This document discusses strategies for teaching concepts. It defines concepts as categories of stimuli that share common features. There are two main types of concepts: concrete concepts, which involve physical characteristics like sight and touch, and abstract concepts, which are defined but not physical, like profit or norms. The document outlines two main strategies for teaching concepts: inquiry, which uses examples and non-examples, and expository, which presents the concept label and criteria. It notes both strengths, like helping with complex topics and building learning skills, and challenges of concept learning, such as overgeneralization, under-generalization, and misconceptions.

1. Concept Learning:
Strategies for Instruction
Presented by Kit Keller
IX510: Instructional Design
Roundtable discussion

2. Concept Learning Definitions:
“Ability to apply knowledge across a
variety of instances or circumstances”
(Smith & Ragan, 2005, p. 172).
“Concepts are categories of stimuli
that have certain features in common”
(UCLA-Fullerton, n.d., slide 1)

3. What do the shapes
have in common?

4. “Concepts are categories of stimuli that have
certain features in common” (UCLA-Fullerton,
n.d., slide 1)
Shapes all have:
• Four straight lines
• Four right angles
• Four corners

5. What is a concept?
“Concepts are mental categories for
objects, events, or ideas that have a
common set of features” (EduTech Wiki,
2005, para. 1)
Characteristics:
• Learning from examples
• General-to specific ordering
• Reductive and inductive
reasoning “Concepts are categories of
stimuli that have certain
features in common” (UCLA-
Fullerton, n.d., slide 1)
Types of concepts:
• Concrete
• Abstract
(Smith & Ragan, p. 172)

6. Strategy Selection
Teaching Abstract Concepts
• Known by specific
definitions such as profit,
norm, i.e., ideas
Teaching Concrete Concepts
• Physical characteristics
such as sight, smell, taste,
touch
(Smith & Ragan, 2005, p. 172-173)
Some-
times
overlap
Two cognitive processes involved:
• Generalization
• Discrimination

7. Concept Instruction
• Inquiry strategy: Presents examples and non-
examples
• Expository strategy: Presents the concept,
label and major criteria
≠

8. Strengths & Challenges
Strengths
• Helps with complex
topics
• Builds learning skills
Challenges
• Overgeneralization
• Under-generalization
• Misconception

9. Gagne’ Hierarchy

10. References
EduTech Wiki. (2010). Concept learning. Retrieved from
http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Concept_learning
EduTech Wiki. (201e). Learning level. Retrieved from
http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Learning_level
Smith, P. L., & Ragan, T. J. (2005). Instructional design (3rd ed.). Hoboken,
NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
UCLA-Fullerton. (n.d.). Concept learning. Retrieved from
http://psych.fullerton.edu/navarick/concept.ppt