Contextual Learning

Contextual learning encourages educators to create learning environments that involve creating as many different forms of experience as possible — social, cultural, physical, and psychological to help the student to identify a familiar frame of reference so that the desired learning outcomes can be achieved.

Definition: "A conception that helps teachers relate subject matter content to real world situations and motivates students to make connections between knowledge and its applications to their lives as family members, citizens, and workers." -u.s. department of education

Contextual learning and teaching is a highly effective instructional methodology that incorporates much of the most recent research in cognitive science. The contextual approach recognizes that learning is a complex and multifaceted process that goes far beyond drill-oriented, stimulus-and-response methodologies.

This methodology is especially important for learners who are sometimes referred to as “visual-spatial” learners. These are students who tend to have to start with the end in mind; to have a broad based picture of where a concept may fit in later.

In contextual learning theory, learning occurs only when learners process new information or knowledge in such a way that it makes sense to them within their own frames of reference (their own inner worlds of memory, experience, and response). This approach to learning and teaching assumes that the mind naturally seeks meaning in context, that it does so by searching for relationships that make sense and appear useful.

Contextual learning encourages educators to create learning environments that involve creating as many different forms of experience as possible—social, cultural, physical, and psychological to help the student to identify a familiar frame of reference so that the desired learning outcomes can be achieved.

In such an environment, students discover meaningful relationships between abstract ideas and practical applications in the context of the real world; concepts are internalized through the process of discovering, reinforcing, and relating.

Contextual learning: Emphasizes hands-on problem solving; Organizes around real world experiences; Allows for various learning modalities; Encourages learning outside of classroom; Respects student experiences in the learning process; Encourages collaborative learning; Encourages problem-solving; Differentiated learning based on ability, learning style and student interest.