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Concept Attainment is a way for students to develop a concept (like “Metaphor” or “Quadratic Equation”) by giving them specific examples and non-examples of the concept, and then allowing them to synthesize the examples into a general description. This can help introduce a concept, or to deepen understanding, and builds the skill of pattern recognition. While this is a teacher-led activity, the students do most of the work.
Procedure
1. Identify a concept the students need to know, or might be having difficulty with. Examples in social studies could be “capitalism”. In Science, it could be something like “molecule”.
2. Instructor provides several examples of the idea, and then a few non examples, to give students a beginning understanding
3. Instructor tells the students that they now have to determine whether the next set are examples or not. Instructor provides a new example or non-example, and asks, “Is this an example of _______?” Students answer yes or no. Instructor provides corrective feedback, without explaining why.
4. Instructor asks students for their own examples. Again, corrective feedback, without rationale.
5. Depending upon the knowledge, the teacher might add some examples that might be more difficult to distinguish.
6. Either as whole group or small groups: students list attributes of concept.
7. Students divide attributes into essential (made of atoms) and non-essential attributes (an ingredient of air)
8. Students distill their list of attributes into a definition. This can be guided by the instructor if done whole group. If done in small groups, instructor can facilitate a share-out of definitions, and help the large group decide on an overall definition.
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