Conceptbased

Conceptbased (often written concept-based) refers to educational approaches that organize teaching around enduring concepts or big ideas that span disciplines. In concept-based learning, understanding those core ideas and the ability to apply them in new contexts are prioritized over memorizing isolated facts. The approach is used across K-12 and higher education, including professional fields such as nursing and education.

Origins and influences: Concept-based education emerged from constructivist and inquiry-based traditions in the late 20th century and has been adopted in science education to address fragmented factual coverage. It has been linked to curricula that emphasize transfer, conceptual coherence, and cross-disciplinary connections. Standards frameworks, including contemporary science education standards, often incorporate crosscutting or core concepts that align with concept-based design.

Core features: A concept-based curriculum emphasizes a small set of core concepts per subject and organizes learning around phenomena or real-world problems. Knowledge is represented to reveal relationships among concepts, frequently using tools like concept maps or inventories. Assessments focus on students’ ability to explain ideas, transfer understanding to new contexts, and engage in reasoned argument.

Implementation: Practicing concept-based instruction typically begins with backward design—identifying enduring understandings and then planning activities and assessments around those concepts. Instruction often employs interdisciplinary projects, inquiry tasks, and explicit discussions of concept definitions. Scaffolding helps students connect new ideas to prior knowledge and apply concepts across settings.

Applications and limits: The approach is widely used in science, health professions, and education programs, among others. Critics argue that it can underemphasize essential factual knowledge and procedural skills, requiring substantial teacher expertise and careful curriculum alignment. Effective use usually integrates concept work with necessary factual foundations.

Related terms include concept-based curriculum and concept-based instruction.