Anchored Instruction

Social Constructionism is based on the assertion that meanings are developed with others. The theory is focused on social constructs – that is, shared assumptions and jointly construed understandings of such notions as “money,” “atoms,” “common sense,” “self-concept,” and “reality.” The notion that is used to account for dramatically different worldviews across societies and eras.

Originally focused on adults developing professional skills, Situated Learning is concerned with how newcomers become full participating members in established communities. Highlighting that knowing and doing are inseparable, the theory asserts that learning can be powerfully interpreted as a process of apprenticeship.

At its root, Active Learning is a critique of and response to “passive learning” – that is, delivery-based teaching methods that position the learner as a passive recipient of external knowledge. Active Learning thus encompasses a range of learning formats in which students are active, ranging from simply experiencing what is being learned (e.g., riding a bike) to more formally structured approaches.