Sasha Barab's theoretical inspirations: situated cognition

Theoretical Inspirations

-- situated cognition, anchored instruction

Situated cognition is a recent term for a family of research efforts that explain cognition, including problem solving, sense making, understanding transfer of learning, and creativity, in terms of the relationship between learners and the properties of specific environments. From a situated perspective, it becomes impossible, and irrelevant, to separate the learner, the material to be learned, and the context in which learning occurs.

Situated cognition stands in sharp contrast to both schema theories and behaviorist theories. According to schema theories, knowledge is solely contained within the learner (represented in memory as schemata or mental models). In Behaviorist theories, cognition also plays a less central role.

The significant impact of the theories of situated cognition on instructional practices can be seen in the instructional approach called anchored instruction. Anchored instruction refers to instruction in which the material to be learned is presented in the context of an authentic event that serves to anchor or situate the material and, further, allows it to be examined from multiple perspectives. The most prominent contributors to anchored instruction is the Cognition & Technology Group at Vanderbilt (CTGV).

Sasha Barab & Thomas Duffy (2000). From Practice Fields to Communities of Practice.

Sasha A. Barab and Anita Landa. (1997). Designing effective interdisciplinary anchors.

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Last updated July 10, 1998
URL: http://inkido.indiana.edu/research/situate.html
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