students using one concept as an example: 

The key concept of this unit is development. When we were talking about how to introduce a unit, we said that we can ask students to tell us what they know about the concepts that they are exploring. By doing that we are giving students the opportunity to share their prior knowledge about the same concepts in different scenarios. Some may talk about the development of their families, the development of a country, or the development of human beings. The learners will share many ideas related to the concept given, and you (the teacher) will use their knowledge to drive them in a way that they can connect that concept with your respective subject or content that you are dealing with. By doing that you are ensuring that your students have a conceptual understanding because they can relate to it from many perspectives.

Make sure you do the same for the related concepts.  Proceeding with our example, we are talking about function and systems.  After the students share their understanding, you can bring a link on how the related concepts connect with the key concept, and how function and systems can impact our development.

Ensure that the students share their understanding using their knowledge so that it can be easy for them to relate to any real-life situation or subject in school. once you feel that it’s clear with the key concept and related concept, you bring a new concept that is an area of exploration of the global context. 

In the unit shared above, the concept is teams. What is a team? Why do we need teams? How can teams impact our development? What is the relationship between development, systems, Function and teams? 

Note that you are not focusing only on PHE. Let the students bring their experience by talking about any situation that they can relate to these concepts. The inquiry questions are a key aspect to help the students have a better conceptual understanding. 

After discussing separate concepts for better understanding we can move to the statement of the inquiry. Create your statement without linking to your subject, so that you can give students an opportunity to look at the statement and be able to discuss it not only in your subject but in more than one area. 

Note that building a conceptual understanding is an ongoing process. At the end of the unit, students can reflect on their learning experiences and share their new knowledge about the concepts they explored. Through the students’ final outcome, you also are able to see the students’ understanding of the concepts. 

It’s important for you (the teacher), to reflect before, during and after the unit in order to see what went well. What could you have done better to help students to have a better conceptual understanding? 

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