Learning in Context

In the same way that words are given meaning by the text surrounding them, the context in which students learn is important in providing meaning and deepening understanding of the concept, procedure, information or skill that they are required to learn. Providing an environment which facilitates and enriches learning, which helps students to bridge the gap between the seemingly isolated facts and abstract learning of the classroom and the practical application of learning outside the formal education environment poses a challenge for most teachers. An important part of this challenge is coming to grips with the complexity of the learning context of the student.

Most teachers would be familiar with contextualising learning through the provision of examples in order to teach a theory or concept during lectures; through case studies and simulations in tutorials; through field trips, labs and site visits; and through work experience and practicums. While these approaches contribute to the creation of a more meaningful context for learning, are they sufficient in themselves?

The learning context is complex and might best be described as a number of different but overlapping learning contexts. These include social and cultural contexts; political and economic contexts; geographical and physical contexts; the context of the education system(s); and what might be called the personal context, or the student’s abilities, preferences and prior knowledge. How might the context of learning in laboratories or via the Internet differ for a student from a local, private high school and an international student from a developing country? For a student of industrial relations, in what ways might the learning context of a mature-age student who has been in the workforce differ from that of a student from a country school? In the study of history how would the learning contexts of an Aboriginal student differ from that of an Anglo-Australian student?

Also worthy of consideration is the learning in context of generic skills, such as writing, oral presentations, and teamwork. While these transferable skills will be of use to most graduates in whatever professional and community roles they take up after graduation, it is often argued that the most effective way for students to learn these skills is not through general writing or presentation skills courses, but in the context of the discipline. Consider, for example, the different conventions of writing a scientific paper as compared to an essay in literature, or the difference between academic writing and writing a report for a lay or business audience. How might oral presentations in the classroom prepare a law student for the courtroom or an environmental engineering student for addressing community meetings after graduation?

Some of the learning theories, philosophies and approaches related to learning in context include contextualised learning, situated learning, context-based teaching, constructivism, functional context approach, holistic learning, communities of practice, authentic learning, problem-based learning, and experiential learning. These can be explored on the Web at <http://www.gwu.edu/~tip/index.html>, <http://www.educationau.edu.au/archives/cp/04.htm> and <http://www.funderstanding.com/theories.cfm>.