Concept Formation StrategyKIER WEN M. LITA

JANINE MAE C. LIMJOCO

Concept Formation is a classification activity that leads the

students to use item characteristics for classification.

It develops their abilities to observe items thoroughly and to make useful observations.

It also helps them to discover methods of classification. 

Purpose: Concept formation as a teaching

strategy is to have the students examine carefully some objects/actions/processes, and to think about a method for classifying them. Aim:

Concept formation helps us to disregard what is inessential by creating idealized structures that focus on what is essential.

Process:1.   Divide the students into small groups.

2. Provide the students with a number of items to classify. These items could be real objects, ideas, or words. Students will find it easiest to work with real objects.

3. Ask the students to organize the items into groups according to characteristics of their choice. Make it clear to the students that they will have to explain their grouping rationale. (Note: if you want your students to group according to certain criteria, identify the criteria for them.

4. When classification is complete, have each group explain their grouping rationale to the class and show which groups contain which items.

5. In order to have the students evaluate the general usefulness of their grouping rationale, provide them with other items to see if they can be fit into the established groups.

Example     Identify a concept that you plan to teach

(e.g. civic responsibility) Create 4 examples of the concept using a plus

sign (+) or a smiley face to indicate that it is an example of the concept.          o Obeying laws          o Paying taxes          o  Casting vote          o Taking care of public property.

Create three non examples of the concept using a negative sign (-) or a frowning face to indicate that it is a non-example.          o Acting as an anti social element          o Speaking freely against everyone          o Polluting our surroundings.   

Present examples and non-examples one at a time in alternating progression. Have the students guess what the concept is as each example or non-example is presented.

Do not reveal the concept until all examples and non-examples have been presented.

Use the positive examples to flesh out the qualities or definition of the concept.

Difference between Concept Attainment and

Concept Formation• In a CONCEPT ATTAINMENT, the teacher gives

the students examples of objects/actions/processes already classified the way she/he wants them to classify them.

• In CONCEPT FORMATION, the teacher gives the students a lot of objects/actions/processes, and the students choose how to classify them.

Instructional Strategies for Concept Formation

I. INDEPENDENT STUDY Independent learning involves "planned independent

study by students under the guidance or supervision of a classroom teacher". It may involve one or more of the following strategies:o Assigned questionso Computer assisted

instructiono Correspondence

lessonso Essays

o Homeworko Learning activity

packageso Learning centreso Learning contractso Research projects

II.DIRECT INSTRUCTIONDirect instruction is a teacher-centred

approach. While often overused, it is an effective instructional strategy when the teacher's goal is to:

o Provide informationo Teach standard procedureso Develop step-by-step skills

It involves the following strategies:

•  Demonstrations: A demonstration refers to a "teacher activity and talk that shows students "how".

• Didactic Questions: used to effectively diagnose recall and comprehension and to draw on prior learning experiences.

• Drill and practice: Drill and practice "refers to the structured, repetitive review of previously learned concepts to a predetermined level of mastery.“

• Explicit teaching: Explicit teaching involves "six teaching functions:o  presenting new materialo conducting guided practiceo provide feedback and correctiveo conduct independent practiceo daily, weekly and monthly review.

• Mastery Lecture: Mastery lecture is a type of direct instruction. A significant amount of information can be communicated in a relatively short period of time. The quality of a lecture improves when audio and visual aids are incorporated and if interaction between the teacher and the students is facilitated.

• Guides for reading, listening, and viewing: Guides for reading, listening, and viewing refer to "providing leading questions, diagrams, or statements to assist students in focusing on the important ideas within text, lecture, media, or other presentations.“

• Structured overview: A structured overview "refers to organizing and arranging topics or concepts to make them meaningful to students."

III. INTERACTIVE INSTRUCTION1. Brainstorming : Brainstorming is a strategy for

generating creative ideas and solutions. It is thinking that is definitely "outside the box." Because its focus is the generating, not the evaluating, of ideas, brainstorming works especially well in groups. An idea offered by one individual may inspire ideas in others in the group, which in turn inspires more ideas. To brainstorm effectively, a number of guidelines should be followed:

o Clearly define the topic of the brainstorm.

o Make the rules clear i.e ( every idea is welcome, no matter how unusual or improbable, every idea is recorded, being inspired by others’ ideas is desired.)

o Have a volunteer write down the ideas for all to see.

2.  Circle of Knowledge: A circle of knowledge "involves each student in thinking and discussing with a peer before sharing ideas with a large group.“

3. Cooperative learning groups: Cooperative learning groups "are heterogeneous with respect to student characteristics and have two to six members sharing the various roles. Group members are interdependent in achieving the group learning goal.“

4.  Debate: Debate is an oral exchange of ideas through a specified structure.

5. Discussion: Discussion begins with the selection of a problem or issue. This issue may or may not have a particular solution. The problem or issue being discussed should be "based on material familiar to students and should conclude with consensus, a solution, clarification of insights gained, or a summary.“

6. Interviewing: Interviewing, a meeting during which information is obtained by one person from another, is an excellent means for students to gain an insight into another's worldview. Effective on-line interviewing, like face-to-face interviewing, begins with the development of basic skills and thorough preparation. Students may be the interviewer or the interviewee, depending upon the skill set being developed and the information sought.

6. Lab groups: Lab groups are "cooperative learning groups in an experimental setting.“

7. Panels: Panels are "small groups that individually discuss an issue in front of the rest of the class under the direction of a moderator.“

8. Peer Practice: Peer practice "involves each student rehearsing skills or conceptual information with a peer.“

9.  Problem solving: Problem-solving, or problem-based learning, is a constructivist approach that promotes student involvement and active learning. This instructional strategy uses real-world problems as the organizational focus of student learning. In problem-solving, students are self-directed learners while the teacher acts as facilitator.

10. Role play: Taking on roles and interacting in groups actively involves students in learning opportunities. By taking on a perspective other than their own, students begin to appreciate the beliefs, wants and needs, and motivations of others while trying to find creative and effective solutions to challenges.

11. Tutorial Groups: "Tutorial groups are set up to help students who need remediation or additional practice, or for students who can benefit from enrichment. A tutorial group is usually led by the teacher. Tutorial groups provide for greater attention to individual needs and allow students to participate more actively.

IV. INDIRECT INSTRUCTION Indirect instruction is a learning-centred teaching strategy. It

promotes student involvement in the learning process and, in doing so, fosters true learning for understanding. It includes the following among its strategies:

A. Case study: A case study is a story, told with a wealth of accurate, detailed information, which offers students the opportunity to:

o evaluate the information provided for importance and relevance,

o identify the problem situation and recognize the particulars relevant in defining the problem,

o formulate possible solutions for the problem,

o evaluate the possible solutions, selecting one solution,

o create a plan of action for implementing the chosen solution, and

o anticipate obstacles to the successful implementation of the solution.

B. Cloze procedure: Cloze procedure originated as a diagnostic reading assessment technique. In a cloze procedure, every nth word is deleted from a selected reading. Students are then asked to read the passage, inserting a word into each blank to create a meaningful reading.

C. Concept attainment: Concept attainment is an indirect instructional strategy that compels students to identify distinguishing characteristics of a given item or concept.

D. Concept Mapping: It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. A concept map is a graphic representation of a network of concepts with links revealing patterns and relationships between the concepts.

E. Inquiry: Inquiry method is a process of asking and answering some key questions. It is a method in which the students generate their own knowledge. Inquiry is an Indirect Instructional Strategy that promotes active, self-directed learning. Through the process, the student learns to think critically and to problem-solve, while also discovering course content.

F. Problem Solving: Problem-solving, or problem-based learning, is a constructivist approach that promotes student involvement and active learning. This instructional strategy uses real-world problems as the organizational focus of student learning. In problem-solving, students are self-directed learners while the teacher acts as facilitator.

F. Reading for meaning: Reading for meaning is an indirect instructional method in which the reader reads with the intent of understanding the information presented; that is, the reader interprets the material to construct meaning within the context of the text. A key part of this process is making connections between what is already known and what is new.

G. Reflective study: While reflective study may take many forms(reflective writing or reflective discussion) , the purpose of the work is for the student to learn more about himself or herself.