Situated Learning & Cognitive Apprenticeships

Initially, I thought that Jean Lave’s ideas around embedding learning in situational activities students perform while the teacher/instructor scaffolds as a type of cognitive apprenticeship sounded like another model that teachers would have to construct well in advance, consuming planning time.  I was actually picturing a character from a Charles Dickens' novel in the 1800s.  But as I read further, I realized that it is better defined by the modeling I do every time I am wearing my instructor’s cap.  I am teaching new skills by modeling, while asking learners to step into my shoes and try out the skills I am teaching them, all the while I have created a safe and trusting learning environment that allows me to scaffold their learning.  Learners practice the skill – that is the process – and afterward I ask probing, open-ended questions to connect learning to ideas, thoughts, and innovations learners will then share with one another and practice on their own. 

Sometimes we need to teach students pre-requisite skills and those can’t always be situational.  They may lead to situational activities, but sometimes they have to be taught in isolation.  For example, students would need to learn more about the history of Libya, the government and the culture and religion of the people in order to gain a clear understanding – situationally - of how current protests have evolved into a civil war. Like my grandma used to say, “You can’t put the cart before the horse.”  Also, using this theory and model, the teacher has to be an expert at content in order to model the task.  There are few opportunities for both teacher and student to discover something new, define their own learning. 

One benefit to overcoming such barriers would be that students would have a deeper understanding of processes, not superficial memorization of facts, functions and formulas.  Such skills help excel informed decisions in the real world, making students better prepared to make educated decisions. 

I currently use aspects of this theory when modeling process skills today and will in the future.  I think it is very beneficial for the learner to be an active participant and practice new skills while I scaffold and support their learning. 

My favorite aspect of this model is the notion that students are coached.  The relationship between the teacher and the student becomes more of a mentor and mentee model.  This takes away the formal hierarchy that can be a big turn-off for many learners. 

Kevin already suggested several tools for creating web-based modules using this theory/model, but I will add to his suggestions.  First of all, it would be fun to create video scenarios using Flip cameras and iMovie or any video-editing software.  Animoto is a fun and easy one to use.  Some other screencast tools that I have used are Screenr (upload through Twitter), screencast-o-matic (a friend just told me about), and Jing (does funky stuff to your computer’s processing time).  If you need a place to host your video, Vimeo let’s you upload one per month for free, or YouTube is free but blocked at many schools, and Viddler is fun because others can leave comments on your video.  I also like taking screenshots and posting them on a wiki with instructions in the form of steps that allow the user to make choices.  I hadn’t checked out furl.net but am going to now…  I have used Elluminate, Wiggio (awesomely fun with tons of options), and backchannel chats to communicate online.  Scribblar and Google Wave both have a shared whiteboard option.  Wikis and Google docs are great tools for less than smooth synchronous editing/collaborating.  Wikis only allow one person to edit at a time, and Google docs sometimes goof up – you can delete someone else’s words accidentally.