Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom

H. Lynn Erickson
All quotes will be from her book.

Introduction and Chapter 1:

Ms. Erickson shares seven findings gleaned from her study of curriculum and instruction.
1) “The key to intellectual development is the synergistic interplay between the factual and conceptual levels of thinking.” She explains that students retain factual information, and deeper levels of understanding, as well as greater motivation to learn when required to process the facts through a conceptual level of thinking.
2) Traditional curriculum is a coverage curriculum, which is shallow learning and teaching.
3) “Every discipline has and inherent conceptual structure.”
4) Bloom’s taxonomy is useful, but does not lead to conceptual understanding.
5) “National academic standards are generally incoherent in their cross-disciplinary design.”
6) District curriculums should be expanded to include concepts, etc., but there must also be supporting knowledge.
7) Her theory is that there is “an inverse relationship between and expanding fact base through the grade levels and engagement of the child’s personal, conceptual mind.” She believes the early primary grade curriculum is conceptual, but that this changes in the later grades.

“Concept-based curricular and instructional designs are three-dimensional – that is, curriculum and instruction is focused on what students will…
Know (factually)
Understand (conceptually) and
Be able to Do (skillfully).”

Traditional curriculum is two dimensional (know and able to do). Performance indicators are written as objectives, with a verb followed by a topic.

She feels teachers are provided with intellectually shallow curriculum.
She recommends the use of a conceptual lens in curriculum design and instruction. Samples include: “conflict, beliefs/values, interdependence, freedom, identity, relationships, change, perspective, power, system, structure/function, design, heroes, force, complexity, paradox, interactions, transformations, patterns, origins, revolution, reform, influence, balance, innovation, genius, utility, creativity”.
Use of these conceptual lenses is referred to as enduring understandings, essential understandings and big ideas.

Some educators feel there is not enough time to develop intellectual character because of the pressure to meet standards. She says “information without intellect is meaningless”. “We retain knowledge longer and gain deeper understanding when there is an emotional response to learning.”
Daniel H. Pink says “everyone, regardless of profession, must cultivate an artistic sensibility”. All disciplines benefit from creative thinking. “Creative thinking is the personal construction of meaning.” “It is alarming to see schools cutting out art programs to make more time for standard drill and kill.”
Art is the most open-ended of all the disciplines. It is a powerful tool for developing creative thinking.
Richard Paul and Linda Elder, of the Foundation for Critical Thinking, have a set of 15 “Thinker’s Guides” sold through www.criticalthinking.org.

“Conceptual thinking requires the ability to critically examine factual information; relate to prior knowledge; see patterns and connections; draw out significant understandings at the conceptual level; evaluate the truth of the understandings based on the supporting evidence; transfer the understanding across time or situation; and, often, use the conceptual understanding to creatively solve a problem or create a new product, process, or idea.”
“Intellectual Standards:
Clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, depth, breadth, logic, significance, fairness” (These are on p. 20, and include focus questions).

Reflection:
(Questions on p. 23)
“How does a conceptual lens facilitate the integration of thinking?”
“How would you compare education framed by the ideal of intellectual character and dispositions and education framed by a set of academic standards to cover? How can you meet the intent of academic standards without sacrificing the development of intellectual character?”