1. 280 Fundamentals of Online Pedagogy
iMET 9
280 Fundamentals of Online Pedagogy
Final Project
Presented By
Alex Pattillo
Ceonita Wilson
Wanda Hardy
September 23, 2006
This project was a collaborative effort to develop a learning activity using the Concept Attainment Model. Alex Pattillo, Ceonita Wilson, and Wanda Hardy presented the lesson on September 23, 2006 for iMET 9 at California State University, Sacramento.

2. Concept Attainment Model
Background
The Concept Attainment Model (CAM) is based on concept theories of Jerome Bruner, A Study of Thinking (Bruner, Goodnow and Austin, 1967).
Subsequently, educators have published books and articles that further describe specific applications and examples of the CAM.
Bruce Joyce and Marsha Weil published a three-phase teaching model in their book, Models of Teaching (1972, 1980, 1986, 1990).

3. Concept Attainment Model
“a teaching approach that helps students develop skills for inductive and deductive thinking while at the same time learning subject matter in any field, in a constructive and meaningful way.” (Pritchard, 1994)
Florence Pritchard adapts the CAM model to fit four phases where a teacher guides students by presenting a precise sequence of exemplars and non-exemplars. CAM is described as an instructional methodology for teaching critical thinking across the curriculum -- “a teaching approach that helps students develop skills for inductive and deductive thinking while at the same time learning subject matter in any field, in a constructive and meaningful way.” (Pritchard, 1994).

4. Concept Attainment Model Phases
Teacher presents data; students generate and test hypotheses.
Students confirm hypothesis and identify the
characteristics of the concept.
Test attainment of the concept.
In Developing conceptual thinking: the concept attainment model (1992), Julie Johnson describes four phases. She considers a variation of the CAM in which other forms of examples are used, such as experiments or activities in a physics class.
In an article written for Teaching Children Mathematics, Nancy Gallenstein describes how the CAM can be used to teach young children classification. “We use concepts to organize our world. Children must use their senses as they observe a set of objects. While observing, they look for similarities and differences as they compare objects. Classification requires children to put together objects that have one or more characteristics in common.” (Gallenstein, 2004)
Students reflect on the thinking patterns that were used to attain the concept (metacognition)

5. Concept Attainment Model Scenario
The CAM can be applied to help learners construct abstract or concrete concepts and can be used across all age groups and learning situations.
In our scenario today, you are culinary students, and you will identify and define dark chocolate. As instructors, we are using a variation of the Concept Attainment Method described by Johnson.

6. Dark Chocolate Example
Example of dark chocolate
Observe and record characteristics of this sample of chocolate.
(Provide students with an exemplar model of dark chocolate and instructions for the activity).
Discuss observations
(Allow students to formulate observations about the exemplar model of dark chocolate and notate their observations). Discuss observations and allow to eat samples.

7. Lots of Chocolate… ohhh chocolate…!
Set A contains several samples of chocolate. Which ones do you think are dark chocolate?
(Pass out sample sets and allow the students to determine exemplars and non exemplars as they notate decisions and why).

8. Part A Yes or No Sample 4 Sample 6 Dark Chocolate Sample 1 Sample 3
Non-Dark Chocolate
Sample 4
Sample 6
Sample 2
Discuss observations:
Characteristics such as color, texture, odor, taste are observable qualities that are subjective to individual perceptions.
Provide additional data for each sample.
How does it change your hypothesis about the characteristics of dark chocolate?
(Discuss findings and review chart detailing the % of the samples as well as the ingredients(note ingredients order as review). Have students formulate an additional observation in regards to the exemplar samples.(ie: the DC samples have higher % of cacao and ingredients are choc followed by sugar.)
Hypothesis: which are exemplars and which are not.

9. Task 2: additional data Label the blank columns on your data
Sheet and fill in the data for each sample.
Column 5: % of cacao
Column 6: Ingredients are chocolate followed by sugar
Complete your hypothesis

10. Part B Yes or No Dark Chocolate Non Dark Chocolate Sample 7 Sample 8
Based on your updated hypothesis, which samples in Set B are dark chocolate and which samples are not?
(Pass out sample sets and allow the students to determine exemplars and non exemplars as they notate decisions and why).
Discuss updated hypothesis.
Use to evaluate Set B.
Discuss observations:
Define concept: Dark chocolate is a variety of chocolate that contains >35% cacao, followed by sugar.

11. Don’t forget to think about your previous observation!
More Chocolate… yummy!
Don’t forget to think about your previous observation!
Did you update your original hypotheses?
Encourage students to apply their new information to identify exemplars.
Discuss observations.

12. Dark Chocolate is….
FDA regulates that dark chocolate must contain a minimum of 35% chocolate liquor as the primary ingredient
Sugar must be the secondary ingredient
Define concept: Dark chocolate is a variety of chocolate that contains >35% cacao, followed by sugar.
How did student’s hypothesis evolve from the initial task to the final task?

13. Conclusion
CAM is useful for all ages to help learners construct abstract or concrete concepts. In this lesson, culinary students were able to deduce a definitive concept that will enable them to distinguish dark chocolate from other varieties of chocolate.

14. References
Concept Attainment
Chocolate
Other sample lessons

15. Q and A???

16. Thank You! Ceonita Alex Wanda
We hope you enjoyed our presentation and find references included in our handout helpful. Thank you.
Wanda