Concept Attainment Model

                       The concept attainment model belongs to information processing family. This model was developed by Jerome.S. Bruner and crew. Their work ‘A Study of Thinking’ culminated many years of research into the process by which pupil acquires concept.

CONCEPT

A concept is a mental representation or mental picture of some objects or experience.

It represents a category of objects which share common properties. According to Bruner a concept possess five elements/components

i. Name :

It is the term, label or word given to a category

Eg: Acids

ii. Attibutes :

The features or characteristics of objects. Every concept has two types of attributes.

a) Essential Attributes : These are the common features of the concept. These attributes should be presented in all the examples of the concept.

• Acids turns blue litmus to red

• Acids are proton donors

• Acid neutralizes bases

b) Non Essential Attributes : These characteristics are not essential for a concept. The removal of the non‐essential attributes does not affect the concept.

• Acids are colourless in nature

• Acids are organic in nature

• Acids are edible substances

iii. Exemplers :

a) Positive exemplers : 

Those examples which contain all the essential attributes in them are termed as positive exemplers.

Eg: Nitric acid, Sulphuric acid, Citric acid

b) Negative exemplers : 

The absence of one or more essential attributes makes an object/instance a negative example of the concept.

Eg : Sodium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, water

iv. Attribute Value :

This refers to the extent or degree to which an attribute is present in a particular example.

v. Rule :

It is the definition of statement specifying a concept.

An acid is a substance which can donate proton, having particular chemical properties like turning blue litmus to red, neutralize alkalies.

The educational objectives of concept attainment model are

• To acquire a new concept.
• To enrich and clarify known concepts.
• To develop an awareness of thinking strategies.
• To understand the nature of the conceptual activity.

The specific behavioral objectives of concept attainment model are

1) The pupil correctly recognizes examples.

2) The pupil generates new examples.

3) The pupil locates examples from books and other sources.

4) The pupil states the attributes of the concept.

DESCRIPTION OF CONCEPT ATTAINMENT MODEL

1) FOCUS :

To help students learn concepts for organizing information more effectively

2) SYNTAX :

PHASE I : Presentation of data and identification of Concept

• Teacher presents labeled examples(both positive and negative)
• Students compare the attributes, in positive and negative attributes.
• Students generate and test hypotheses.
• Students name the concept, state definition

PHASE II : Testing attainment of the concept

• Students identify additional unlabeled examples.
• Students generate examples.
• Teacher confirms hypothesis ,names concept and restate the definition.

PHASE III :Analysis of thinking strategies

• Students describe thoughts.
• Students discuss type and number of hypotheses.

3) SOCIAL SYSTEM :

In the initial phase social system is highly structured, gradually it becomes moderately structured. Though the teacher controls the classroom, student’s interaction is always encouraged and ensured.

4) PRINCIPLES OF REACTION :

• Teacher acts as a guide, motivator and facilitator.
• Teacher supports students in formulation and testing of hypotheses.
• Teacher creates an atmosphere of meaningful dialogue
• Students discuss and evaluate their thinking strategies under the guidance of teacher.

5) SUPPORT SYSTEM :

• Appropriate selection of exemplars and non‐exemplars.
• A free atmosphere that promotes active participation of learners.

6) INSTRUCTIONAL EFFECTS AND NURTURANT EFFECTS :

a) Instructional Effects

• Getting clear notions about nature of concepts.
• Develops skills in using appropriate concept building strategies.
• Develops skill in inductive reasoning

b) Nurturant Effects

• Sensitivity to logical reasoning.
• Tolerance of ambiguity and initial errors
• A sense of using alternative perspectives