The Theory Of Situated Learning: What It Is And What It Proposes In Education
Pedagogy is a science that continues to grow and study new theories to better understand the processes that underlie instruction.
Among them is situated learning theory associated with a methodology that we are going to analyze in detail in these lines to understand its operation, its main particularities and its differences with the methods that have traditionally been used.
The theory of situated learning proposes a different way of understanding the way in which we acquire knowledge. According to this, The key underlying this methodology would be the social environment in which the learning itself is happening The opposite view would be the traditional one, which sees learning as a process in which an individual acquires knowledge propositionally.
In this sense, the key to this way of understanding pedagogy would be the sociocultural context, since it would be the driving force that would move the teaching and would give meaning to the name of the theory of situated learning, since it literally places it in contexts known to the student. of their day-to-day scope, instead of limiting themselves to talking about teaching topics in an abstract way or simply on paper.
Another key to the theory of situated learning is the importance of doing cooperative work, since the projects are carried out working as a team with a group of equals, thus making it easier for some to learn from others. This methodology favors collaborative work styles and improves relationships between project members.
The theory of situated learning was proposed by Etienne Wenger and Jean Lave within the context of communities of practice These authors saw this concept as the social procedure by which knowledge is constructed between different participants through practice itself in the context to which said knowledge belongs.
It is a vision that breaks with the classic scheme of master and apprentices. According to this new paradigm, Students would be an active part in both the acquisition and creation of knowledge, since they would be carrying it out through social practice, which is inseparable from this entire procedure. Lave and Wenger give the example of new members of a community of practice and how they interact little by little, forming part of the group, learning and teaching at the same time.
Components of situated learning theory
Author William Rankin states that in learning theory there are a series of elements that are essential. Below we can see each of them.
1. Knowledge content
Obviously, in every learning process there has to be knowledge involved. The content of that knowledge would be the first fundamental factor. In this case It is not a theoretical content that the learner has to memorize and then be evaluated but you must learn it in a practical way, through its useful application.
2. Situational context
This application must occur in a specific situational context. It will be this environment that will facilitate the acquisition of knowledge according to the theory of situated learning. It is through the context that the student will be able to have the necessary experience regarding the learning in question
3. Community of participants
The situated learning process occurs within a community. Through her, Different students will be able to develop their own experiences and also learn from those of others through a process of interaction between all of them.
4. Participation process
The last element that makes up the theory of situated learning is participation itself. It is through participation as The students exchange their ideas and opinions and thus build knowledge among all
The keys to this type of learning
If we want to get the most out of the theory of situated learning, we must take into account a series of tips that different authors have provided. Let’s review some of the most important ones.
1. Place your thoughts on the problems
The learning process begins at the same moment in which there are individuals who have encountered a problem and are trying to solve it Since in situated learning students face real problems, they will acquire knowledge throughout the entire solution process. This process is also social, it is carried out in the company of other people who also participate in it.
Authors such as Hung maintain that the potential of focusing students’ thought processes on concrete and real problems must be taken into account, as this will ensure that they carry out elaborate cognitive processes that will lead to a better generation of knowledge.
2. Take ICTs into account
Information and communication technologies are a fundamental part of our daily lives and as such we must value them in the processes related to the theory of situated learning. The authors Collins and Halverson value these technologies to improve the possible forms of interaction between participants of the community involved in learning.
They even propose the usefulness of video games as tools to create virtual learning environments that allow students to be exposed to very diverse contexts without having to leave the classroom.
3. Educated teachers in the digital age
But it is of little use to have all those technological means designed to improve the learning process if the teachers or people in charge of directing said process are not familiar with the devices or programs that are going to be used. Thus It is essential that teachers know all these elements and integrate them appropriately into the curriculum
The more realistic the digital environment that the teacher provides to the student, the more likely it will be to transfer the knowledge acquired to everyday contexts, therefore improving the acquisition of knowledge. It’s a fantastic way to gain practice before facing the world of work.
4. Constant learning
Another of the keys that accompany the theory of situated learning is that said learning does not end when the training is completed, but it must continue to be practiced with the aim of improving more and more. The more problems the student faces, whether real or virtual, the more new ideas he will generate and the easier it will be in the future to find the solution to new challenges in that field or in other similar ones.
In line with the use of ICTs, more and more educational centers are taking advantage of the advantages of teaching through the Internet. But One should not make the mistake of bombarding the student with isolated theoretical content, divided by topics Instead, the contents must be presented as totally interrelated parts. They should not be seen as small activities with no apparent connection.
The offer of training through the internet is increasingly richer and accessible to everyone. But for it to be effective and take advantage of the concepts of learning theory, it must meet the criteria we have just described.
6. The new work paradigm
Some time ago, companies chose to acquire theoretical manuals developed by a third party in order to train employees on certain issues. On the contrary, today communities of practice are created and use is made of the theory of situated learning, generating knowledge among the workers themselves through their ideas and experiences and making this an active process shared by all.
This way, instead of being bombarded with a huge amount of theoretical content, much of which you may not even use later, They will learn in a real and practical context exactly the knowledge and skills they need to efficiently carry out their tasks in the workplace.
7. The usefulness of blogs
Blogs and other digital tools can be powerful allies for students in their construction of knowledge through situated learning theory. When having to write about a topic, they must document themselves about it, carry out a research process and also learn to use different tools. Furthermore, if this process is carried out as a team, it is even more powerful.
8. Project creation
Project creation It is another way to take full advantage of the theory of situated learning Through the projects we will get the students to go one step further and put into practice all the knowledge acquired, bringing them closer to the real context that they would have in the work environment to which these teachings are intended.
