KEYWORDS

Authentic Learning , Environment,

Skill, Cognitive Apprenticeship,

Trajectory, Culture, Everyday

Learning, Social Interaction,

Communities of Practice, Legitimate

Peripheral Participation,

INTRODUCTION

Emerged from anthropology, sociology, and cognitive

science.

Represents a major shift in learning theory from traditional

psychological views of learning as mechanistic and

individualistic, and moves toward perspectives of learning as

emergent and social (Greeno, 1998; Lave & Wenger, 1991;

Salomon, 1996).

INTRODUCTION

Core Concept

• knowledge and practical activity are inseparable

• teach concepts to students in contexts that they

are familiar with and will be applying to.

• learning involves the community and relies on its

social network within

INTRODUCTION

• 1980-90 emerged during Constructionism that

suggested that learning is based on

construction of knowledge through active

participation rather than engaging in learning

activities

• Disputed early theories that learning was done

individually and independently

• Learning takes place in a social situation with

other people thus the theory of situated

learning is born

SO WHAT IS SITUATED COGNITION?

- A Theory which emphasizes that people’s knowledge is

constructed within and linked to the activity, content and

culture it was learned.

- Learning is social and not isolated, people learn while

interacting with each other through shared activities and

language Knowledge SHARING

Brown, Collins & Duguid

• Learning is not intentional but happens as a function of

its surroundings

• Attention moves away from individual and focused on the

setting and the people.

LEARNING PARTICIPATION

Wenger (1998) visualizes learning as

participation in three levels:

Individuals – a member that participates and

learns within the community of Practice

Communities – improves the practice of the

community and welcomes new comers

Organizations –an organization being effective

through nourishing and supporting the

interconnected communities of practice.

SO WHAT IS SITUATED COGNITION

- It’s a social & Situated activity

- We learn by doing what experts in the

field do

- Knowledge remains Inactive if we

separate learning from doing

- Knowledge is lived practice

- Learning involves in participating in the

COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

Groups of people who show a concern or

passion for something they do and learn how

to do it better as they interact regularly -

Wenger

Knowledge sharing involves extensive time

and continuous interaction

Examples

• Design Community

• Kitchen Community

• Nursing Community

ScaffoldingScaffolding

Scaffolding

VAI & GOLA TAILORS OF LIBERIA

In western Africa apprentice tailors have access to rich steps

are structured, apprentices learn to sew by hand, and then with

machines, and to press clothes. Apprentices often complete

these steps in reverse, learning the finishing stages of a

garment, then how to sew it, and then how to cut it out.

Apprentices often have a “way in” before they practice,

observing and attempting to create an approximation of the

garment before they and sustained opportunities to observe

master tailors.

Production (Authentic Learning) is actually practice making the

garment

VAI & GOLA TAILORS OF LIBERIA

Through observation of these

Liberian tailors, knowing and

learning had to be

understood as situated in

the activities and trajectories

of the apprentices whose

new skills are a part of

becoming tailors - Wenger

EXAMPLES

Traditional wood carvers of Temerloh

• Community Industry

• Handing down of skill through apprenticeship

• Not only make but understand aquired skill (trajectory)

ADVANTAGES

• Fully engages participants & gives

meaning to knowledge being acquired

• Knowledge value is out of necessity

• Efficient, affective way to handle

unstructured problems, means to

maintain long term organizational

memory.

DISADVANTAGES

• Not feasible for public schooling due to

• Time Constraints

• Lack interactions in authentic activities

• Works in social context where

experience and knowledge is shared in

a community

CONCLUSION

• This theory has helped researchers understand

more widely about how people learn because it

has focused on what people learn in their

everyday lives which are authentic contexts for

a variety of skills.

• It helps educators/mentors understand how to

capitalize on knowledge and skills that their

students/apprentice may already possess in

order to help them learn new content and skills.

SUMMARY