P-+Situated+Cognition

Itec 800 Fall 2008 – Situated Cognition Mid-Term- T Glasser **   Situated cognition theory has emerged from the learning theories of Vygotsky and Dewey and represents a major shift from the traditional behaviorist perspective of learning, as mechanistic and individualistic, toward learning as an emergent and social phenomenon (Greeno, 1998; Lave & Wenger, 1991; Salomon, 1996). It terms of theoretical evolution, situated cognition can be seen as a precursor to Contructivism. Brown, Collins, and Duguid (1989) are often credited with developing situated cognition or situated learning theory. Collins (1988) defines situated learning as the notion of learning knowledge and skills in contexts that reflect the way they will be used in real life. Thus, situated cognition theory encourages educators to immerse learners in an environment that approximates as closely as possible context in which their new ideas and behaviors will be applied (Schell & Black, 1997). Many of the ways we have of talking about learning and education are based on the assumption that learning is something that individuals do. Furthermore, we often assume that [|learning]  has a beginning and an end; that it is best separated from the rest of our activities; and that it is the result of teaching. Situated cognition is social and comes largely from of our experience of participating in daily life. A contrast can be made with cognitive and schema based theories in which knowledge is considered to be solely contained within the learner (represented in memory as schemata or mental models), and also with behaviorist theories in which cognition and context play a far less central role.
 * Define and describe **** situated cognition **** and its key features.



The key idea is that individuals actively construct knowledge by working to solve realistic problems, usually in collaboration with others (Duffy, Lowyck, & Jonassen, 1993). Regarded as leaders in the situated cognition movement, Lave and Wenger (1991), describe learning as an integral part of generative social practice in the lived-in world. Generative implies that learning is an act of creation or co-creation; social suggests that at least a portion of learning time occurs in partnership with others; and lived-in world connotes real- world practices and settings that make learning more relevant, useful, and transferable. “Being alive as human beings means that we are constantly engaged in the pursuit of enterprises of all kinds, from ensuring our physical survival to seeking the most lofty pleasures. As we define these enterprises and engage in their pursuit together, we interact with each other and with the world and we tune our relations with each other and with the world accordingly. In other words we learn. Over time, this collective learning results in practices that reflect both the pursuit of our enterprises and the attendant social relations. These practices are thus the property of a kind of community created over time by the sustained pursuit of a shared enterprise. It makes sense, therefore to call these kinds of communities of practice” (Wenger 1998: 45) For example, the proponents of situated cognition argue that foreign language acquisition will be more successful if the learners are immersed in conversational and cultural activities of increasing complexity and diversity, rather than concentrating on grammar exercises using recitation or paper-and-pencil worksheets. There are several key features of situated cognition. Dynamic **communities of practice** are seen as a critical element of situated cognition theory's view of learning (Lave & Wenger, 1991). In situated cognition the role of the instructor is to design realistic activities that encourage learners to learn in the context of these activities. However, learning not only involves instructor and student but also assorted others, such as other experts from the school, from the business and local community, and the electronic world community. Further, learning communities are dynamic in that members assume various roles at different times depending on the needs of the learner. **Legitimate Peripheral Participation** refers to how newcomers become integrated into a community of practice. They start at the periphery of the community eventually working their way to the center as they gain experience and then out again as they gain wisdom. The casual skater nervously jiggling at the periphery of the dance floor as the more experienced and flamboyant skaters/dancers take center stage is a perfect and literal example of this phenomenon. **Cognitive apprenticeship** practices, along with anchored instruction and learning communities, are all educational approaches derived from situated cognition. These practices strive, first and foremost, to place teaching and learning practices within a rich and varied context that is meaningful and authentic to students. An apprenticeship is distinguished from tutoring, mentoring, coaching, and volunteerism by its focus on interaction that is a specific socially and culturally valued activity at which the adult is more skilled (Tisdale 2001). A perfect example of this is our experienced Canadian hockey team captain who uses his extensive experience of hockey strategy to design useful and real-life drills for our team. ** Anchored Instruction ** is to situate learning in realistic problems, allowing learners to experience the same professional dilemmas facing experts in a given field. Problems are structured to be factually authentic with real data as well as performance authentic with realistic tasks that might be faced by a novice. Our schoolyard roller hockey pickup sessions are perfect examples of anchored instruction. Realistic skating collisions and puck velocities are important to evaluate before moving onto a more formal and competitive Roller Hockey league In a now classic study, Nunez, Carraher, and Schliemann (1985) observed Brazilian children solving simple mathematical problems as they sold produce on the street. These same children failed to solve the same problems when they were presented out of context in conventional mathematical form. One nine-year-old child answered a customer's question regarding the price of three coconuts by counting aloud, "40, 80, 120." Yet, this same child arrived at a result of 70 when confronted with "3 x 40" on a formal test. Context and artifacts seemed to support the child's ability to work through the same problem more effectively again speaking to the situated nature of human knowledge and learning. In another more mundane, yet common example, having previously learned how to scan and place images on a project web page, a student may instruct and coach others (fellow students, parents, or friends) through this same process. A student may transition through different roles as a learner, instructor, or coach at any given time during the learning process. Collins (1988) notes four strengths of situated cognition for instruction. First, learners recognize the conditions for applying knowledge. Second, learners are more likely to engage in invention and problem-solving when they learn in real and diverse situations and settings. Third, students can see the implications of their learning. Finally, learners are supported in structuring knowledge in ways appropriate to later use by gaining and working with that knowledge in context. However, situated cognition is not the magic bullet to solve all of our educational problems. The classic study of Brazilian street sellers (who can correctly calculate the cost of items which they sell in the streets, but are unable to answer similar questions at school) may be flawed. Surely this is more a demonstration that skills practiced outside of schools do not generalize to schools. Also authentic contexts are often inappropriate for learning. When introducing real-world-like problems to algebra, much class time can be wasted on clerical tasks such as tabling and graphing; while relatively little time was spent relating algebraic expressions to the real-world situations. Sometimes learning in the abstract is the point of instruction. Abstract skills like arithmetic are clearly transferable from one context to another. When I transferred my roller skating skills to the ice skating rink, I discovered I had picked up bad skating techniques due to my years of situated learning and lack of formal instruction. I found it impossible to overcome these improper techniques, even years after my transition to ice (change of context). Early and formal learning with an instructor would have identified these problems and given me the chance to correct them before the habits became ingrained. One of my proudest learning achievements is overcoming a great deal of fear and becoming a competent roller and ice skater. I attribute this success to my cognitive apprenticeship with the community of skaters (community of practice ) who gather informally in Golden Gate Park on Sunday afternoons. This kind of authentic learning is a classic form of anchored instruction**.** This community of practice of skating is further divided into the more experienced skaters who have honed their skills in different ways: the slalom skaters, the speedsters, the dancers and the street hockey players. Each of these groups is a community of practice and I learnt many skating skills by observing and participating on the periphery, literally in the case of the dance floor, of these groups. In my Fundamentals of Mathematics course, students review the concepts and practice the skills necessary to succeed in a college-level mathematics curriculum. This course is required for students whose mathematics diagnostic test score fall short of the prerequisite for college level mathematics courses. A typical student may be a 19 year old Fashion Design student who has always hated mathematics and sees no reason to take this course. Just as situated cognition theory suggests, I have found that learners respond to math problems that are both realistic and authentic. In particular, it is important to design activities that are relevant to the student’s vocation ( anchored instruction**)**. I often feature small collaborative group work, which reflect real-world vocational problem solving ( communities of practice). These activities require the student to actively plan, design, research, model and report findings for projects or case studies based on their own interests. In short, learners require contextual learning and real-world problems to help make coursework and learning relevant and meaningful. I attempt to put emphasis on contextual experiences, problem solving, modeling and collaborative work in the mathematics classroom.  Brown, J. S.; Collins, A. & Duguid, S. (1989). " [|Situated cognition and the culture of learning]  ". Educational Researcher **18** (1): 32–42 Driscoll, M. P. (2004). Psychology of learning for instruction, 3, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Allyn & Bacon. Greeno, J. G. (2006). Authoritative, accountable positioning and connected, general knowing: Progressive themes in understanding transfer. J. of the Learning Sciences 15(4) Nunes, T.N. Schliemann, A.D. & Carraher, D.W. (1993). Street Mathematics and School Mathematics. New York: Cambridge University Press. Lave J.,Wenger E., (1991). Situated learning :Legitimate peripheral participation :Cambridge University Press
 * Discuss and explain how **** situated cognition **** operates. **
 * Demonstrate, show an example, or provide a way for your reader to **// see // ** situated cognition **** in action. **
 * Analyze and discuss **** situated cognition’s **** application to instruction (i.e., its importance to learning theory, its strengths for instruction, its weaknesses for instruction, what it does well and not well) **
 * Give your personal understanding of **** situated cognition ****, why you chose it to analyze, what it means for you or your practice. **
 * As a learner **
 * As an instructor **