An Instructional Design Framework for Authentic Learning Environments

• Published in: Educational technology research and development 2000-01, Vol.48 (3), p.23-48
• Main Authors: Herrington, Jan, Oliver, Ron
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Apprenticeship; Apprenticeships; Authentic Learning; Classrooms; Collaborative learning; College Students; Communities of practice; Computer Assisted Instruction; Computer Software Development; Distance education; Distance learning; Education; Education and psychology; Educational activities; Educational Environment; Educational sciences; Educational Technology; Higher Education; Instructional Design; Instructional Development; Knowledge; Learning; Learning Theories; Mathematics education; Multimedia; Multimedia Materials; Participation; Preservice Teachers; Psychology and learning; School environment; Situated Learning; Student Attitudes; Student Reaction; Students; Teachers; Teaching; Work environment
• ISSN: 1042-1629; 1556-6501
• DOI: 10.1007/bf02319856

The instructional technology community is in the midst of a philosophical shift from a behaviorist to a constructivist framework, a move that may begin to address the growing rift between formal school learning and real-life learning. One theory of learning that has the capacity to promote authentic learning is that of situated learning. The purpose of this three-part study was first, to identify critical characteristics of a situated learning environment from the extensive literature base on the subject; second, to operationalize the critical characteristics of a situated learning environment by designing a multimedia program that incorporated the identified characteristics; and third, to investigate students' perceptions of their experiences using a multimedia package based on a situated learning framework. The learning environment, for preservice teachers, comprised a multimedia program on assessment in mathematics together with recommended implementation conditions for the classroom. Eight students were observed and interviewed to explore their perceptions of the situated learning environment. Findings suggest that the use of the situated learning framework provided effective instructional design guidelines for the design of an environment for the acquisition of advanced knowledge.