Situated Cognition & Cognitive Apprenticeships Situated learning theory and the cognitive apprenticeship model based on it suggest skills be acquired through authentic contexts and by communicating with peers and experts about those contexts.

Situated Learning Knowledge as Lived Practices. Sociocultural settings – To analyze a behavior you must examine the community/environment. Story telling a facet of the sociocultural setting. Learning as Participation in Communities of Practice. Situative perspective – learning is conceived as increasing participation in communities of practice.

Situated Cognition Most learning occurs naturally through activities, contexts, cultures Schools too often abstract learning, “unsituate” it, teach concepts removed from natural contexts and applications Situated examples include more “apprentice-like” situations (e.g., sculpters, printers)

Situated Cognition Cognitive Apprenticeships Takes declarative knowledge and allows it to progress into procedural knowledge – like in internships. Advantages = authentic activity and sharing of community culture. Disadvantages = Fossilization – learning of incorrect, but understandable syntax. (p.175) Two others- learning/adopts practices of organization but fails to develop more competent or sophisticated skills. Also, when the apprentice tries to reshape the practices of the organization to resemble more closely those taught in school or program.

Vygotsky Advocated Apprentice-Like Coaching Learning tasks should be situated in “zones of proximal development” just beyond what a student can accomplish alone, but not to a level of impossibility Employ peer and teacher scaffolding to reach appropriate levels of engagement

Apprenticeship Stages Learning as Participation in Communities of Practice. Situative perspective – learning is conceived as increasing participation in communities of Practice. Learning on three broad levels – Individuals Communities Organizations

Apprenticeship Stages Three levels – Apprenticeship – Watch basics Guided participation – Try for self under guidance Participatory appropriation - Operate on own Barbra Rogoff

How Driscoll’s Class is Run Diagnosis – teacher adapts learning to meet the needs of learners Confidential Reports – questions asked learner in email to reflect. Their own, individual learning. The learning of their collaborative group. The learning of the class as a community. Suggestions for improvement. Summary statistics – usually keep via computer and can be either information that monitors the student procedural knowledge like in a hypermedia program, or by monitoring whether students are handing in weekly work as in a learning management system. Portfolios - reflections aid learners in the process of evaluating their own work. Confidential Reports – questions asked learner in email to reflect. Their own, individual learning. The learning of their collaborative group. The learning of the class as a community. Suggestions for improvement. Summary statistics – usually keep via computer and can be either information that monitors the student procedural knowledge like in a hypermedia program, or by monitoring whether students are handing in weekly work as in a learning management system. Portfolios - reflections aid learners in the process of evaluating their own work.

Connectivism Driscoll defines learning as “a persisting change in human performance or performance potential…which must come about as a result of the learner’s experience and interaction with the world.” (p. 11) This definition encompasses many of the attributes commonly associated with behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism – namely, learning as a lasting changed state (emotional, mental, physiological (i.e. skills)) brought about as a result of experiences and interactions with content or other people.

Connectivism Driscoll (2000, p14-17) explores some of the complexities of defining learning. Debate centers on: Valid sources of knowledge - Do we gain knowledge through experiences? Is it innate (present at birth)? Do we acquire it through thinking and reasoning? Content of knowledge – Is knowledge actually knowable? Is it directly knowable through human experience? The final consideration focuses on three epistemological traditions in relation to learning: Objectivism, Pragmatism, and Interpretivism Objectivism (similar to behaviorism) states that reality is external and is objective, and knowledge is gained through experiences. Pragmatism (similar to cognitivism) states that reality is interpreted, and knowledge is negotiated through experience and thinking. Interpretivism (similar to constructivism) states that reality is internal, and knowledge is constructed. Driscoll (2000, p14-17) explores some of the complexities of defining learning. Debate centers on: Valid sources of knowledge - Do we gain knowledge through experiences? Is it innate (present at birth)? Do we acquire it through thinking and reasoning? Content of knowledge – Is knowledge actually knowable? Is it directly knowable through human experience? The final consideration focuses on three epistemological traditions in relation to learning: Objectivism, Pragmatism, and Interpretivism Objectivism (similar to behaviorism) states that reality is external and is objective, and knowledge is gained through experiences. m Pragmatism (similar to cognitivism) states that reality is interpreted, and knowledge is negotiated through experience and thinking. m Interpretivism (similar to constructivism) states that reality is internal, and knowledge is constructed.

Connectivism Principles of connectivism: Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions. Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources. Learning may reside in non-human appliances. Capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning. Ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill. Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist learning activities. Decision-making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of a shifting reality. While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate affecting the decision.

Bibliography Driscoll, M. (2000). Psychology of Learning for Instruction. Needham Heights, MA, Allyn & Bacon.