Microsoft's famous disaster, "Bob," was an early attempt to introduce situated learning theory to mainstream computing.
In leading up to my presentation at IA Summit 2010, “Think Like an Instructional Designer,” I’m posting on the important learning theories that any interaction designer would be well served to know the basics of. Even if you are working on a project that is not explicitly “educational,” knowledge of how people absorb information and build meaning out of your content will strengthen your designs.
#1 – Situated Learning Theory (or “Situated Cognition”)
Stated simply, situated learning applications strive for learning that takes place directly in the context in which it is applied. It is one of the most powerful concepts in all of instructional design. As it was originally defined by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger in a groundbreaking 1991 work, Situated Learning. Legitimate Peripheral Participation, situatedness is really more of an epistemology of how meaning is constructed and how new knowledge structures are built rather than a specific pedagogical strategy. In Lave & Wenger’s world, all meaning is negotiated between learner and teacher, constructed in a social context of authenticity – what they call “communities of practice.” The emphasis on “peripheral,” implies that learners first exist on the outer rings of existing communities of practitioners and gradually work their way into full participation.
Rather than a person being “in” an environment (“like a cherry in a bowl,” as Dewey once put it), the activities of person and environment are viewed as parts of a mutually-constructed whole. Put simply, the inside/outside relationship between person and environment is replaced by a part/whole relationship. – Eric Bredo
Lave and Wenger were radical constructivists who sought to challenge the entire basis of institutionalized learning – classrooms, teachers, testing, and textbooks – but their theory is foundational to many other, more applied, theories of learning that are of interest to designers.
How does this theory get applied to instructional design? Well, most classroom learning is, by definition out of context. Applied examples of situated cognition in the instructional design field often advocate for complex social learning environments or interdisciplinary anchoring across subject domains. But there are simple principles to make any learning environment more “situated:”
- Present in an authentic context
- Encourage social interaction and collaboration
- Consider material as tools that are used, not concepts that are read
The emphasis here is both on the social and the authentic- which differentiates the theory from other theories about contextualized and participatory learning (such as learning-by-doing theory, for instance) Why does it matter to an interaction designer? Hmm.. a theory that tries to topple the ideas behind traditional classroom learning, the instructor’s monopoly of knowledge and the emphasis on one-way transmission of ideas? A theory that seeks to leverage the power of communities with shared interests and skills in order to foster learning and growth? Sounds sort of like the internet, doesn’t it?
Rosetta Stone uses a lot of images for context, but it is generally a poor example of situatedness. Here one learns the Chinese language over pictures of rodeo cowboys and european bicycle racing.
The Alelo tactical language simulators for the US armed forces are extremely situated. Soldiers participate in highly realistic, tactical missions either alone or in groups while learning basic Arabic.
Pervasive or "environmental" computing is perfect for situated learning applications. The Sports Bytes application teaches basic physics at sporting events using the Jumbo-tron screens and the cell phones of young fans.
A simple yet brilliant use of situated cognition. The Safari 7 project uses podcasts (and other media) – to create a platform where commuters, school children, subway operators can connect to New York City’s ecosystems as they travel through it on the 7 train.
A simple, but situated place to learn the Leadership Challenge is on the LinkedIN group of the same name. Leaders of different levels across companies share their experiences. Few fields have embraced situated learning theory like organizational development.
Further Reading:
Excellent post on Situated Learning Theory at InFed.org (communities of practice)
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