Conclusion and Future Direction

Abstract

Situated learning, reflection-in-action, and mindfulness are three distinct fields that are brought together in this monograph to illustrate how learners in a situated learning environment can engage in mindful practice to enhance their ability to reflect-in-action and overall reflective practice. Expanding on theorists’ work in experiential learning and sociocultural theory, the theory of situated cognition and situated learning evolved, grounded in the idea that learning and cognition are dependent upon the context in which they are embedded (Herrington and Oliver 2000; Brown et al. 1989). In a situated learning environment, learners participate in authentic tasks, often through means of apprenticeships, anchored instruction, or computer-mediated simulations. Designing instruction for situated learning can be difficult as authentic environments are often unpredictable and vary greatly across situations and disciplines (Winn 1993). To support situated learners in facing these ill-structured problems and unique environments, it has been suggested that it is essential to develop skills that transfer across environments (Winn 1993). By integrating strategies to promote reflective practice and mindfulness in the design of situated learning environments, instructional designers can use this model to address many of the challenges faced in the variable and uncertain environments that arise within situated learning.