SITUATED COGNITION MAEDU (IGNOU)

🌍 Situated Cognition

Definition: Situated Cognition is the theory that knowledge is created and applied best within real-life contexts through participation and interaction. It emphasizes “learning by doing” in social and practical environments.

👤 Who Developed It?

Developed by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger in the late 1980s. Their key publication:

"Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation" (1991)

Also supported by scholars like John Seely Brown, Allan Collins, and Paul Duguid.

🕰️ When?

Originated in the late 1980s to early 1990s as a response to traditional, abstract forms of education.

⚙️ How Does It Work?

• ✅ Learning is embedded in context – not separate from real life.
• ✅ Social interaction – learning occurs through collaboration and observation.
• ✅ Active participation – learners engage with tools and tasks, not just facts.
• ✅ Authentic activities – real-world tasks help build meaningful knowledge.
• ✅ From novice to expert – through guided, increasing participation in a community.

✨ Highlighted Examples:

Context	Situated Learning Description
🧱 Marketplace	A child calculates costs while helping parents sell vegetables – practical math in context.
👨‍🍳 Cooking	One learns cooking by actual practice in the kitchen, not just by reading recipes.
🎮 Pilot Simulation	Pilots train using simulators to prepare for real scenarios – situated learning in action.
🧑‍🏫 B.Ed. Teaching	Teacher trainees gain classroom skills by actually teaching – not just learning theory.
🧪 Science Fieldwork	Students learn about pollution by collecting and testing water samples locally.

📚 Educational Significance

Situated Cognition has led to progressive practices like:

Project-based Learning Internships Role-play Collaborative Learning Field Visits

🔗 References:
1. Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation. Cambridge University Press.
2. Brown, J. S., Collins, A., & Duguid, P. (1989). Situated Cognition and the Culture of Learning. Educational Researcher, 18(1), 32-42.
3. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society. Harvard University Press.