Situated+Learning

=**Situated Learning**= **Monitor:** Michael

 Learning occurs within the same context (i.e. situation) in which it is applied. Learning arises through the social interaction and collaboration with others in the same community. Knowledge is co-constructed. Learning becomes a process of reflecting, interpreting, and negotiating meaning among the members of the group. It is through the process of sharing information and experiences that the individuals learn from each other, and further develop their knowledge.
 * Description**

Situated learning in the classroom integrates content, context, community, and participation.
 * Content is the facts and processes of the task, emphasizing higher-order thinking. It is situated in the learner’s daily experiences with the goal of being able to apply the knowledge.
 * Context are the situations, values, beliefs, and environmental cues by which the learner gains and masters content. It provides the setting for examining experience from multiple perspectives.
 * Community is the group with which the learner will create, analyze, negotiate and reflect on the meaning of the situation.
 * Participation is the process by which learners, working together and with experts, solve real-life problems.




 * Concrete Examples**
 * 1) Field trips. For example, if sustainable farming practices are to be studied, travel to a farm that follows its techniques. The students can ask questions of the people that work there; observe and participate in the appropriate chores; witness first-hand the results; and can research, discuss and analyse the pros and cons
 * 2) Apprenticeship programs. On-the-job training immerses the student within the environment and culture of the job. Real-life tasks are done daily. Experts are available to answer the student’s questions. The supervisor will provide the student with tasks that increase in complexity as the student learns.
 * 3) Learning to play a sport or taking music lessons are situated learning by definition, as the exact actions in the real setting are those of practice, with the same equipment or instruments.


 * WBLT Examples**

//Example 1// - Pond Ecosystem ** (Mike) ** Use the WBLT as an introduction or follow-up to a pond study. Take a field trip to a pond. Collect samples, record observations, and collaboratively discuss, research and work on the tasks.

Example 2- [|Money] ** (Naseem) **
 * Social interaction:** this WBLT teaches children through the social interaction (with the salesman) with others with the goal of being able to apply the math knowledge in their daily experiences
 * Context/Situation:** it provides a proper setting and environment through which the learner gains knowledge and at same time applies it in real situations.
 * Knowledge is reconstructed:** the learner learns the value of money, correlate the different coins to their values and learn addition and subtraction.(Naseem)

Example 3 - [|Blood buddies]** (Audrey) ** This WBLT teaches students about authentic situations about who can donate blood, what happens to the body, etc. It is interactive and gives the students the opportunity to hear different people talk about their personal experiences

Example 4 - [|Second Life]** (Colin) ** How about something like this as a way to get situated learning in WBLTs? Students can create or use environments that are virtual, but made to represent the real-world scenario. On example that comes to mind is at Loyalist College, [|students use SL to train to be border guards], and various people take on the roles of people driving a car to a border crossing, and interacting with the students as they learn the skills to be a real-life guard.

Example 5- If you were the President** (Elita) ** A low level WBLT where you can pretend to be the president (of the USA, of course), choose your advisors and then balance your budget. You also receive a brief statement on how the way the budget is balanced affects different aspects of the government.

Situated Learning** described at Learning-Theories.Com **
 * References**