Situated cognition: context, authenticity, and activity as key dimensions¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 3 claims (3 for) · 1 study (1 theoretical), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 3 claims rest on one study

Description¶

Situated cognition holds that cognitive processes are located in physical and social contexts, drawing on Lave and Wenger's view of learning as participation in social practice. The article identifies "Context , Authenticity and activity" as the key dimensions: knowledge is anchored and indexed by context, authenticity means correspondence to real-world practices, and knowledge construction results from activity. This perspective provides the theoretical foundation for cognitive apprenticeship's situated learning environments.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Learning activity should take place in the same context in which it is applied, via participation in authentic tasks or settings

Constraints¶

• The article notes researchers hold different views on what is meant by situated learning or cognition, with no consensus among researchers on the terms

Target Learners¶

• students in formal schooling whose knowledge is otherwise decontextualized

Target Learning Objectives¶

• transfer of knowledge to real-life situations

Claims¶

• The review reports that cognitive apprenticeship instructional methods were significantly more effective than traditional methods for college-level writing skills [+M]
• The review reports reciprocal teaching of reading, an approach exemplifying cognitive apprenticeship, was remarkably effective in raising reading comprehension scores, especially for poor readers [+M]
• The review reports that students receiving situated instruction outperformed a lecture-based control group on a causality posttest [+M]

Related Theories¶

• Cognitive Apprenticeship Four Dimensions Framework
• Community of practice with Wenger's five membership trajectories
• Situated Learning
• Communities-of-Practice theory as a framework for understanding community membership and learning
• Situated Learning theory (legitimate peripheral participation in communities of practice)
• Sociocultural theory as the lens through which SLA views learners and learning

Examples¶

• Situated Learning
• Cognitive Apprenticeship
• Embed situated, context-triggered language learning activities in learners' everyday environments

Key Sources¶

• Emmanuel Imiere. (2019). An Application of Cognitive Apprenticeship to Philosophy Instruction. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED613714