Date and time

Day 1: Thursday 18 February 2021, 4.30 pm  to 6.00 pm

Day 2: Thursday 11 March 2021, 4.30 pm  to 6.00 pm

Day 3: Tuesday 30 March 2021, 4.30 pm  to 6.00 pm

Delivery mode

A blend of interactive webinars and self-paced online – a Zoom link will be provided 24 hours prior to the event

Audience 

This learning event is right for you if you are a preschool or lower primary leader, educator or curriculum designer interested in enhancing students' language development, conceptual understanding and thinking skills.

Description                                       

Concept-Based Learning is a structured concept program for educators of young children to promote higher order thinking skills. The basic concepts are introduced in a way that enables students to categorise concepts and organise their thinking. The work is valuable for students aged 3-9 including children who have gaps in their learning. The program can be incorporated in the normal day to day curriculum. The course has 10 modules focusing on six key concepts that promote efficient learning and school success. Once students gain a deep understanding of concepts, their ability to transfer learning to new contexts and to use information in innovative ways is enhanced. The six concepts covered are: colour, shape, size, position, number and letter. The theory related to teaching these concepts can be extrapolated to teaching other concepts.

Concept-Based education has been widely tested in Norway where the method was implemented in preschools and lower primary settings. It is based on the work of the late Professor Magne Nyberg and continued at the present by Andreas Hansen. Hansen, A. (2009). Basic conceptual systems (BCSs)—Tools for analytic coding, thinking and learning: A concept teaching curriculum in Norway. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 4(3), 160–169. 

This learning events supports creating best practice toward the following VRQA standard(s):

• Curriculum and Student Learning – Curriculum framework 
• Curriculum and Student Learning – Student learning outcomes   
• Curriculum and Student Learning – Monitoring and reporting on students’ performance    
• Curriculum and Student Learning – Information about school performance

Key takeaways                 

• understanding of the six featured concepts and the core principles
• exploration of the application of Concept-Based Learning
• appreciation of the centrality of concepts in foundational teaching and learning
• understanding of the cognitive and emotional requisites for learning
• increased focus on the importance of language in cognition and learning
• understanding of the difference between traditional teaching and mediation
• engagement with the necessity to teach for transfer and the application across time and across contexts

Presenter information

Lili-Ann Kriegler               

Lili-Ann Kriegler is an Education Consultant at Independent Schools Victoria. She has been an educator at preschool, primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Prior to her engagement at Independent Schools Victoria, she spent a decade at Fintona Girls’ School as Director of the Coeducational Early Learning Centre (ELC). Her practice is inspired by the pedagogy of the Reggio Emilia Schools in northern Italy, and she attended study tours there in 2000, 2010 and 2017. She has worked with the International Baccalaureate’s Primary Years Program (PYP) and is knowledgeable about influential educational theories relating to the early years. Lili-Ann holds a Master’s in Education from Monash University, specialising in leadership and early education. She has project managed research programs in both Early Years practice and in the application of neuroscience research findings to the enhancement of students’ educational success. Supporting metacognition and thinking is one of her abiding interests. As an extension of her work in the area of cognitive development Lili-Ann has completed several courses in the work of Professor Reuven Feuerstein and is a trainer in Basic methdology (birth to 9 years) and Standard (9 years to adult).

Diane Bourke                    

Diane Bourke is a Project Manager at Independent Schools Victoria after a long career as Head of Junior School. Diane facilitates a variety of projects including Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment, Junior Great Books and Project Wayfinder. She has a passion for reading and learning and strongly believes that a great teacher is one who never stops the quest for collaboration and learning.

Nikki Maguire                   

Nikki Maguire is an experienced educator, consultant  and presenter in primary, secondary and tertiary education across Independent, government and Catholic sectors. She has a passion for the science of learning and inclusive education practices. Nikki has a Masters in Inclusive Education and is a certified International Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment trainer and facilitator, as well as an experienced Dynamic Assessment practitioner. She has worked in learning enhancement, academic coaching, wellbeing and school strategic planning and programme design and delivery.

$P(2000) $B