Conceptual Learning

Definition:

According to North Sydney Public School’s article on conceptual learning, it can be defined as “students engaged in quality learning experiences based around key concepts and central ideas rather than using the more traditional method of focusing the learning on topics” Instead of memorizing dates and facts, conceptual learning focuses on providing real-life situations where the student can show what they know by applying their knowledge to the central ideas.

Edutopia’s article “3 Ways to Boost Students’ Conceptual Thinking” explains why conceptual learning is so important and impactful for students. It states: “We want our students’ learning to be enduring, enabling them to make sense of complexity now and in the future. For this to occur, we need to nudge students beyond the learning of facts and skills to uncover concepts—transferable ideas that transcend time, place, and situation.”

Examples:

For example, a math teacher might teach students to memorize tricks to multiply fractions. However, with conceptual learning, one would provide students with experiences around the multiplying fractions concepts. This could include a real-world story problem where the student must show their work with a picture to explain their thinking. With the math curriculum I used when I taught elementary school, we introduced the key concept by providing a story problem. We then provided multiple ways of solving the problem, explaining how we know our answer makes sense. With science, instead of just reading about how an eye works, we examined it as a real life situation. We were scientists and used a technology simulation to examine a model of an eye and the parts to allow us to see what we see. Students had access to adjust different variables to determine the end result. When it came time to see what the students understood, they used all of their hands-on conceptual learning to prove what they learned by creating their own model with labels and explanations.

References:

“Conceptual Learning” North Sydney Public School. https://nthsyddem-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/learning-at-our-school/learning-across-the-curriculum/conceptual-learning.html#:~:text=Conceptual%20Learning%20involves%20students%20engaged,focusing%20on%20learning%20on%20topics.

“3 Ways to Boost Students’ Conceptual Thinking.” Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-ways-boost-students-conceptual-thinking