Activity 4_Situated Learning

Situated Learning_Reflection

A First Look into Situated Learning

By Sergio Méndez

The implementation of traditional teaching methods might cloud the view of other factors that influence the learning processes. It is important to consider different perspectives concerning learning, which can be beneficial for learners and educators. Enhancing social relationships in learning communities can improve the way knowledge and skills are enhanced by the learners. The situated learning theory provides an insight into what these advantages might be and what it is required in order to achieve social learning.

According to Smith (1999), learning is not only acquiring structures or models as part of the learning process. Learners have to participate in different social structures that are based on certain schemes. These structures are found in social interactions which lead to social learning. Smith refers to such interactions as participation in a community of practice. A community of practice is a learning environment where students can gain knowledge of something new by observing the older members’ behavior and interacting with them.

In addition, Smith (1999) suggests that people in a social environment learn by observing others’ behavior. The social interactions also provide individuals with cognitive processes by observing and interacting with older members in a group. These interactions and cognitive processes allow learners perceive consequences of others’ actions. These social interactions function not only as an indicative of what can be performed in certain situations, but also as a guide for the newcomers in a group of how to act and what the possible consequences of these actions might be.

Furthermore, Smith (1999) states that there are some disadvantages individual learning. He argues that individual learning can become arduous and dangerous. In other words, individual learning is self-centered with little or no social learning benefits.  Nevertheless, he adds, that observation of human behavior is the key to decode the information transmitted in such behaviors and build new behaviors which would guide further actions.

Smith (1999) explains that combining remembering and participating is a key behavioral aspect for enhancing social learning. He defines this combination as rehearsal. He describes this rehearsal as the self regulating measure of one’s behavior. In this process, individuals observe their own behavior and compare it to their own cognitive representation in order to prepare themselves for being part of a larger group. With this, Smith (1999) recognizes that learning goes beyond the bare acquisition of knowledge. It is a process of social participation, and its development is extensively influenced by the nature of such social interaction.

Smith (1999) believes that being involved in learning societies is unavoidable for learners. He notes that full participation of newcomer learners in social cultural practices of a community improves their knowledge and skills. Smith (1999) suggests that legitimate peripheral participation allows the opportunity to bring together the new and the old members in a community. He states that activities, identities, artifacts, and communities of knowledge and practice are reinforced by peripheral participation. In accordance with Smith (1999), becoming a full participant in a social-cultural practice engages the learners’ intentions to learn and improves their knowledgeable skills.

So as to be full member in a learning community, Smith (1999) estimates that there are some factors which determine this process. Among these factors are the learners’ identity, their ability to speak, act and improvise in such way that contributes for the community wellbeing. This conveys a full commitment in the process to form a social learning community from both new and old members. The heart of this process is to develop ways to learn, evolve and renew the relations among the social group members and strengthen the relation person-learning.

Smith (2003, 2009), provides a view into the grounds for situated learning. He claims that there are two main assertions concerning this topic. The first states that abstract, general, or knowledge out of context is meaningless. The second suggests that knowledge and learning are located in communities of practice. However, there are some aspects which seem to contradict Smith’s perspective.

For instance, the possibility of learning occurring separate to a specific context or life situation can take place. This does not necessarily mean that neither knowledge nor skill is neither acquired nor or developed. Concerning the second assertion, there is the possibility of a learning community being fragile in terms of relationships among its members. This would discourage the attempts of partaking and contributing in the learning community members. In this case, knowledge is diminished as consequence of the poor interactions among the members in the learning community.

As for how situated learning can potentially benefit my receiving institution and my social service, I agree with Smith (2003, 2009). Social interactions are inherent to a better learning process. As in the process suggested previously, I believe that I am in the position of newcomer trying its way into the social group already established in the academic-administrative department in my receiving institution. Consequently, the relation between both parts has to be strengthened by participating in this social interaction. The outcome of this relation can benefit both parts, I as a social server and an observer of the situation studied in my receiving institution in terms of data collecting and analysis, and the institution by providing it with some suggestions for remedial work concerning the issue which is being dealt.

Reference:

Smith, M. K. (1999) 'The social/situational orientation to learning', the encyclopedia of informal education, Retrieved from www.infed.org/biblio/learning-social.htm, Last updated: December 01, 2011.

Smith, M. K. (2003, 2009) 'Communities of practice', the encyclopedia of informal education, Retrieved from www.infed.org/biblio/communities_of_practice.htm