WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO UNDERSTAND A CONCEPT?
Understanding a concept means that for each concept learned (or taught), the learner is
guided by the must haveproperties of each instance of the concept
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and ignores the varying,
can have properties. Further, examples that do not have all the defining properties must be
rejected as instances of the concept. Accordingly, concept teaching requires that each concept
be thoroughly analyzed and the must have features of each instance identified. The set of
features that can vary are also described, so that they do not get erroneously paired with the
examples used in instruction. Further, these non-defining features need to be systematically
varied so that learners will have experience responding to the critical (defining) features
among a vast array of different-looking instances.