Situated Cognition Theory: An Introduction

            In these times of COVID-19, the question on many educators minds is how can we use Information Communication Tools (ICT) to ensure my students are learning and what are the different ways these tools can be utilized?  Educators are well aware that learning, especially in the early years, lays the foundation for the development of knowledge and skills.  There are numerous learning theories employed by teachers to help them plan for the learning outcomes of their students.  In an online teaching and learning environment, the use of  situated cognition theory is both necessary and relevant. Situated learning refers to an educational approach that is helping to close the gap between informal learning of the independent learner and formal learning based on theoretical learning from teachers.  In Brown, Collins & Duguid (1996), they discuss the situation cognition theory and that meaning and knowledge are not to be separated from actions and situations. This theory is based on the way conceptual knowledge and critical application of competencies can be accomplished through culture, activites and contexts that permit learners to expand on and apply their prior knowledge in an independent manner.  This can also be carried out within a community of learners. It is therefore important that educators come to the conclusion that people learn by doing or being involved in a task which is both engaging and helps to support the content being learnt (ECFS2030 Unit 2, 2020). 

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            This learning process is referred to experiential learning and is believed by theorists such as David Kolb and John Dewey. However, both Lev Vygotsky and Alexei Leont'ev, are owed an intellectual debt for the current approaches being used for situated cognition.  Vygotsky focused on sign systems and social interaction in one's intellectual development.  He believed that a person's mind is made by way of  a number of processes and is based on internalization between the social  plane and the cognitive plane of  their thoughts.  Leont'ev took this a step further and added that face-to-face interrelations can be found within cultural practices which is composed of a wider context of intellectual development (Cobb, 2001).

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Aspects of the Situated Cognition Theory

            When teachers use this method, learners are supported in acquiring the skills necessary by working alongside the teacher.  Teachers model the task or concept for the students to help them gain a deeper understanding of the steps they need to follow. Students can be coached when the subject matter allows where the teacher after encouraging students to complete an assignment, asks questions and gives feedback on their work.  This helps learners to know and comprehend where they went wrong, how they might have accomplished things in a different manner to boost their skills and help the student to obtain a higher level to help them move on to more difficult concepts. Teachers scaffold students by putting methods and strategies into practice to help grow their learners educational experiences.  This can be done through games, activities and group tasks. Teachers observe learners and are able to assess the knowledge and skills they have gained. Articulation is another step that teachers use to talk about what they know on the subject matter.  They can also verbally explain how they solved a problem.  Other types of articulation commonly used are critical thinking, inquiry learning and thinking out loud.  The teacher is then able to give guidance and feedback on their ideas (Pappas, 2015).

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Situated Cognition Theory when Teaching Science to a Standard 1 Class

            Teacher modelling can be done in an online setting by the teacher creating eLearning activities or tutorials for children to view in advance of coming together. Step-by-step guidance can be given to complete a task and students can work at their own pace to complete.  Coaching can be implemented online via teacher feedback on a posted assignment or even through responses from class peers who may want to share a different method or approach they used.  This can encourage student interaction and foster class bonding. Scaffolding happens in any lesson that encourages social interaction through group work or joint activities  in an online learning environment. The teacher serves as the facilitator and guides the process. They observe the learners and are able to assess the knowledge and skills gained by the students.  Articulation is another step that teachers use to talk about what they know on the subject matter.  They can also verbally explain how they solved a problem.  Articulation is commonly used through the teacher encouraging students to use critical thinking skills, ask specific question through inquiry learning and thinking out loud.  Within an online classroom setting, a teacher is able to ask learners to express their thinking when trying to solve a problem.  The teacher is then able to give guidance and feedback on their ideas and other students who are also working on the same problem can share their ideas and understanding.

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ICT-mediated Instruction & The Situated Cognition Theory in Conclusion

            Through the use of ICT in the classrooms, many teachers are exploring positive steps they can implement in their classrooms to facilitate education.  The face of education has changed and will continue to evolve dramatically by information technologies and this fact should not be ignored. The school, as a body, must become a part of this change with research being carried out with the assumption that technology will continue to be an ever expanding element within schools.  Educators are being forced to rethink and change their pedagogical practices and modify their conventional learning environments in an effort to create learning that is contextual, authentic, collaborative, inquiry-driven and creative in nature.  Through the use of the situated cognition theory being implemented, students will gain knowledge and utilize technology to a greater extent and be able to complete tasks that they are very likely to face in the real world environment.  Students will no longer be passive learners (ECFS2030 Unit 2, 2020).

 

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References

Brown, J.S., Collins, A., & Duguid, P. (1996). Situated cognition and the culture of learning. In McLellan, H. (Ed.), Situated learning perspectives, (pp.19-44). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications

 

Cobb, P. (2001). Situated cognition origins. In International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, (pp. 14126-14129). Pergamon.

 

ECFS2030 Information and Communication Technology in Education (2020). Unit 2: Learning Theories That Guide ICT-mediated Learning [Essential reading]. UWI Open Campus

 

Pappas, C. (2015). The impact of situated cognition in eLearning. https://elearningindustry.com/impact-of-situated-cognition-in-elearning