Situated cognition theory, developed by Lave and Wenger (1991), takes social interaction a step further. This theory does not regard learning as the acquisition of knowledge but rather that learning a subject is a process of becoming a member of that subject’s community. Learning, therefore, is seen as an active process and occurs when ‘learners’ participate in real-world situated contexts. It involves not only knowledge but also the behaviours and values inherent in the community; context and culture impact on learning, the implication being that learning experiences need to be culturally and contextually authentic.
Following this theory, the role of the teacher is to set up learning environments where students can be initiated into the practices, community and discourse of the subject – that is, not learning history but becoming historians. Similarly, your learning – seen through this theory – is about becoming a member of the community of teachers, feeling a sense of belonging and having an ability to communicate with others in the community through shared meanings.
Teachers aligned with situated cognition theory:
The principles of situated cognition can be observed in practice in many classrooms.
Think about what it means to be a member of your own subject community:
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