CONCEPT ATTAINMENT

• CONCEPT ATTAINMENT

Originator of Concept Attainment–Jerome Bruner

• Purpose

The main goal of this strategy is to help students think inductively—from specific examples to generalization and defining

• Concept of a Concept

N        Name of concept

E                     Examples of the concept

A                     Attributes or characteristics

R                     Range or non-exemplars

R                     Rule or definition that puts all attributes together

• Overview:

Students inductively discover a concept’s key attributes and its definition by viewing and hypothesizing about a sequence of examples and non-examples.

• How and when to use it?

1. Can be done on
2. the board, chart paper, or power point to large or small groups.

• May be used in any subjects–  Bible: Prophets; Math: proper fractions; Science: amphibians
• The three phases of CA:
• Phase 1–Presentation:
  1. Tell the students, “Teacher has an idea in mind.  I like you to get this idea too.  To help you, I am going to show some examples. You may not talk yet, I will give you time to respond later.” 
  2. Continue to present at least two more each of the clearest positive and negative exemplars.
• Contd.

Phase 2: Testing

1. More exemplars are given as students respond nonverbally: Thumbs up or down 
2. Students are asked about common attributes of yes exemplars.
3. Teacher defines the concept and names it.
4. Contd.

Phase 3: Analysis of thinking

Ask the students, pointing at the first exemplar:

1. What were you thinking when you first saw this?
2. Which exemplar confused you?
3. Which one helped you to get the idea?
4. Precautions

1. All “no” exemplars should not form another concept.
2. Use at least a total of 15 positive and negative exemplars.
3. Always show the simplest and best exemplars first.
4. Be sure to stagger the presentation of “yes” and “no” exemplars.