Situated Learning

Abstract

In his work, The Advancement of Learning (1605), Sir Francis Bacon observed, “Man seeketh in society comfort, use, and protection.” Humans have historically looked to situations in which they interact with one another to inform ideas about culture, morals, and ambition. Plato philosophized that education was the key to the betterment of society, but such a society was possible only if people worked together for a common good. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, believers are called to interact within community. The traditional shema affirms the communal nature of humankind and the role that context and social interaction are to play in the preservation and transmission of values.

Key Terms in this Chapter

Situated Learning: Dually called “situated cognition” or “situated learning,” this learning approach combines constructivist and social leaning theories to propose that cognitive development occurs as learners participate in the practices of the social communities and use context to become aware of the structures of and models for each social situation.