The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) identifies that “Concepts are big ideas that have relevance within specific disciplines and across subject areas. MYP students use concepts as a vehicle to inquire into issues and ideas of personal, local, and global significance and examine knowledge holistically” (2025). Whereas an inquiry-based perspective is where the student is focused on investigation and problem solving and differs from traditional teaching methods by reversing the order of learning (Department of Education, 2023). As such, one can presume that a concept-based approach to teaching and learning is using the settled upon concept to be the overall driver of the unit of work but still allowing for differentiation based upon student needs. A concept-based approach “frames factual content and skills with disciplinary concepts, generalizations and principles” (Erikson, 2012) and when combined with an inquiry-based perspective students have an overarching driver of the unit that they are investigating, and this can lead to a more nuanced and substantive way of teaching and learning.

In comparison, traditional teaching and learning approaches use a “two-dimensional model of topic-based curriculum which focuses on factual content and skills with assumed rather than deliberate attention to the development of conceptual understanding and the transfer of knowledge” (Erikson, 2012). This highlights a strength of the concept-based inquiry approach as it takes the learning below surface level and shows more depth. For example, a traditional two-dimensional model might ask the question of who was the leader of the Nazi party prior to Adolf Hitler? Whereas the concept-based inquiry model might ask why was Adolf Hitler elected leader of the Nazi Party and what were the politics surrounding the decision? This approach leads students to more depth within their study of World War 2 and can lead to greater discussions about the how Adolf Hitler’s beliefs were established and led to one of the greatest global conflicts.
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Challenges to this model, however, include assessment being more challenging to define as the traditional methods of teaching rely on simpler of assessing student progress and, ultimately, achievement within the unit of work (Dickson et al., 2018). Some examples of these “traditional methods” include multiple-choice quizzes or simple-sentence answers. More complex, inquiry style assessment can include those such as the tasks seen in Touchpoint 3 (Biology, Mathematics, and English-focussed assessments).

Approaches to Teaching and Learning (ATL) skills that both utilise include those seen in Module 1 lecture: Thinking, Social, Communication, Self-Management, and Research (Dickson, 2023). This is further elaborated upon in Kath Murdoch’s Model for Designing a Journey of Inquiry (Murdoch, 2019) where it states that inquiry-based perspectives grow “the skills and dispositions to: Research, Collaborate, Communicate, Think, and Self-Manage” and therefore can be applied in all facets on chosen teaching model (in this case, the concept-based inquiry model).

Concept-based inquiry models are a great teaching and learning method to encourage students to conduct research into areas that they are either interested in or deepen their understanding of core content and concepts within the unit. Students also can interact with other subjects and show cross-curriculum connections through applying a transdisciplinary lens to the curriculum as well. This particular lens is harder to place onto the traditional methods of teaching and learning that were referred to above; hence making concept-based inquiry the most desirable approach to teaching and learning, particularly within the context of an International Baccalaureate classroom.

End of semester brought wrapping up the slam poetry analysis with my Year 10 English class and a change of displays, moving from History to Geography. While I'm not teaching Year 9 Geography, a colleague sharing my room is so I offered to put my displays up for them.
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It also meant I started my second uni topic - Applied Pedagogy. A very interesting topic and I can see how some facets can be universal, regardless of the curriculum framework used in a site.