Authentic Learning Supported by Technology: Ten suggestions and cases of integration in classrooms

Abstract

Abstract:Technology use in classrooms is often employed for all the wrong reasons-such as convenience, pressure from school administrators, the belief that students need to be entertained, and so on. In this paper, we argue that technology presents the opportunity to employ powerful cognitive tools that can be used by students to solve complex and authentic problems. In order for this to occur, however, technology needs to be used in theoretically sound ways, and it needs to be used by students rather than teachers. We present ten practical ways for technology to be used effectively and meaningfully in school classrooms that are based on principles of authentic learning.

Enhancing Problem-Solving Skills in an Authentic Blended Learning Environment: A Malaysian Context

“…adapting [28]'s 9 theoretically based authentic learning principles and the environment centered on an authentic task which presented a problem-based project for students to solve. The authentic task was designed to be an ill-defined and complex problem, mimicking a project that students may encounter in the working world.…”

Learners’ and Their Teacher’s Experiences of an Authentic Online Assessment Test in the Understanding of Basic Accounting Content Knowledge

“…Assessment that is seamlessly integrated with learning in a way that reflects how quality is judged in the real world Authentic contexts in the classroom are more than simple examples from real-world practice that act as illustrations of a concept being taught. The context needs to be all embracing, to provide the purpose and motivation for learning (Herrington & Kervin, 2007). Accordingly, authentic learning requires students to complete tasks that would be carried out in the real-world workplace and it means that theoretical knowledge or concepts are applied to scenarios which are akin to those found in reality (Simpson, 2016) using technologies as cognitive tools.…”

Leveraging Web Technologies for Collaborative Problem-Solving in an Authentic Learning Environment

“…In the online learning environment, students would access interactive multimedia modules to learn fundamental knowledge on multimedia, document their learning process on their blogs and have discussions via social media sites like Facebook. The entire blended learning environment was designed and built by adapting 9 theoretically based authentic learning principles as outlined by [17]. These 9 authentic learning principles are: Authentic Context, Authentic Activities, Expert Performance, Multiple Roles and Perspectives, Collaboration, Reflection, Articulation, Coaching and Scaffolding, and Integrated Authentic Assessment.…”

“…1 is an example of one group's learning process from the point they were given the problem-based group project to solve until the final project outcome. The process was designed to be as authentic as possible through the adaptation of 9 authentic learning principles by [17]. The seamless implementation of the authentic learning principles is elaborated below:…”

“…While technology has the advantage of allowing an easier shift in the roles of learners and educators [16], its advantages can only be realized through the careful design of learning environments with sound theoretical frameworks. Therefore in this study, the learning environment was designed with the adaptation of 9 theoretically based authentic learning principles outlined by [17] as authentic learning and web technology have been shown to be mutually beneficial when implemented together [18].…”