Situated Learning Experiences Research Articles

Extracurricular Activities for Entrepreneurial Learning: A Typology Based on Learning Theories

Extracurricular activities are increasingly being recognized for developing practical skills among entrepreneurial learners and connecting entrepreneurship curricula with real life. They offer socially situated learning experiences that can be cognitively stimulating and elicit reflective practices. However, the theoretical and pedagogical underpinnings of extracurricular activities in entrepreneurship are still in early stages, with their contribution towards entrepreneurship education requiring more empirical support. Moreover, current entrepreneurship pedagogies lack a much-needed integration of ecosystem actors’ inputs, who posses specific expertise with regards to extracurricular entrepreneurial activities. To address these issues, this study gathered the views of entrepreneurship mentors, consultants, and investors on the extracurricular activities that can be deployed to improve the skills of entrepreneurial learners, through conducting 22 in-depth interviews with experts from 13 countries across the world. We analyzed the results through a hybrid, inductive and deductive, approach. The experts recommended 34 extracurricular activities, that were discursively mapped against relevant learning theories: cognitive, experiential, social, situated, and existential. The study adds to the limited theoretical discussion on the origins of extracurricular activities and paves the way for theoretical evaluations in entrepreneurship education. It can aid educators in effectively integrating extracurricular activities in their curricula to better develop students’ entrepreneurial competences.

ANALYZING GIT LOG IN AN CODE-QUALITY AWARE AUTOMATED PROGRAMMING ASSESSMENT SYSTEM: A CASE STUDY

Automated programming assessment systems have transformed the evaluation of programming assignments, providing detailed feedback and reducing instructors' workload. This paper explores the benefits of Git log analysis in ProgEdu, a code-quality aware automated programming assessment system. ProgEdu was utilized for assessing Java homework assignments and web programming projects over two semesters. The integration of Git log analysis in ProgEdu highlights its potential in tracking student progress, predicting performance, determining student groups based on submission behaviors, identifying inequality in group projects, and facilitating instructors' intervention. The study emphasizes the importance of enhancing software industrial practices in programming courses, including code version control, static code quality checking, unit testing, and automation tools. By incorporating these practices, students benefit from hands-on learning and situated learning experiences. Embracing these practices enhances the learning experience, improves student performance, and fosters a collaborative programming environment. It highlights the benefits for students and instructors, urging institutions to invest in software industrial practices and demonstrating the potential impact on programming education.

Editing machine-generated subtitle templates: A situated subtitler training experience

Automation technologies have altered media localisation workflows as much as practitioners’ workstations and habits. Subtitling systems and streaming services now often integrate built-in automatic speech recognition (ASR) engines, sometimes even combined with machine translation engines, to produce subtitles from audio tracks. The rise of post-editors in the audiovisual translation (AVT) sector, specifically subtitling, has been a reality for some time, thus triggering the need for up-to-date training methods and academic curricula. This article examines the uses and applications of editing practices for machine-generated timed transcriptions in subtitler training environments. A situated learning experience was designed for an international team of eight AVT trainees and three educators to edit raw machine-generated subtitles (both inter- and intra-lingually) for educational videos. The publication of an accessible video book by a publishing house was the ultimate objective of this project, undertaken by an international team of English- and Spanish-speaking postgraduate students and graduates. The feedback collated after this experience through an online questionnaire proved paramount to understanding the use of subtitle post-editing for ASR-produced templates in AVT education. Interestingly, most respondents believed that subtitle post-editing training, be it intralingual or interlingual, should be further embedded in translation curricula while also identifying bottlenecks that AVT educators may find useful when developing activities of this nature.

A conceptual framework for understanding the learning processes integral to the development of responsible management practice

PurposeThis paper aims to examines responsible management (RM) practice and the learning processes that underpin its development. It presents a conceptual framework to highlight the relationship between the learning experience of the individual and their capacity to develop responsible practice.Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper synthesises knowledge from studies of how managers learn for ethical and responsible practice. A scoping review of peer-reviewed academic papers was conducted using key search terms that included “responsible management learning” (RML), “ethics”, “Human Resource Development (HRD)”, “responsible management (RM)”, “responsible leadership (RL)” and “work-based learning”. Analysis resulted in development of a conceptual framework of RML processes.FindingsThe review of studies concerned with how individuals learn to manage “responsibly” identified a range of learning processes that are necessary for the development of responsible practice. These learning processes are presented in a conceptual model that offers insights for the design of HRD interventions. Learning for responsible practice is presented as occurring in learning spaces where the learner/manager experiences a combination of learning processes. These are found to include situated, social and experiential learning that is “transformative”, potentially “troublesome” and “reflexive” such that learners develop responsible values and practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper contributes to the field of management development by focussing on the intersection between what is known about how individuals learn for ethical and responsible practice and the implications for work-based learning pedagogies. The paper will be of interest to HRD professionals tasked with fostering a responsible and ethical culture within organisations.Practical implicationsFor HRD practitioners, this paper highlights the importance of work-based learning intervention design. What is suggested is that not all HRD interventions are likely to provide the learning conditions required for the development of “responsible practice”. A review of research into RML points to the need for interventions that offer a deep, personal, situated and transformative learning experience. There are organisational implications that arise from the type of learning found to develop responsible practice. For example, facilitating managers skills and awareness of how they learn such as: developing reflective practices and supporting developmental/collaborative networks that examine existing workplace practices. HRD professionals will need to recognise the need to support individual's learning for responsible practice given that it may entail questioning existing practice, and confronting troublesome knowledge, such as recognising where areas of irresponsibility exist. This may have implications for wider HR practices such as line management support, reward and performance management.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the field of management development by focussing on the intersection between what is known about how individuals learn for ethical and responsible practice and the implications for work-based learning pedagogies. The paper will be of interest to HRD professionals tasked with fostering a responsible and ethical culture within organisations.

Participation in subsistence activities and maintenance of traditional skills among indigenous youth in the South Rupununi, Guyana

Over the past few decades, issues including globalization and the transition to the cash economy have increasingly hindered the transmission of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in Indigenous communities throughout the world. The imparting of TEK across generations of Indigenous Peoples is essential in sustaining cultural practices and to maintaining their subsistence lifestyles. In this study, we used semi-structure interviews to assess the level of participation in subsistence activities and acquisition of subsistence skills among Indigenous children in Guyana. We also assessed whether the level of participation or acquisition of skills was explained by location and social characteristics such as age, gender, occupation of mother/father. We found that Indigenous children in the South Rupununi are highly involved in subsistence activities and the majority conserves subsistence related skills. Traditional gears, such as the bow and arrow are still dominant among Indigenous children in South Rupununi, particularly for hunting purposes, but also for fishing. Results also suggest that children’s participation (through work or play) in subsistence activities are key to the acquisition of subsistence knowledge and skills. Among indigenous children in South Rupununi, participation to subsistence activities varies according to gender and is linked to the main occupation of the parents. While participation in subsistence activities is primarily motivated by the need to search for food, those activities are also explicitly described as providing opportunities for skill development and as sources of fun or amusement. The study concludes by advocating the need to revive connections to subsistence ways of life and the integration of more situated learning experiences within the regular school curriculum for indigenous youth.

Professional development partnership between urban middle school science teachers and informal science institutions

ABSTRACT Background This study explored science teachers’ participation in a professional development partnership with informal science institutions (ISIs) designed for urban middle school science teachers, known as the Urban Advantage Science Initiative. The teacher training involved a whole school focused approach, providing teaching strategies, collaborative situated experiences, and specific classroom resources for implementing and guiding science explorations both at ISIs and in the formal classroom. The conceptual framework for the study incorporated a situated perspective model with situated, social, and distributed cognition. Purpose This long-term situated learning model engaged teachers in over 100 hours of training over five years, with an option to continue in select educational activities in subsequent years. Training was held at eight ISIs in New York City. The purpose of the study was to analyze impacts on teachers’ pedagogical philosophies and practices. Sample The ways teachers translated program principles into their practice was investigated through interviews with nine teachers and three administrators (N = 12) to provide broadened perspectives. The teacher sample was drawn from a larger group of 253 teachers with at least four years of experience in the program. Design/Methods The data of this phenomenological qualitative study were examined and integrated with the a priori conceptual framework to create an emergent explanatory framework for changing pedagogical practice and teacher motivation through a schoolwide professional development partnership with ISIs. This framework included two major components: 1) improved teacher motivation, and 2) pedagogical change. Results Teacher motivation was heightened because of their situated learning experiences at ISIs, the positive changes in their science pedagogy, and their involvement in a professional community of like-minded science educators. Conclusion As a result of this whole-school focused program that included specific roles for teachers and administrators, the long term, sustained ISI-based professional development model improved teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions of science teaching practices.

A homemade laboratory applied to the phytoremediation of textile dyes by high school students in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT Biosphere contamination is a current environmental and social issue that must be included in the school programme. It is essential that students recognise their responsibility, and be knowledgeable about the generation and reduction of environmental pollution. Dyes are usually used in school activities and discharged into household effluents, constituting potential toxic agents. To offer solutions to this problem, it was proposed to evaluate the ability of Lemna sp. plants to remove synthetic dyes. For this, activities that require accessible resources and minimum safety precautions were designed, which could be carried out by students at home in the virtual education modality imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The practical experience integrated theoretical-practical contents from different disciplines, achieving a true interdisciplinary dialogue. The use of Lemna sp. secured a fast and significant dye decolourisation, demonstrating the importance of biodiversity in the attenuation of environmental changes due to anthropogenic activities. This experience allowed us to arrive at an interdisciplinary, significant and situated learning experience through the implementation of the scientific method.

Digital Technologies for Heritage Teaching: Trend Analysis in New Realities

The irruption of digital technologies in social contexts and their integration in educa-tion has led to new learning environments where the communication, interaction and access to knowledge are an essential part of the educational process. This paper shows a literature review and mapping of the most important technological tools used in the contexts where heritage teaching has been conducted in the last decade. For this aim developed a bibliometric analysis of scientific publications in high impact journals through selective searches in the specialized databases Scopus and Science Direct. The findings show trends in the educational practice approach regarding herit-age, integrating emerging technologies such as augmented reality, 3D modelling, arti-ficial intelligence, QR coding and virtual reality that offer situated and immersive learning experiences on mobile apps and web-based platforms. From the studies analyzed in different contexts, it is concluded that the integration of digital technolo-gies in the teaching and heritage appropriation is a field that in recent years shows a clear increase, so that it is necessary to consider the potential of these tools in it’s diffusion, teaching and preservation to strengthen existing work lines and open up possibilities to future studies.

Competition and Cognition: Theorizing an Autopoietic Pedagogy of Performance within Competitive Dance

ABSTRACT Acknowledging criticisms of the values supported by competitive dance, this article seeks to develop and advocate a pedagogical reframing of the event in terms of situated learning and mediated learning experience. Making sense of the competitive experience with the contributions of 4E (embodied, embedded, extended, and enactive) cognition theory, understandings of the potentially transformative phenomena of performative impulse and performative affect are advanced. Employing theoretical frameworks from 4E cognition including autopoiesis, affective scaffolding, skilled intentionality, and meshed architecture, competitive dance is presented as a site of situated cognition that enhances the intensity, and therefore the transformative potential, of performative affect. Examples of reframed situated and mediated learning experiences are presented to explicate the theoretical underpinnings of a pedagogy of performance developed for the competitive context with applications extending beyond it.

Entrepreneurial learning in extra-curricular start-up programs for students

PurposeThis study focuses on extra-curricular start-up programs for students at higher educational institutions. It explores the social and situated learning experiences of students who participate in start-up programs, as well as how the processes and outcomes of entrepreneurial learning are potentially shaped by this context.Design/methodology/approachThe study follows multiple cohorts of students who have participated in an extra-curricular start-up program managed by three collaborating universities in Greater Copenhagen. The data have been inductively analyzed using semi-structured interviews with students and project managers during and after the start-up program, complemented with project progress reports, observation notes and survey data.FindingsThe analysis generates a grounded, theoretically informed process model of entrepreneurial learning situated in extra-curricular start-up programs. The model depicts how the immersion, comprehension and co-participation in entrepreneurship as social practice subsequently enables students to expand knowledge structures and develop greater self-confidence in performing entrepreneurship. The model identifies three interconnected components that trigger entrepreneurial learning among students, which allow them to acquire two set of competencies: venture creation competencies and enterprising competencies.Originality/valueThe findings offer unique insights into how the social and relational environment influence and shape the learning experience of students, hence filling the research void on entrepreneurial learning in the situated context of extra-curricular enterprise activities. The findings also elucidate how individual learning experiences of students are potentially shaped by the immersion, comprehension and co-participation in entrepreneurship as social practice.

Wearables of the past and the future: an immersive and cross-cultural learning experience of undergraduate students in an international design collaboration

Short term, collaborative, immersive and situated learning experiences through cross cultural design projects are key to elevating design students’ global perspectives and ability to perform in international contexts. In this article we examine students’ experiences during an international study tour that took Australian university undergraduates to collaborate with peer students in a design project at a university in Colombia. Our examination identifies three key dimensions contributing to the enhancement of students’ global perspectives: 1) intercultural engagement through peer-to-peer exchange, 2) cross cultural collaboration during remote and immersive design work, and 3) immersing in place-based experiences that enable cultural sensitivity. An analysis of students’ essays and design work demonstrates how these three dimensions were fundamental to broaden their worldviews and ability to perform globally. In the context of increasing participation of graduates from the Creative Industries in the global economy, this article contributes to the discourse about the value of short-term mobility programs in Design in Higher Education.

Designing an Artificial Agent for Cognitive Apprenticeship Learning of Elevator Pitch in Virtual Reality

Developing social skills like elevator pitch requires being situated within authentic activities and contexts, which is difficult to achieve on a daily basis. In this work, we explore whether an artificial agent with embodied feedback in virtual reality (VR) can foster a situated learning experience. Previous works on computer-mediated feedback have shown that VR can foster oral presentation competence for preuniversity and junior undergraduates through delivering feedback. However, it is unclear how well the learning experiences are and how well students perceive an artificial coach in VR, especially for senior undergraduates and postgraduates seeking job and research opportunities. To inform the design of such a system, we conducted interviews with experts and observed real elevator pitches. We then designed a proof-of-concept VR coaching system with three embodied feedback strategies: immediate, after-action, and the combination of both. Through a between-subject experiment with 40 participants, we studied learners’ perceptions under the embodied feedback. We found that receiving embodied feedback can create a stronger sense of cognitive apprenticeship, i.e., coaching and helping from experts, and help improve the perception of the artificial agent and the effect of learning. We further investigated the pros and cons of different strategies and discussed room for improvement.

Learning about ‘inclusive’ pedagogies through a special school placement

ABSTRACT Background It is well-established that traditional approaches to initial teacher education do not adequately prepare physical education (PE) teachers for teaching pupils with disabilities. Consequently, pupils with disabilities participate less frequently and in fewer PE activities than their age peers. School-based placements, which form a cornerstone of the professional socialisation phase of teacher education, can help to prepare prospective and pre-service teachers for the demands of working in educational settings. We should not assume, though, that placing prospective or pre-service PE teachers in a school impacts positively on learning about inclusive pedagogies and, consequently, the educational experiences of pupils with disabilities. Purpose We used a special school placement and created opportunities for students to critically reflect on situated learning experiences to challenge normative perceptions of pedagogy and facilitate their learning about more inclusive approaches to teaching and learning. Specifically, we explore the influence of a special school placement on prospective PE teachers’ learning about inclusive pedagogies. Methodology Twenty-six first year undergraduate students, all of whom aspired to become PE teachers, participated in focus group interviews and were selected because they had attended a placement in a special school. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Findings The findings were underpinned by situated learning theory and suggested, for the first time in research terms, that through a special school placement prospective PE teachers learned about: adapting activities; breaking activities into smaller, more manageable parts; demonstrating activities; pacing the delivery of activities; when to repeat activities; non-verbal communication; and managing disruptive behaviours. We conclude by arguing that this pedagogical learning will contribute to preparing our participants for teacher education programmes and a career teaching PE, given that it aligns with the criteria used to judge the performance of pre- and in-service teachers in England (see Department for Education (DfE). 2011. Teachers’ Standards. London: DfE. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/665520/Teachers__Standards.pdf). Thus, we advocate for such placements to become a more frequent feature of the learning experiences of prospective and pre-service teachers. However, we do question and therefore call for future research that explores the longer-term influence and transferability of what is learned during special school placements.

“Frozen Up Like an Ice Cube!”: The Influence of Situated Learning on Pre-Service Teachers' Cultural and Linguistic Awareness

The overall goal of this study was to explore the influence of situated learning experiences on pre-service teachers' perceptions and understandings of their future Arab students. This study investigated in part the interaction between culturally diverse families and pre-service teachers. It also explored changes in pre-service teachers’ attitudes and knowledge, their perceived applications of the situated experience to their future teaching, and the families’ reactions to this experience. Twelve Arab families volunteered to host 25 pre-service teachers as participants of this study. Results showed that the situated learning experience helped the pre-service teachers develop their cultural knowledge as well as learn about Arab families, Arab culture, and their future classrooms. The study concluded that the experience helped the pre-service teachers gain new knowledge, positive attitudes, and some ideas for their future diverse classrooms. It offered a great opportunity for families to explore how important it is to meet with teachers and it also empowered pre-service teachers with some powerful authentic experiences including meeting the family, sharing their knowledge, exploring their understandings, and discussing and comparing their knowledge with each other.

Augmented reality in patient education and health literacy: a scoping review protocol.

BackgroundHealth literacy enables the patients in understanding the basic healthcare information and taking informed health decisions; thus, it is a desirable goal of any healthcare system. It increases patients’ adherence to treatment, improves the quality of care and eases the overall burden on the healthcare system. In recent years, technological solutions are being increasingly used in educating patients and achieving better health literacy. Augmented reality (AR) provides powerful, contextual and situated learning experiences and supplements the real world with virtual objects. AR could potentially be an effective learning methodology for the patients, thus, warranting a comprehensive overview of the current state of AR in patient education and health literacy.MethodsThe proposed scoping review will be based on the framework developed by Arksey and O’Malley, including the refinements suggested by Levac et al. A systematic search for references in the published literature will be conducted in nine research databases—Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and Association for Information Systems eLibrary (AISeL). The unpublished studies from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Conference Proceedings Citation Index and grey literature references obtained from a web search will also be included. Databases will be searched from inception to 14 January 2020. Two independent reviewers will screen the studies from the search results in two successive stages of title/abstract screening followed by full-text screening. Data variables will be extracted from the selected studies to characterise study design, type of AR technology employed and the relational factors affecting patient education. Lastly, key stakeholders will be consulted to gather their insights about the study findings.Ethics and disseminationThe results will be disseminated through stakeholder meetings and conference presentations. The data used are from publicly available secondary sources, so this study does not require ethical review.

Designing situated learning experiences for smart cities: the Inf@nziaDigiTales3.6 experience

ABSTRACT This paper reports the results of the Inf@nziaDigiTales3.6 project on the design, development and evaluation of an augmented reality application to support situated learning experiences in a smart city. The users of the application are primary school children and the case study refers to recognition of road signs as geometric shapes. The objective is to allow children to comprehend the meaning of road signs of a city and to guide them in the recognition of the geometric shapes and colors connected to these signs. The mobile application is based on the paradigm of games and uses a virtual character with the role of intelligent tutor. The results of the evaluation confirm the expected benefits related to the adoption of augmented reality and mobile technologies, mainly in terms of involvement, pleasantness and willingness to repeat the experience. The results show that the re-mediation of augmented reality and the intelligent tutoring system have influenced the memorization processes of figures and colors, as well as of the contents of most of the signals presented. The application has been also deployed on smart glasses and shown in the context of an international event for children and teenagers, the Giffoni Film Festival 1 2018.

GENDERED PATTERNS IN SENIOR ENGINEERS’ LEADERSHIP LEARNING

In this paper, we present findings from a secondary gender analysis of interviews conducted for a larger study examining how senior engineers learn to lead over the course of their careers [7, 36-37]. In particular, we analyze a subset of career history interviews conducted for the larger study—four male and four female participants paired by career stage and organizational context—through a gendered lens. In the end, we identified 4 themes that differentiated the experiences of male and female engineers in our sample: 1) Explicit mentions of gender, 2) Mobility, 3) Enacting leadership, and 4) Response to failure. With an understanding that gender can impact experiences implicitly and in ways that are highly contextualized, we explore subtle gender dynamics in engineers’ situated leadership learning opportunities and experiences.

The Self stepping into the shoes of the Other: Understanding and developing self-perceptions of empathy among prospective physical education teachers through a special school placement

Teachers who demonstrate a high degree of empathy are said to have more positive attitudes towards pupils with disabilities. Therefore, this article sought to explore the influence of a special school placement on prospective teachers’ self-perceptions of empathy. Thirty-two final year undergraduate students participated in focus group interviews and were selected because they aspired to be a physical education teacher and had attended a placement in a special school. Interview transcripts were analysed and the following themes constructed: Stepping into the shoes of the Other; Frustrated ‘for’ not ‘with’ pupils with disabilities; Empathy for planning inclusive lessons and ‘reading’ pupil body language; and Knowing when not to show empathy. All prospective teachers felt that: (a) they could empathise with pupils with disabilities; (b) situated learning experiences within the placement enabled them to reflect on the ways in which their empathy influences their teaching now and could continue to do so in the future; and (c) it was important that teachers demonstrated empathy. Thus, it is recommended that all prospective teachers gain some experience teaching in special schools. Our research also warns against teachers claiming the last, conclusive word about who children with disabilities are, what they think, how they feel and what they want, in myriad contexts and situations.

How various material resources facilitate science identity work for girls in a research apprenticeship program

Situated learning experiences such as research apprenticeships can help connect girls to the sciences, ultimately helping to achieve gender equity in the science workforce. The material resources available in research apprenticeships—such as research equipment, field gear, etc.—may be particularly consequential for building identification with science, as they are abundant and frequently hold disciplinary authenticity. However, most sociocultural studies of research apprenticeships have focused on cognitive-ideational or social aspects rather than on the material aspects of the learning setting. This paper investigates the association between different types of science-related material resources in the context of a geoscience and biology-focused research apprenticeship program for girls. The study employed a qualitative approach, drawing on theoretical constructs of communities of practice, identity resources, and identity work to inform program design and analysis. Our findings highlight specific ways that instruments, specialized clothing, specimens, artifacts, and physical settings of science intersect with science-related affect, science learning, and a sense of “feeling like a scientist.” The results imply that practitioners both in and out of the classroom should privilege agentic use of tools when working with all learners, but especially girls. Further, the types of material resources selected in learning settings are critically important, as different types of material resources afford different types of identity work. In particular, using materials that hold disciplinary authenticity, when coupled with learning about how scientists use those same instruments, helps girls “feel like scientists,” an important part of becoming a science apprentice.

One situation doesn’t fit all: Variability and stability of state willingness to communicate in a Chinese College English classroom

Willingness to communicate (WTC) used to be studied as a relatively stable, trait-like predisposition; however, recently attention has shifted to the more dynamic, state-like components of WTC. This research investigates variability and stability in state WTC, particularly focusing on within-person variability, which may lead to stable between-person differences, and situational antecedents that can either promote or hinder state WTC in L2 classrooms. To investigate whether, how and why state WTC varies over time, this study used a high-density repeated measurement design and a group of Chinese university students to describe fluctuations in state WTC in English classrooms over one semester. Data related to state WTC and selected situational antecedents were collected through a self-report questionnaire and statistically analysed. It was found that state WTC varied systematically within the person across the semester, and this variability was systematically related to changes in the psychological properties of the learning situations (e.g. teacher and peer support, task-interest, and task-importance). It was also found that within-person variability in state WTC predicted language learning performance, e.g. students whose state WTC increased as a function of perceived task interest tended to achieve higher grades at the end of the semester. This study calls for more attention to be directed at within-person variability in state WTC, and provides novel insights into how relationships between state WTC and its situational antecedents may be investigated within individuals. This work is of interest to researchers and practitioners who aim to enhance L2 learners’ state WTC and language learning performance by systematically shaping their situated learning experience.