Concept Based Learning in History
bit.ly/HTAVconcepts
Ilja van Weringh and Ashley Keith Pratt
@vanweringh and @ashleypratt
#conceptbasedlearning
#historyteacher
#HTAVAC18
Workshop outline
Aims
A lot of what we will look at you already do.
This workshop will highlight how you already use concepts in your pedagogy.
We aim to help you be deliberate, purposeful and explicit, to lift the level of thinking in your classroom.
Why concept based learning (CBL)?
The olden days....
Facts Facts Facts Facts
Facts Facts Facts Facts
Facts Facts Facts Facts
Facts Facts Facts Facts
CONTENT
Project based learning, Climate Change, John Hattie’s Effect Sizes, Coding, Democracy, Critical Thinking, Globalisation, Digital Literacy, National Curriculum, Inequality, 21st Century Capabilities, Fake news, Cross-curriculum priorities, Refugees, 3D-Printing, Artificial Intelligence, Differentiation, Crispr, Visible Thinking, ACARA, Social Media, Innovation, etc.
Project based learning, Climate Change, John Hattie’s Effect Sizes, Coding, Democracy, Critical Thinking, Globalisation, Digital Literacy, National Curriculum, Inequality, 21st Century Capabilities, Fake news, Cross-curriculum priorities, Refugees, 3D-Printing, Artificial Intelligence, Differentiation, Crispr, Visible Thinking, ACARA, Social Media, Innovation, etc.
All these factors and issues highlight the need for sophisticated, critical thinking…
“The chief goal of instruction, right alongside the development of content understanding, is the advancement of thinking”
Ron Ritchhart, Creating Cultures of Thinking, 2015, p33.
Conceptual transfer helps students see patterns and connections between similar situations; �and provides a springboard for complex thinking and understanding – two critical areas of focus for workplace readiness, as well as lifelong learning.��Erickson, H. Lynn, and Lois A. Lanning. Transitioning to Concept-based Curriculum and Instruction: How to Bring Content and Process Together. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, a SAGE Company, 2014.p21
What is concept based learning?
Let’s first look at the traditional “two-dimensional” curriculum model which focuses on factual content and skills. Here deliberate conceptual understanding and the transfer of knowledge is often assumed or implied.
Figure 1. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional curriculum and instruction (taken from Erickson 2008).: Erickson, H. (2012). Concept-based teaching and learning.IB Position Paper [online] Ibmidatlantic.org. Available at: http://www.ibmidatlantic.org/Concept_Based_Teaching_Learning.pdf [Accessed 21 Jul. 2018].
Concept-based instruction lifts facts and content in to a three-dimensional curriculum model which frames facts and skills with concepts, generalisations and principles.
Figure 1. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional curriculum and instruction (taken from Erickson 2008).: Erickson, H. (2012). Concept-based teaching and learning.IB Position Paper [online] Ibmidatlantic.org. Available at: http://www.ibmidatlantic.org/Concept_Based_Teaching_Learning.pdf [Accessed 21 Jul. 2018].
Gaining factual knowledge is important, but it usually represents simple cognitive work.
To think conceptually, a student must use facts and skills to discern patterns, connections and deeper understanding.
�Conceptual thinking allows for the transfer of knowledge across time, place and situation. This enables students to analyse, evaluate and make generalisations. �
Source: Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom. 2nd Edition. 2017 Lynn Erickson, Lois Lanning, Rachel French. Corwin Press. P11
Concepts are like a key; they help open up learning in other areas.
The structure of knowledge by Lynn Erickson.
Source: Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom. 2nd Edition. 2017 Lynn Erickson, Lois Lanning, Rachel French. Corwin Press. P29�
The student understands that… Migration may lead to new opportunities or greater freedom.
The student understands that… People migrate to meet a variety of needs.�
The student understands that… Different waves of migrations can shape diversity and culture.
Migration, Identity, Freedom, Multiculturalism, Diversity, Culture
Australia’s Waves of Migration
Migration patterns, White Australia Policy, ‘Populate or Perish’, Bonegilla, Snowy River Scheme, Displaced Persons Scheme, Vietnam war, etc
Generalisations apply across time, place and situation
Lifting the thinking
The real value in teaching through concepts is in the generalisation stage.
Students can write their own generalisations, based on the concepts in the unit.
To teach conceptually, you must always be on the lookout for opportunities to go beyond the facts and extrapolate to other situations.
Concept: Ideology
How do leaders use ideology in their rise to power?
Mao
Lenin
Hitler
This is the ‘Frayer model’. A great graphic organiser for exploring concepts.
WORD
Non Examples
Characteristics
Examples
Definition
Ideology
a system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy. OR �Ideology is a framework of cogent arguments culminating in a world view that supports a certain conception of human nature and existence.
Slogans, symbols, leader, manifestos, recognition, power, belonging, ideas, persuasion, propaganda, speeches, myths, conform,
Classical liberalism, Marxism, Leninism, Neo-liberalism, Communism, Trotskyism, Stalinism, Maoism, Fascism, Capitalism
Disbelief, iconoclasm, nihilism, religion, vacuum, anarchy
Definition
Characteristics
Examples
Non- Examples
Concept: Ideology
How do leaders use ideology in their rise to power?
Mao
Lenin
Hitler
Lifting the thinking with concept based questions:
How do different perspectives on society lead to different ideologies?
How have ideologies changed over time?
Do ideologies always arise from disparities in power and resources?
To what extent are ideologies catalysts for change?
What beliefs and ideas do current leaders use to win elections?
Think-Pair-Share
What’s a fact?
What’s a skill?
What’s a concept?
Think-Pair-Share
Perspective
Taking perspective
Primary source
Analysis
Watt’s steam engine, 1781
Empathy
Terror
The Terror
Terrorism
Definitions
A concept is an organising idea, They are timeless, universal and abstract to different degrees and have different examples with common attributes.
Facts are specific examples of people, places, situations or things. Facts do not transfer, they are locked in time, place or situation.
A skill is the ability, coming from one's knowledge, practice, aptitude, etc, to do something well.
Source: Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom. 2nd Edition. 2017 Lynn Erickson, Lois Lanning, Rachel French. Corwin Press. P75, P11
Historical Thinking Concepts
Historical Thinking Concepts
“Disciplines such as history have their own modes of inquiry, networks of concepts and principles, theoretical frameworks, symbolic systems, vocabularies, and modes of self-regulation.” (p. 7)
“Perhaps more puzzling are the recent research findings revealing that even the best-qualified history teachers - with graduate degrees in history - do not necessarily engage their students in disciplinary historical thinking, so busy are they covering content for board and state examinations…” (p. 13)
Lévesque, Stéphane. 2008. Thinking historically: educating students for the twenty-first century. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Historical Thinking Concepts
Substantive Concepts
Substantive concepts are concerned with the subject matter of history – the substance about which students are learning. Some of these concepts (such as Calvinism or Menshivism) are highly specific to a particular period or place – and it is easy to recognise that their meaning needs to be explicitly taught. (source)
Procedural Concepts
Procedural knowledge encompasses concepts that enable historical inquiry. (source) Procedural knowledge concentrates on the concepts and vocabulary that provide ‘the structural basis for the discipline.’ They are … the conceptual tools needed for the study of the past as a discipline and the construction of the content of historical knowledge. (source)
Historical Thinking Concepts
Historical Thinking Concepts
Historical Thinking Concepts
Historical Thinking Concepts
Historical Thinking Concepts
Historical Thinking Concepts
Historical Thinking Concepts
Jongebloed & Pratt (2017)
Ideas for the classroom
Some resources and ways to approach this in the classroom:
Ashley
Ilja
Sharing
bit.ly/HTAVshareconcepts
Share your activities or rough ideas.
Further reading...
Historical Thinking Concepts
Where to next?
Q&A
bit.ly/HTAVshareconcepts
Contact us…
Ilja van Weringh
Ashley Keith Pratt
Also check out Nick Frigo’s presentation on “Historical Thinking Made Visible” with a focus on a range of tools from the Google Suite of apps for Education”. Presented at the HTAV Annual Conference on Thursday the 26th of July 2018.