1. LESSON PLAN &
ACTIVITY
FOR
“SITUATED LEARNING”
By
Ayşe Begüm Aydınol & Özgür Gültekin
TE 546 Computer Teaching Methods 2
Bilkent University
(2010 – 2011 Fall Semester)

2. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
Lesson Plan for Situated Learning
This lesson plan is prepared for university level of students in a medical science course who
will experience real surgery environments later. The activities are prepared by the
collaborative work of Medical Doctors and ICT Department of the university.
After the lesson the students will be able to
• Differentiate the difference between the patients’ physical conditions
• State the predetermining factors before knee surgery
• Recognize certain actions that should be done to prepare patients to knee surgery
• Explain the functions of certain tools that are used in the knee surgery
• Analyze the possible complications and situations in a real knee surgery
• Synthesize the theories while implementing the knee surgery
• Present their ideas in front of the class about the knee surgery
• Evaluate his/her extent of knowledge, skills and understanding about knee surgery
Teacher(s) Ayşe Begüm Date December 09, 2010
AYDINOL & Özgür
GÜLTEKİN
Subject Medical Science Topic Knee Surgery
(Situated Learning)
Class University level of Number of Pupils 12
students (2nd grade)
Duration 40 minutes Place Computer
Laboratory
School (Imaginary) Cerrahpaşa Tıp Fakültesi
Teaching Techniques • Question and Answer
• Brainstorming
• Hands-on Activity
• Cognitive Apprenticeship
• Self Evaluation
• Discussion
• Summary
2

3. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
Lesson Activities, Resources and Materials Used and Time Allocation
Time Teacher Activity Student Activity Resources &
Materials
1 minute Greeting, defining Greeting and listening Screen, computer,
learner profile and to the teacher(s) projector
introduction of the
topic
2 minutes Activating the students’ Remembering the last Screen, computer,
schema by asking week’s topic and projector
questions about the last answering the
week’s topic questions
2 minutes Asking students to Understanding the Screen, computer,
perform the intended activity, entering the projector, online
activity from the intended website to simulation,
website to practice a attend in the activity headphone
knee surgery in a and using headphones
simulated environment
and reminding them to
use headphones
15 minutes Monitoring students’ Performing the Screen, computer,
progress in the activity intended activity by projector, online
by walking around using the application in simulation,
them, and giving the given website, and headphone
feedback when asking questions to the
necessary teacher(s) when
necessary
5 minutes Asking students to state Explaining the points Screen, computer,
the points that they that are understood projector, word
have understood from from the hands-on processor
the hands-on activity as activity in the
a class discussion after discussion and seeing
everyone has finished, the points that are
and writing the points understood by the
by using a word whole class from the
processor to illustrate reflection of the word
processor on the screen
1 minute Summarizing the Listening to the Screen, computer,
general outcomes of the summary of the projector, word
what has learned teacher(s) processor
2 minutes Asking questions about Answering to the Screen, computer,
what situated learning questions of the projector,
may be and guiding the teacher(s) by presentation tool
students when brainstorming and
necessary prediction
3

4. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
6 minutes Explaining what Following the Screen, computer,
situated learning is by presentation of the projector,
using PowerPoint teacher(s) to presentation tool
presentation understand the situated
learning topic
4 minutes Asking students what Trying to answer the Screen, computer,
the role of ICT in questions of the projector,
situated learning can be teacher(s) by thinking presentation tool
and explaining this about the role of ICT in
issue after the students’ situated learning and
answers by continuing following the
to the presentation presentation of the
teacher(s)
2 minutes Summarizing the Listening to the Screen, computer,
situated learning topic summary of the projector
teacher(s)
Useful Links and Resources for  http://www.learningandteaching.info/lea
further studies and searches rning/situated.htm
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situated_lea
rning
 http://tip.psychology.org/lave.html
 http://www.learning-
theories.com/situated-learning-theory-
lave.html
 http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-
social.htm
 Game-Like Learning: An example of
Situated Learning and Implications for
Opportunity to Learn, James Paul Gee.
Follow-up Activity Going to a hospital and experiencing surgery
Hands-on Activity (Situated Learning)
In order to have situated learning technique in the class, the students need to study in the
context. As a result, the website http://www.surgerygames.org/oyna.php?ID=106 has been
added to the Moodle Page of the course so that the students can reach to an online ‘virtual
knee surgery’ application. By this way, the students are able to learn within the context and
learning occurs naturally. As the students actually apply their knowledge, they are able to
construct their own understanding by making trials and errors, and seeing the result in return
in a real life environment.
Some screenshots are presented below to illustrate the procedures of the hands-on activity
which promotes situated learning in the class:
4

5. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
1. Students entered to the website and wore their headphones provided by the teachers.
2. Students continued with performing the activity as if they were real doctors and they
had a patient in the knee surgery.
They firstly trained with making decisions on if the patient can undergo surgery or
not.
5

6. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
3. Then, students continued with the diagnosing the right knee which needs surgery.
4. Then, students continued with the surgery process and learn how to conduct a real
knee surgery as if they are in a hospital while being guided by instructive questions of
the application.
6

7. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
7

8. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
8

9. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
9

10. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
10

11. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
5. Finally, the students are asked a final question after completing the surgery.
6. And they exit from the website as they finished the activity.
11

12. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
Evaluation of the Student Performance in Hands-on
Activity
The students are expected to perform a hands-on activity in the classroom settings. The
rubric below is created to evaluate their performance in this activity while the teachers
observe the students during this activity.
Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Exemplary Score and
0 2 4 Comments
Participation Does not Mostly Always
to the activity participate to the participates to participates to
activity and is the activity but the activity and
interested in is sometimes is never
other things distracted by distracted by
other things other things
Achievement Cannot achieve Mostly achieves Always
without asking the activity the activity achieves the
others/teacher without asking without asking activity without
others/teacher others/teacher asking
but sometimes others/teacher,
needs help never needs
help
Quality of Gives random Mostly gives Always gives
answers answers without meaningful meaningful
thinking answers but answers and
sometimes thinks critically
gives random
answers
Time Can complete the Can complete Can complete
management activity very late the activity a the activity
and is behind the little bit late but right on time
class too much is able to catch
the class
Sharing Does not share Shares Shares
his/her points any points that some/simple much/detailed
he/she learned points that points that
from the activity he/she learned he/she learned
from the from the
activity activity
Listening to Rarely listens to Generally Always listens
12

13. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
the others the other listens to the to the other
members while other members members while
they are sharing while they are they are sharing
their own points sharing their their own points
own points
TOTAL:
13

14. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
Situated Learning Presentation
After the hands-on activity, which was given to the students so that they can experience what
situated learning is, the teachers gave a presentation to explain situated learning concept.
During the presentation, the teachers referred to the finished hands-on activity in order to state
some tangible situated learning examples to the students. Also, the teachers asked questions
and made them think about the situated learning concept critically as well as having
interaction during the presentation.
The presentation can be seen below:
Situated Learning
Ayşe Begüm Aydınol
Özgür Gültekin
TE 546
After the activity…
14

15. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
Traditional ways…
 Traditional learning activities involve abstract
information
 Theories, written format, memorization…
 Traditional learning activities are in the
classroom
 In the break time, learners can socialize…
PUFF!
Situated Learning
 Social
 Collaboration and interaction
 Authentic
 Real life examples and experiences
Situated Learning
 Learning naturally occurs in
Na ucc
a real life context.
S
tu es
ra s
l
 Learners become involved in a
community of practice
 Experience within the context,
and see the beliefs in a
tangible way
 Naturally require intended
skills and behaviors
15

16. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
Situated Learning
 Legitimate: all parties accept the position of
unqualified people as potential members of
the community of practice
 Peripheral: learners firstly hang around on
the edge of the important stuff, do the
peripheral jobs, and gradually are assigned to
more important ones
Situated Learning
 Participation: Learning by doing knowledge
that they gain. Knowledge is situated within
the practices of the community of practice,
rather than something which exists in books
What affects/promotes
learning?
 Activity + Context + Culture = Situation
LEARNING
16

17. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
What is the role of ICT in
Situated Learning?
The role of ICT in Situated
Learning
 Situated learning is learning in a context by
actually doing in the existing culture.
 Sometimes, providing such a situation for tasks
can be
 Expensive
 Time consuming
 Dangerous…
The role of ICT in Situated
Learning
AID: GAMES AND SIMULATIONS
 Medical Science
 Chemistry
 Driving Safe experiments
 Cooking
No waste of cadaver
No accidents
17

18. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
The role of ICT in Situated
Learning
AID: GAMES AND SIMULATIONS
 Doctors, nurses, midwifes, scientists,
cookers can be trained
 Experiments can be conducted…
Learners start as a novice, gradually become an expert
As a result…
 Learners can improve themselves in their
professions with authentic tasks
 Learners can learn from their errors and the
effects in return
 Learners can internalize the information
rather than memorizing
References
 http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/situate
d.htm
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situated_learning
 http://tip.psychology.org/lave.html
 http://www.learning-theories.com/situated-learning-
theory-lave.html
 http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-social.htm
 Game-Like Learning: An example of Situated
Learning and Implications for Opportunity to Learn,
James Paul Gee.
18

19. 20503704 – 20503658 TE 546 – Computer Teaching Methods II
aydinol, gultekin “Situated Learning”
Summary
In conclusion, ‘Situated Learning’ concept is firstly demonstrated by an activity which makes
students to internalize this concept while experiencing it in a real life example. In this real life
example, they experience how situated learning can be used as a good teaching-learning
strategy and they see that ICT has a crucial role in such cases. In the provided case, students
use a virtual knee surgery application as if they are in a real hospital condition and they are
real doctors. By the use of ICT, the students do not need to physically go to the context but
the context can be simulated in a much cheaper and easier way. While the time and cost
decreases, the efficiency of learning increase as the applications are reusable and special for
each user. As a result, situated learning is quite a beneficial approach on the teaching-learning
processes.
19